Easy Spaghetti with peppers and onions, garlic, and diced tomatoes. Red and green bell peppers sautéed in extra virgin olive oil with garlic, sweet onions, diced tomatoes, and mixed with spaghetti and grated cheese.
Welcome to the first recipe in our Pasta with Peppers series of recipes. In this version, Spaghetti with Peppers and Onions, we are using red peppers, green peppers, onions, and diced tomatoes to create a wonderful and tasty pasta with peppers dish. This series of recipes will feature peppers cooked with different types of pastas and other ingredients. What will change the most in these recipes are the complimentary ingredients. For instance, in the second version of this recipe, zucchini is the main complimentary ingredient.
The purpose of this blog is to demonstrate how a base recipe, in this case, pasta with peppers, can create a new recipe with a few ingredient changes. First, we create a recipe, then we taste the recipe, then we change up the ingredients to develop a new recipe from the original recipe. This is the innovative part of the process. That is why our approach to cooking is: create, taste, innovate.
Look for other recipe series on this blog as we continue to create and innovate new recipe ideas.
I could probably eat pasta everyday, and probably multiple times a day. This spaghetti with peppers and onions dish is no exception.
See, I am from an Italian-American family, so my love of all things pasta is understandable; I have so many great memories of laughing and enjoying time with my immediate and extended families will engaging in a nice bowl of pasta.
Most of the time, the pasta portion of the family dinner is what we started with, so it was always what I looked forward to the most. We would then follow up the pasta with some type of grilled or roasted meat and sautéed vegetables from the garden. Then we would finish up the main part of dinner with salad. Salad was always last, never first, and always sold to me as…”If you are still hungry…have some salad.”
After salad we would clean off the table and return to engaging in conversation about everyone’s life, sports, politics, and always MONEY! If there was one thing I would always expect, was my grandparents asking me about my work. In their thick Italian accents I would hear, “Work is good?” or “Why no work today?” As to imply, if you are at dinner with us, you must not have a job.
I would always tell my grandparents that work was good and that I have the weekends off. Even though I answered the same way all of the time, they would still ask. See my grandparents did not fully understand the concept of having an entire day “without” work.
My grandparents, along with my father, migrated to the United States in the 1960s. From day one, they worked. There was not paid vacation or sick leave; if they did not work, they did not get paid. Because of their hard work and sacrifice, I, as a first generation Italian-American, can now reap the benefits of having a job were I do not work the weekends, I have paid vacation, sick, and paternal leave, and I have enough free time to enjoy the passion I have for writing this blog.
We would finish up dinner with a course of fruit and nuts, and then espresso and Italian cookies. If you have never tasted an Italian cookie I recommend it. It is not like your standard run of the mill cookie. They are usually always dry, hard, and under sweet. I know, sounds unappealing, but there is something about them that is delicious. Maybe it is the espresso that is served with them, or the fact you are usually around family when you eat them, or that they invoke this sense of nostalgia. I don’t know the reason why, but I love them.
Spaghetti with peppers and onions sautéed in garlic and extra virgin olive oil is a favorite combination of mine. My mom always kept peppers, onions, and garlic in the house. It was a staple of so many of the great dishes she made. When I started cooking for myself I could always count on peppers, onions, and garlic being available. That is the origin of this recipe; a 15 year old boy looking to make a quick meal with pasta.
Now that I am older and have a home of my own I continue to make this spaghetti with peppers and onions dish when I need a quick and easy comforting meal. An added benefit these days is that I grow my own garlic, tomatoes, and peppers in my garden. So depending on the time of year, this recipe really comes in handy.
With just the spaghetti with peppers and onions this dish is a fantastic vegetarian option, and for an even healthier option, I would recommend using whole wheat, brown rice, or quinoa pasta. I would recommend this whole wheat einkorn pasta from Jovial Foods.
NOTE
Before beginning the recipe remember to read the “Invent Your Recipe” section below for additional suggestions, recipe combinations, or ingredient alternatives.
How to Make Spaghetti with Peppers and Onions
Preparing the Pasta:
- Prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions for al dente pasta. Strain pasta and set aside.
Preparing the Vegetables:
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large pot or skillet add the extra virgin olive oil and bring to a high heat.
- Next, add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 1-2 minutes, mixing occasionally.
- Next, add in the bell peppers, sweet onions, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the skillet.
- Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes, mixing occasionally
Bringing it all Together:
- Add the spaghetti and grated cheese to the vegetables and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the spaghetti reaches your desired temperature.
How To Serve Spaghetti with Peppers and Onions
- Place the spaghetti with peppers and onions into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with more grated cheese if desired.
Invent Your Recipe:
I have made this spaghetti with peppers and onions recipe many times and with many different types of pasta. I have used penne, rigatoni, farfalle, and rotini to just name a few. But my favorite is spaghetti. There is just something about how twirling the spaghetti around your fork helps to capture the peppers and onions perfectly into each savory bite.
Sometimes when I am looking for something a bit more substantial to eat I will add some grilled chicken strips to this dish. I have also added shrimp and scallops before, so the are many possibilities for changing this recipe to make the dish you will enjoy the most.
For more pasta inspired recipes like this Spaghetti with peppers and onions dish, check out our pasta recipe page.
The Recipe
Spaghetti, Peppers and Onions
Ingredients
- 1 lb. spaghetti uncooked
- 2 green bell peppers cut into thin strips
- 2 red bell peppers cut into thin strips
- 2 sweet onions sliced
- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic sliced
- ½ cup Romano cheese
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
Preparing the Pasta:
- Prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions for al dente pasta. Strain pasta and set aside.1 lb. spaghetti
Preparing the Vegetables:
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large pot or skillet add the extra virgin olive oil and bring to a high heat.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Next, add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 1-2 minutes, mixing occasionally.6 cloves garlic
- Next, add in the bell peppers, sweet onions, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the skillet.2 green bell peppers, 2 red bell peppers, 2 sweet onions, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper, 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes, mixing occasionally
Bringing it all Together:
- Add the spaghetti and grated cheese to the vegetables and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the spaghetti reaches your desired temperature.½ cup Romano cheese
To Serve:
- Place the pasta into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with more grated cheese if desired.
Invent Your Recipe
Nutrition
For even more ideas, like this spaghetti with peppers and onions dish, check out our pinterest page.
Great flavor!
Nice recipe