Roasted Red Peppers

Author Notes

Like most things, I tend to find that the 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 to me, and once you start, you'll always have them around whenever you need them.

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, the next time your recipe calls for them, or if you just want to have some to snack on, I hope you will make your own at home.

Roasted red peppers have so many uses: You can throw them in salads, 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. You'll find yourself reaching for that jar again and again.

You have several options for storing your roasted red peppers. First, you can use them right away. Second, you can store them in an air-tight container in the fridge. I like to store them in a mason jar with a drizzle of olive oil. They should keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Or, you can freeze your roasted peppers by placing them in a freezer bag. They will keep for a couple of months in the freezer. —Jodi Moreno