The first time I ever had roasted peppers was from an Italian sub sandwich my relatives used to bring up from The Bronx when visiting and I always looked forward to it even though I’m not sure I realized that the signature taste really came from the peppers. Once I met my wife’s family I figured it out as they usually had roasted peppers for most Sunday dinners and family gatherings. They were part Italian so I learned from my grandmother-in-law how to make them properly. They’re quite easy but the method is everything.
You need to start with red, yellow or orange peppers. Peppers start out green and ripen to these colors the longer they’re on the vine. You then need to char them by broiling, grilling or even holding them over an open flame on a gas stove (I have electric so that doesn’t work for me). I prefer to broil mine and turn them every 6 minutes or so to make sure each side is charred.
There’s a fine line when charring the peppers. They can’t just be burnt and not cooked or too mushy. There’s a sweet spot where they’re both charred and cooked enough and as you make these more and more you’ll understand what that is. Watch my video to see the process and how I get them.
Once cooked, they immediately need to be covered in a bowl or dish to steam until cooled off. This loosens the skin from the flesh of the pepper so it’s easily removed. After that, it’s just a matter of removing the seeds and charred skin, slicing them, adding some garlic and olive oil and letting them marinate a bit.
Roasted peppers are great in salads, sandwiches, just on Italian bread, blended into hummus and so much more! They taste way better made fresh than anything from a jar so get roasting and you’ll see!
How to Roast Peppers
6
servings30
minutes20
minutesThe best way to roast peppers to perfection!
Ingredients
2-4 colored bell peppers (red, yellow or orange)
garlic, sliced
olive oil (enough to moisten)
Directions
- To cook the peppers, you can broil, grill or cook over an open flame. They need to be charred enough to be cooked but not over cooked. I broil and turn the peppers every 6 minutes per side and usually it’s about three turns so about 18 minutes cooking total.
- Once sufficiently charred, place the cooked peppers in a bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap and leave them to sit until cooled off.
- Once cool enough to be handled, take out the seeds and scrape off any excess. Peel the charred skins off the peppers and discard. Slice the peppers and place in a bowl, dish or container and add sliced garlic (I usually use 2-3 cloves) and then add olive oil. I use enough to moisten thoroughly but not cover them completely.
- Don’t salt the peppers. This will toughen them. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Peppers will last about a week in the fridge but are best enjoyed at room temperature.
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