This Cheesy Hot Pepper Pasta from Trader Joe’s is so good I just had to share it with you. I would love to take credit for this one but their recipe is the Bomb.
Trader Joe’s are not shy about sharing their recipes online but they obviously reference ingredients unique to them so you go shop in their stores. Not that they need to try too hard as our local Trader Joe’s stores are always packed!
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This pasta dish recipe requires simple ingredients to make, with the exception of 2 ingredients: the Campanelle Pasta (aka Gigli) and the Hot Pepper Sauce.
In theory, you can use whatever kind of pasta you want for this recipe but substituting the Pepper Hot Sauce might be a little challenging.
Trader Joe’s has a hot sauce called Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce which includes fermented chili pepper. You could use any hot pepper sauce or hot chili sauce but I like that their sauce includes pieces of fermented chili peppers.
A word of caution, the hot pepper sauce used in this recipe is VERY hot. We all know how much I love spicy food but I found 2 tablespoons just a bit much to really enjoy this dish. I suggest starting with 1 tablespoon and slowly working your way up as you taste test between each addition.
Serving Suggestions
What does better with a great pasta dish than some Cheesy Garlic Bread. This is the best garlic bread you will ever have!
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Cheesy Hot Pepper Pasta recipe from Trader Joe’s (see recipe card for quantities): Campanelle Pasta, Olive Oil, Hot Pepper Sauce, Garlic Powder, Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice and Parmesan Cheese.
How to Make Trader Joe’s Cheesy Hot Pepper Pasta
- In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir gently and return to a boil; boil for 4 to 5 minutes until very al dente, stirring frequently. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- In a large skillet, add the oil, garlic, lemon zest, and hot pepper sauce. Sauté over medium heat until garlic and lemon are fragrant. Add the pasta and the cheese to the skillet and fold gently to coat.
- Gradually add the reserved pasta water to thin sauce to the desired consistency.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the lemon juice. Optionally garnish with more cheese before serving.
Trader Joe’s Cheesy Hot Pepper Pasta
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Ingredients
- 17 oz Campanelle Pasta
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Hot Pepper Sauce, or to taste
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ Lemon Zest
- ½ Fresh Lemon Juice, (juice reserved)
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir gently and return to a boil; boil for 4 to 5 minutes until very al dente, stirring frequently. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- In a large skillet, add the oil, garlic, lemon zest, and hot pepper sauce. Sauté over medium heat until garlic and lemon are fragrant. Add the pasta and the cheese to the skillet and fold gently to coat.
- Gradually add the reserved pasta water to thin sauce to the desired consistency.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the lemon juice. Optionally garnish with more cheese before serving.
I just loved this Trader Joes cheesy hot pepper pasta. My family loved it. It was the best meal I had made in a long time. I only used 1 teaspoon of the hot pepper sauce and was loved by my whole family.