This roasted red pepper sauce is vibrant, silky, and packed with sweet smoky flavor that makes everything it touches taste better. Blending cottage cheese with jarred or freshly roasted red peppers, garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil creates a sauce that is creamy without being heavy and bold without being overpowering. The natural sweetness of the roasted peppers balances the tang of the cottage cheese beautifully. It works over pasta, spooned over grilled chicken or fish, used as a dipping sauce for crusty bread, or drizzled over roasted vegetables. It is one of those versatile sauces worth keeping in the refrigerator at all times.

Ingredients

• 1 cup full fat cottage cheese
• 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
• 3 cloves garlic, roasted or raw
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain roasted red peppers thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Add cottage cheese to a high speed blender and blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
3. Add roasted red peppers, garlic, olive oil, basil, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
4. Blend on high for 60 seconds until completely smooth and vibrant.
5. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and spice level as needed.
6. Transfer to a saucepan and warm over medium low heat if using as a pasta sauce.
7. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
8. Toss with cooked pasta or serve as a dipping sauce or protein topping.

Tips and variations

• Patting the roasted peppers dry before blending prevents the sauce from becoming too thin and watery.
• Add a tablespoon of sun-dried tomato paste for a deeper, more concentrated flavor.
• Stir in a handful of baby spinach after blending for added greens in the sauce.
• A tablespoon of toasted pine nuts blended in adds a subtle richness and body.
• This sauce freezes well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
• Use as a base for shakshuka by simmering the sauce in a skillet and poaching eggs directly in it.

Nutritional information (per serving, serves 6)

• Calories: 100
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 5g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sodium: 290mg
• Calcium: 8% DV

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