Ravioli With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

By Kiano Moju

Updated April 14, 2026

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
25 min
Rating
5(357)
Comments
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Sometimes the best pasta sauces do start with a jar. Inspired by a classic flavor combination found in Nigerian jollof rice (red bell peppers, habanero, stock and tomato), this recipe starts off with a jar of roasted red bell peppers, and blends them with habanero and stock until creamy. The chile is used more for its flavor than its heat. By removing the seeds and the white membrane, the spice level drops significantly, leaving you with a wonderful fruity pepper note. The pasta, tomato paste and a topping of creamy goat cheese bring everything together. As with any prominent ingredient, be sure to taste the cheese first. Some goat cheese brands can be more tangy than others, so you may need to use less. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained

  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1 habanero chile, halved and seeded

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to serve

  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 2 (9-ounce) packages cheese ravioli (or tortellini)

  • 4 ounces mild goat cheese

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using a blender or an immersion blender, blend the drained roasted red peppers, broth and habanero until smooth. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Coat the bottom of a large (12-inch) skillet with the olive oil. Add the garlic and set over medium heat. Once the garlic becomes fragrant and sizzles in the pan, add the tomato paste, stirring until it darkens to a brick red, 1 to 2 minutes. 

  3. Step 3

    Pour in the blended pepper mixture and stir until combined. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly reduced. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. 

  4. Step 4

    Add the ravioli and stir until coated. Shake the pan so that it's in a flat layer, then spoon the goat cheese on top. Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is cooked to your liking and the cheese is slightly melty. Finish with more black pepper if you like. (For a golden cheesy top, once the pasta is cooked, you can broil the dish on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned.) Drizzle with a bit of olive oil before serving.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
357 user ratings
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Comments

Stephanie

I’ve made this twice now. I boil my tortellini for two minutes before adding them to the pan and I add spinach at the end for extra veg. Very tasty and easy!

Weeknight cook

This was quick, easy, and good. My family doesn’t love spice so I used a jar of fire roasted red peppers and left out the habanero. Used an immersion blender in a small saucepan which required only a quick rinse and then the rest in the skillet. I hadn’t defrosted frozen ravioli which I should have - took them out of the sauce and popped them in the microwave for a few minutes on very low heat and all was fine but it would have been even faster if I’d thought about thawing them earlier.

Erin

I quite liked this. It looks like run-of-the-mill pasta but tastes just different enough to be fun. I did use the habanero and I'd say the dish is medium spicy on the grocery store salsa scale--it left my mouth a bit tingly but didn't overwhelm.

Lisa Hunt

I’ve made this countless times; the reason I think it comes out so well is the ravioli choice: found a beef brisket ravioli and use that every time. Also good quality roasted peppers (Divina) and goat cheese. Love this for how simple it is to make; don’t omit the habanero; adds a fruity flavor that is delicious.

JM

While this won’t be a regular go-to for me, it’s very easy and worth keeping in reserve. The sauce can be made ahead and just brought back to a simmer to cook the ravioli. I would cut back on the reducing time for the sauce - mine ended up a little pasty by the time the goat cheese was added. I used jarred Calabrian chiles, and next time might just use TJ’s crushed garlic to make it even easier.

Bridget K

I really liked this! I didn’t have habanero so i subbed gochujang for it and it worked great! Also subbed boursin for the goat cheese and it was really nice! Would cook again

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