How-To & Diy

Roasted Red Peppers

October  1, 2013

It's always more fun to DIY. Every week, we'll spare you a trip to the grocery store and show you how to make small batches of great foods at home.

Today: Sweet, smoky roasted red peppers always taste better when made at home. Jodi from What's Cooking Good Looking shows us how.

Roasted Red Peppers on Food52

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Like most things, I tend to find that canned roasted red peppers never have quite the same taste that the homemade ones do. I always prefer to make my own at home if I have fresh red bell peppers available. 

If you've done it before, you know how simple roasted red peppers are to prepare. It takes about 15 minutes of hand-ons work, and is well worth the effort. If you've never made roasted red peppers, I hope you will try making your own -- either the next time your recipe calls for them, or if you just want to have some around.

More: Feel like charring some more vegetables? Try baba ganoush. 

Roasted red peppers have so many uses: You can throw them in salads or add them to sandwiches; you can use them as a pizza topping or in pasta dishes; or you can turn roasted red peppers into pesto, hummus, or soup. 

Roasted Red Peppers on Food52

I like to store mine in a mason jar in the fridge. They keep for 1 to 2 weeks, or you can also freeze them so you can be sure you always have delicious homemade roasted red peppers around.

Roasted Red Peppers

Makes around 12 to 16 ounces

6 to 7 red bell peppers
1 to 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place your rack toward the top of the oven, and then preheat the broiler.

Roasted Red Peppers on Food52

Place the red peppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, turning the peppers halfway through. You want your peppers to be completely charred (black) on the outside. Oven temperatures (especially broilers) vary, so be sure to keep an eye on them since some might cook faster or slower.

Remove the peppers from the oven, cover them with pieces of foil, and allow them to sit for about 20 minutes. This will essentially steam the peppers and make the skins much easier to remove.

Roasted Red Peppers on Food52

Remove the foil, and make sure the peppers are cool enough to handle. Then, with a trash can nearby, remove the tops and and seeds of the peppers, along with the charred skin (which should peel off easily). Then, transfer the peppers to a cutting board and cut them into sizes that you like. I prefer long strips.

Roasted Red Peppers on Food52

You have several options for storing your roasted red peppers if you don't want to use them right away. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge -- I like to store mine in a mason jar with a drizzle of olive oil, and they usually keep for 1 to 2 weeks. Or, you can freeze your roasted peppers in a freezer bag. They will keep for a couple of months in the freezer.

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photos by Jodi Moreno. 

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Smaug
    Smaug
  • sarabclever
    sarabclever
  • Jerry Kelleher
    Jerry Kelleher
  • Lita
    Lita
  • Quierounancla
    Quierounancla
Jodi Moreno is a Natural Foods Chef, Photographer, and creator of the blog What’s Cooking Good Looking where she shares her healthy, clean, seasonal recipes and photographs. She’s passionate about showing people that vegetables can play a main role on the plate.

19 Comments

Smaug September 12, 2016
Oddly, the peppers shown are not bells. Might be piquillos, but they look a little long. Anyway, you really shouldn't put parchment under the broiler; foil works better for this anyway. In my experience, it doesn't take nearly 20 minutes- closer to 5- but I preheat, and the distance may be different. If you wrap them afterwards, a damp cloth works best; I don't usually bother with oven charred peppers.
 
sarabclever September 29, 2014
Perfect! I was wondering if these froze well. Our pepper plant is producing nicely this year, though I'm hoping the last few will have time to ripen before it gets too cold.
 
Jerry K. October 6, 2013
Hi. I have a very simple method for roasting red peppers. I quarter then reslice bell peppers. After deseeding and removing the pith I put them single layer in a roasting dish, add slices of garlic, add lots of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and roast in a hot -- 180C-- oven for 25 or 30 mins. No peeling needed.
 
Panfusine October 6, 2013
that sounds great,it would be fabulous just spooned over some fresh bread or toast with a sprinkle of parmiggiano!
 
Lita October 3, 2013
2 things:
First, while homemade red peppers are definitely best, improve bottled or canned peppers by sauteing them in olive oil and some garlic(optional).

Second, make ajvar with your roasted peppers. It's a condiment a Serbian friend's mother taught me. You can buy it in some markets but the commercial stuff is usually cut with eggplant or tomatoes or who knows what. After the peppers are roasted, unpeeled, and de-seeded, run them briefly through a blender or food processor. You don't want liquid peppers, leave them a little on the small chunky side for texture. Then put them in a pan with garlic, olive oil, and some salt and pepper and saute them until they done. How will you know they're done? While that's kind of a personal choice, you want the ajvar to be looser than a pesto or tapenade, but thicker than ketchup.

The best way to eat it is on a chunk of Italian bread. This stuff is heaven!
 
Quierounancla October 2, 2013
I'm from Spain, where this peppers are tipically from. I've seen my mom and grandmas do this many many times throught my life. And i have tried all the different ways my self. I got to say the best thing to me, and this is just an opinion, is the way our host here says. And theres is a trick in spain, if you are not going to make them for salad, and you want them for side dish with a warm dish, the traditional way to do it is to slice some garlic, fry it a little on olive oil, add the peppers and simmer on low heat for a little while. And instead of throwing the peelings away, when you are done peeling them you take all the skins and squeeze them on top of the peppers and that juice makes them just unbelibable.
I hope my english is good enough, and i hope you try this little tricks, they are totally worth the efford.
 
Panfusine October 2, 2013
I've never made a large batch to store away, but usually rely on the stove top, using one of those perforated utensils to char grill them, then drop them into a paper bag to cool before wiping the skin off with a kitchen paper towel.
 
Quierounancla October 2, 2013
Its not the same, in the oven they turn out very soft and full of it's own juices which make them wonderfull.
 
Nora R. October 3, 2013
Paper bags aren't meant to touch hot food.
 
Panfusine October 3, 2013
I just bought a stash of the peppers to try out in the oven. Always grudged the juices dripping away on the stove, but let it go since it was always just one or two.
 
Sherry October 2, 2013
I do this on the grill (covered) and steam them after in a gallon baggie. Works great, tastes even better.
 
Linda S. October 2, 2013
Thanks for the tip, Sherry!
 
Nora R. October 3, 2013
Baggies aren't meant to touch hot food. Put them in a bowl and cover it with a plate.
 
Linda S. October 2, 2013
I am definitely going to make these peppers! So great with pasta...
 
Blork October 2, 2013
Just a side note: every recipe for roasted peppers says to cover them with foil or to put them in a plastic bag. Both of these are wasteful and unnecessary; you can also just put them in a covered pot; it does the same thing and it actually holds the heat better.
 
Nora R. October 3, 2013
Amen! Or use a bowl with the sheet pan on top.
 
Suzie D. October 1, 2013
I just did mine too...I have a freezer full now and ready for winter!
http://justcrumbs.weebly.com/1/post/2013/09/roasting-peppers.html
 
Panfusine October 1, 2013
WOw, you've motivated me to run out tomorrow & buy up the peppers from my local farm. Thanks!
Question: the peppers in the picture look more elongated compared to the traditional bell peppers. What variety is is?
 
carswell October 1, 2013
I split and core my peppers first, then flatten them with my hand before putting them under the broiler. No turning necessary and no trying to core and seed limp peppers. All you have to do is peel them -and to make that easier I toss them in a dish and put a tea towel over it while the peppers cool. They steam a little and that loosens the skin.

Putting them in a shallow dish while they cool has the added advantage of catching the juices they release - which I pour over them in whatever container I'm going to freeze them in.

If you really want to go wild you can add some slivered garlic.