Creamy Vegan Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce
This Creamy Vegan Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce is rich, flavorful, and made with simple ingredients that come together in a blender. Perfect for tossing with pasta, drizzling over roasted vegetables, or using as a dip, this dairy-free sauce is smooth, healthy, and incredibly easy to make.
When I first started making plant-based sauces, I wanted something that felt indulgent without relying on dairy or processed ingredients.
Roasted red peppers turned out to be the secret. Their natural sweetness blends beautifully with cashews, garlic, and lemon juice to create a creamy sauce that tastes gourmet but is simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Over time, this sauce has become a staple in my kitchen. I love that it can transform plain pasta into a cozy vegan meal in minutes, but it is also versatile enough to pair with grain bowls, veggie wraps, or even as a dip for bread.
Spotlight on This Creamy Vegan Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce
- It is versatile: This sauce works beautifully with pasta, Buddha bowls, roasted vegetables, or as a dip for bread. However you use it, it adds flavor and richness to your meal.
- It is quick and easy: All you need is a blender and a few simple ingredients to have a delicious vegan sauce ready in minutes, perfect for weeknights.
- It is made with wholesome ingredients: Roasted bell peppers, cashews, garlic, and lemon juice create a sauce that is both nutritious and satisfying.
- It is absolutely delicious: Sweet roasted peppers blend with creamy cashews for a sauce so good you will want to eat it straight from the spoon.
- It is packed with nutrients: Cashews provide plant-based protein and healthy fats, while nutritional yeast adds extra vitamins and a cheesy flavor boost.
- It is creamy and completely vegan: Thanks to cashews, this dairy-free sauce turns out velvety smooth and indulgent, making it a perfect alternative to traditional cream sauces.
The Ingredients
Jar of roasted bell peppers: Using jarred roasted red peppers makes this recipe quick and effortless. They bring a smoky sweetness that creates the base of this creamy vegan sauce without the need to roast fresh peppers.
Cashews: Soaked cashews blend into a rich and velvety texture, giving the sauce its signature creaminess and adding plant based protein and healthy fats.
Nutritional yeast: This vegan pantry staple adds a cheesy, savory flavor while boosting nutrients like B vitamins and protein, making the sauce both flavorful and wholesome.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens the sauce with a tangy citrus flavor and balances the creaminess of the cashews. It also adds a boost of vitamin C.
Vegetable stock: Vegetable stock infuses depth and flavor into the sauce, helping to thin it to the perfect consistency. Low sodium stock works best so you can control the seasoning.
Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic brings bold, savory flavor that enhances the sweetness of the peppers and the nuttiness of the cashews.
Red pepper flakes: A pinch of red pepper flakes gives the sauce a subtle kick of heat that balances the creamy and smoky notes. Adjust the spice level to your preference.
Salt and pepper: Season the sauce to taste with salt and black pepper for the perfect finishing touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Soaking cashews helps them blend into a smooth, creamy sauce. If you are short on time, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes, or soak overnight for the best texture.
It’s very mild. It will all depend on how much red pepper flakes you blend into it. For no spice, omit this spice.
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. If it thickens, just whisk in a splash of vegetable stock or water before serving.
I love it over this vegan veggie pasta dish or as a dipping sauce for these sweet potato balls.
The Instructions
*Make sure to soak your cashews in water for at least 4 hours or hot water for 30 minutes.
Step one: Place all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This includes drained bell peppers, drained cashews, lemon juice, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. *Make sure your cashews have been soaked.
Step two: Blend until creamy. If it seems too thick, add a splash of additional vegetable stock.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container, such as a mason jar with a lid and in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat the sauce, add it to a small pot over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until it reaches a warm temperature. *Keep a lid on it because it will bubble and splatter!
Tips + Modifications
To remove any spice, omit the red pepper flakes.
If your sauce seems too thick, add a splash more of vegetable stock.
To soak your cashews:
Place raw cashews in a glass bowl. Fill the bowl with filtered water until the cashews are completely covered. Place the bowl into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To speed this up, heat the water until boiling. Remove from the heat. Soak the cashews in the hot water for 20-30 minutes. Drain and then they are all set.
More Delicious Vegan Sauces and Dips
Creamy Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette
Creamy Vegan Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce
Equipment
- 1 high speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 (12oz) jar of roasted bell peppers, drained
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked *see options below
- juice from ½ a lemon
- ¼ cup vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- pinch of red pepper flakes *omit for no spice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This includes drained bell peppers, drained cashews, lemon juice, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. *Make sure your cashews have been soaked.
- Blend until creamy. If it seems too thick, add a splash of additional vegetable stock.
