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This Red Chimichurri Pasta is anything but boring. It’s bright, zesty, and easy to make. A fast no-cook Red Chimichurri Sauce adds bold flavor from red peppers, smoked paprika, and garlic. You'll use similar veggies as my Ratatouille Pasta—but no oven needed! Just saute veggies, cook pasta, then mix it all together for a delicious dinner.
This pasta can be served hot or as a cold pasta salad, just like my Mediterranean Tortellini with Pesto. Leftovers taste great, even without reheating. It's a versatile dish for any season—from busy weeknight dinners to summer potlucks!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy: Ready in 25 minutes! All you have to do is boil pasta, sauté veggies, and mix the no-cook sauce.
- Bright, punchy flavor: This isn’t your usual pasta! Red Chimichurri takes the tangy, herby flavor of Green Chimichurri—then enhances it with smoked paprika and roasted red peppers. The result is a flavorful yet light pasta sauce that's fast to make.
- Veggie packed: This vegetarian (and vegan-friendly) pasta is actually full of colorful veggies, like zucchini, bell peppers, and onion.
- Delicious hot or cold: Enjoy this recipe as a hot pasta or a cold pasta salad. You can't go wrong either way!
- Make ahead friendly: This pasta comes together fast, but you could prep it in advance. The chimichurri keeps in the fridge (or freezer) and you could saute the veggies beforehand. Once assembled, the pasta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
The ingredients list may look long but worry. Most of them go right into the food processor to make the no-cook Red Chimichurri Sauce. The rest is simply pasta, fresh veggies, and cheese!
Here's everything you need:
- Roasted Red Pepper: Store-bought jarred roasted red peppers is the most convenient. Drain or pat dry before using. If you wanted, you could roast your own—but I rarely do!
- Parsley: Use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley for this. It has more flavor. In a pinch, you could swap curly parsley. But the flavor will be milder.
- Smoked Paprika: Use smoked sweet paprika, not smoked hot paprika. If it doesn't say, it's likely sweet paprika. But if it tastes spicy then it's hot paprika.
- Pasta: I recommend Rigatoni because it pairs well with the big chunky vegetables. Penne or Fusilli would be the closest swaps. But you could use another pasta instead.
- Cherry Tomatoes: I used red cherry tomatoes, but multi-colored would look nice too!Any kind of baby tomato will work. You could use grape tomatoes instead.
- Feta: There are many different types of feta. Some are made with sheep's milk, cow's milk, or a mix of both. Use your favorite feta. If you're vegan, choose a crumbled plant-based feta substitute (or substitute vegan parmesan).
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Have extra roasted red peppers to use up? I use jarred red peppers throughout my cookbook—The Evergreen Kitchen: Weeknight Vegetarian Dinners for Everyone. Or make Instant Pot Bean Soup or One Pot Orzo with Tomatoes and Harissa.
How to make Red Chimichurri Pasta
This zesty Red Chimichurri Pasta with sauteed veggies comes together fast!
Here's the step-by-step on how to make this delicious weeknight pasta:
1. Pulse the Red Chimichurri ingredients (except olive oil) in a food processor.
2. Transfer to a bowl, stir in olive oil, and set aside. Your Red Chimichurri sauce is done!
3. Boil pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain.
4. Meanwhile, saute the zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion. Set aside.
5. Cook the tomatoes with a few spoonfuls of Chimichurri, until they start to burst.
6. Toss pasta with Chimichurri and pasta water. Then add everything else and mix.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
- Make extra Red Chimichurri: You can drizzle it over roasted veggies (including Air Fryer Broccolini and Air Fryer Peppers). It's also delicious over kebabs or your favorite protein. Or add it to a salad or rice bowl. For tips on how to freeze chimichurri, check out my detailed post on Red Chimichurri Sauce.
- Saute veggies in batches: Use the largest skillet you have and saute the veggies in two batches. This allows them to cook in a single layer, to give you the most control and avoid overcooking them.
- Don't waste the tomato juices: Make sure you scrape out the tomatoes and all of their juices from the skillet into the pasta. It helps create the flavorful and luscious sauce!
