Pesto Roasted Red Noodle Bowl Recipe

Preheat and prepare vegetables

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Halve the red bell peppers lengthwise and remove seeds. Peel and quarter the red onion. Toss the bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and onion quarters with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp sea salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp smoked paprika so everything is evenly coated.

Arrange vegetables cut-side down (peppers) and spread out the tomatoes and onions on the sheet so they roast rather than steam. Roast for 25–30 minutes, or until peppers are blistered and charred in spots and tomatoes have softened. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. If you prefer a smoother, smokier flavor, transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes, then peel skins if desired. Reserve juices from the pan.

Toast the shredded coconut: in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the 0.75 cups shredded coconut, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.

Toast the nuts: in the same skillet, toast the pine nuts or cashews for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool.

Blend the pesto: in a food processor or high-speed blender combine the toasted coconut, toasted nuts, 2 cups basil, 0.5 cup cilantro, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbs lime juice, 0.5 cup coconut milk, 2 tbs grated Parmesan or 2 tbs nutritional yeast (if keeping vegan), 0.75 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Pulse to break down the ingredients, then stream in 2 tbs neutral oil while running until the mixture becomes a smooth, spreadable pesto. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or coconut milk to reach a bright, creamy consistency. If the pesto is too thick, add 1–2 tbs more coconut milk or warm water.

Incorporate roasted red vegetables: add half of the roasted red peppers, 1 cup of roasted cherry tomatoes, and two onion quarters into the blender/pulse bowl with the pesto and pulse 6–8 times until the roasted reds are incorporated but still lend texture and a vivid red color. Reserve remaining roasted vegetables as larger pieces for bowls or mix them in later.

Cook the rice noodles: bring 4 cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil in a medium pot. Remove from heat and add the rice noodles (10 oz wide or vermicelli). For most rice noodles, soak 4–8 minutes depending on thickness until just tender (follow package instructions). If using wide rice noodles that require boiling, cook 3–4 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to stop cooking and remove excess starch.

Dress the noodles: transfer the drained noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add the coconut pesto with roasted red vegetables (from previous section) — start with about 1 to 1 1/4 cups of pesto mixture and toss gently to coat. Add 1 tbs soy sauce or tamari and toss again. Taste and add more pesto, a splash of coconut milk, or a pinch of salt if needed. If you reserved larger roasted vegetables, fold them in now in bite-sized pieces to give texture.

Plate and garnish: divide the coated noodles among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with reserved fresh basil leaves, toasted coconut flakes, a squeeze of lime wedge, and a sprinkle of chili flakes if using. Serve immediately while slightly warm or at room temperature.

Storage: refrigerate leftover pesto in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Toss leftover noodles with a little additional coconut milk or water before reheating to loosen the sauce.