- Remember to keep some pasta water: Make sure you scoop out some pasta water before draining it. This starch in the water helps emulsify the sauce.
- If you forgot the pasta water, there's a fix: While pasta water is best, you can substitute hot water instead. Just make sure you toss the pasta and the sauce really well, to coat evenly. You might need an extra pinch or two of salt.
Recipe FAQs
Chimichurri is a flavorful, punchy sauce with herbs (like parsley and cilantro), garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Red Chimichurri adds sweet red bell peppers, smoky paprika, and often some heat. My recipe isn’t that spicy, but others can be quite spicy.
In this recipe, you can simply use hot water instead. Just make sure to toss well to help coat the noodles evenly. Pasta water has some starch that helps to emulsify sauces, so it's better than plain hot water. But hot water is your next best option!
You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the pasta or enjoy it cold. I like to add a splash of water or olive oil—and a pinch of salt—to refresh leftover pasta.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review below!
📖 Recipe
Red Chimichurri Pasta (Hot or Cold)
Ingredients
Red Chimichurri
- ½ cup roasted red pepper (from a jar, see note 1)
- ⅓ cup flat leaf parsley (packed, see note 2)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (packed)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (see note 3)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pasta
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta (or penne, fusilli, or similar)
- 1 small red onion (1 cup)
- 2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow)
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Make Red Chimichurri: To a food processor, add ½ cup roasted red pepper, ⅓ cup flat leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer to small bowl, then stir in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 1 lb rigatoni pasta. Cook until al dente, according to package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta.
- Chop veggies: Meanwhile, chop 1 small red onion and 2 bell peppers into large bite-sized pieces. Slice 1 medium zucchini into ¼-inch (0.63 cm) thick half-moons. Transfer onion, peppers, and zucchini to a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Saute veggies: In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute veggie mixture in two batches until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. When almost done, add a couple splashes of water, cover skillet with a lid and let steam for 30 seconds. (This helps cook the middle a bit more). Remove lid and let water cook off. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining veggies. Set skillet aside.
- Cook tomatoes: Add 12 oz cherry tomatoes to the large bowl, tossing them in whatever oil remains. (If bowl is clean, add a bit more oil). Reheat skillet over medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons of the Red Chimichurri to the skillet, then scatter in tomatoes. Cook, stirring gently, just until the tomato skins start to split, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Combine: Add drained pasta back to the pot, over low heat. Pour in remaining Red Chimichurri and ½ cup reserved pasta water (see note 4). Toss to combine. Add the tomatoes and all the juices from the skillet. Add sauteed veggies and 1 cup crumbled feta cheese. Toss to mix, adding more pasta water if needed to create a silky sauce. Remove from heat. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Serve hot, room temp or cold.
Notes
- Roasted Red Pepper: About 1 pepper. I use store-bought roasted red peppers from a jar (drain before using). But you can roast your own, if you prefer.
- Parsley: Flat Leaf (Italian) has more flavor. If needed, you can substitute Curly Parsley—but you may need to add a bit more since the flavor is milder.
- Smoked Paprika: Use Smoked Sweet Paprika (rather than Smoked Hot Paprika). Regular paprika is usually the sweet variety. So, if it doesn't specify, it's usually "sweet". If in doubt, taste to confirm ("hot" will be spicy).
- Pasta Water: Has some starch which helps to emulsify sauce. If you forgot to keep some water before draining the pasta—substitute hot water and make sure to toss really well.
- Gluten Free option: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Vegan option: Use a vegan feta substitute.
- Storage tips: Pasta can kept refrigerated for up to 3 days. Leftovers can be reheated or enjoyed cold. I like to add an extra drizzle of olive oil and salt to perk up leftover pasta.
Charlotte M says
This is so good! I saw it in IG and knew I needed to make it. My boyfriend has already asked when I'm making it again:)
Bri Beaudoin says
Hi Charlotte! Yay so glad to hear you and your boyfriend enjoyed this Chimichurri Pasta! I really appreciate you taking the time to come back and share a review. That's always super helpful for other readers!