Roasted peppers are easy to make, and you can serve them as an appetizer, side dish or use them in other recipes like pasta, salads, dips, wraps, and more.

In this post, we’ll show you how to make roasted peppers in the oven, air fryer, or gas burner.

Roasted peppers with basil and garlic
cooking methods for roasted peppers

There are many ways of roasting peppers. You can cook them on a grill or an open gas flame, under a broiler, in the oven, or in an air fryer.

No matter what method you use, what’s certain is that homemade roasted peppers are substantially superior to store-bought ones that come in a jar.

They are also easy to make, and you can control the ingredients for the marinade, making it with good quality oil and more or less salt and vinegar based on your taste.

Here’s a quick summary of what you can expect from the different cooking methods:

  • Air fryer: our favorite method because it’s the fastest, cleanest, and the roasted bell peppers taste great!
  • Oven-baked: also excellent, but it takes twice as long as in the air fryer.
  • Broiler: Similar to oven-baked, with a good char.
  • Open flame: taste is probably the best, but your stovetop will be a mess and the kitchen full of smoke.
  • Grill: excellent flavor. Recommended if you have a grill and use is already on for something else.
Roasted bell peppers on a bed of hummus

Ingredients & Substitutions

ingredients for roasted peppers

Bell peppers

You can use any color of bell pepper.

Red bell peppers are the sweetest when roasted, but yellow, orange, and green are delicious, too, although slightly less sweet, especially the green ones.

Pick peppers that are firm to the touch for best results.

Substitute other pepper varieties such as poblano peppers, Cuban peppers, and other mild peppers for bell peppers.

Extra virgin olive oil

The oil is to season the pepper after they are cooked. We recommend extra virgin olive oil for the best taste and nutritional profile.

Vinegar

The sweetness of roasted peppers is a perfect flavor match with the acidity of vinegar. We recommend red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

For a sweeter taste, go for balsamic vinegar.

Garlic

Crushed garlic is added to the other ingredients to infuse the peppers with a mild garlic aroma.

Fresh herbs

We recommend seasoning the roasted bell peppers with fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley. Optionally you can add a few capers.

Roasted bell peppers in marinade with fresh basil

How to make roasted red peppers

Roast the peppers

Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Wash and dry the bell peppers and arrange them whole on a baking tray. There’s no need for oil at this stage.

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Turn on the side – 45 degrees turn – halfway through cooking.

They should collapse, get soft, and be charred outside.

Roasted bell peppers on a baking tray

Transfer the roasted peppers to an airtight container and let them steam with their heat for 15 minutes—a bowl with a plate on top works too.

Note: the steam will loosen up the skin of the peppers, making them easier to peel.

Roasted bell peppers in an air tight container

Peel the peppers, remove their seeds and the stem, and pay attention to the hot liquid that might hide in them.

Tip: Avoid rinsing the roasted peppers in water to preserve the most flavor.
Note: The peppers might still be hot, so don’t burn yourself.

Peeling skin from a bell pepper

Serving suggestions

Side dish or appetizer

Pull the roasted bell peppers apart into smaller strips and transfer them into a bowl or serving platter.

Season with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, and fresh basil leaves.

Roasted bell peppers in marinade with fresh basil

Toss well and let marinate for 15 minutes before serving them as a delicious side dish or appetizer on toasted bread, bruschetta, focaccia, or crostini.

Roasted bell peppers in a bowl with basil

Hummus platter

Arrange a layer of hummus on a platter, make a well in the center, and fill with roasted bell peppers you previously tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and basil.

Drizzle with Greek yogurt diluted in water, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of paprika, sumac, or za’atar.

Serve with crispy pita chips or warm pita bread.

Roasted bell peppers on a bed of hummus

Use them for other recipes

Or add them to…

Variations

Air fryer peppers

Put the peppers in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400°F or 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them once.

Peel and marinate, as explained before.

Roasted bell peppers in an air fryer

Gas burner peppers

Char one pepper at a time on a gas burner on the stovetop until soft and charred outside. Turn often with tongues.

Peel and season, as explained before.

Note: this method is messy and will fill your kitchen with smoke. The taste is delicious, though!

Roasted peppers on cooktop fire

Italian style marinade

A common way to marinate roasted peppers in Italy is with flat-leave parsley.

Mix 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of capers, 1 handful of chopped parsley, 2 crushed garlic cloves, sea salt, and black pepper to taste.

Asian Style Marinade

Mix 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 10 mint leaves, a small handful of chopped coriander, 2 tablespoons of peanut oil, 4 tablespoons of soy or tamari sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon of agave syrup or maple syrup.

Greek Style Marinade

Mix 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 6 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, juice of half a lemon, a big handful of chopped parsley, 10 leaves of chopped mint, 1 teaspoon of Greek dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper to taste.

red and yellow bell peppers with basil

Storage

Make ahead: roasted peppers are an excellent recipe to make ahead as they keep in the fridge for days, and they are tastier on the second day.

Refrigerator: keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container, covered by a thin olive oil layer. Take them out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Freezer: freeze roasted peppers before seasoning them. Roast, peel, let them cool down, then transfer them into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the fridge, then marinade as recommended above.

Tips

  • Avoid rinsing with water when you peel the peppers because the water will wash off their roasted flavor.
  • Marinate for at least 15 minutes in good quality extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, and pepper.
  • Serve them at room temperature for the best flavor.
bell peppers marinated

Questions

Are roasted bell peppers healthy?

Peppers are one of the healthiest vegetables around. They are rich in vitamins A, B6, and C – much more than oranges or carrots.

Roasting the peppers will still give you plenty of vitamin C and increase the absorption of the A vitamin.

Should you peel roasted peppers?

We recommend peeling them as they’ll be yummier and easier to digest. Also, the skin is often burnt, so you should remove it.

What is the difference between red peppers and green peppers?

Red, green, yellow, and orange bell peppers are all the same type of pepper but just at different stages of ripeness.

Green peppers are unripe, and red are fully ripe, with yellow and orange between the two.

As the peppers age and ripen their taste, their nutritional value change too. Red peppers are the sweetest and the richest in nutrition as they hang on the vine the longest.

Green peppers are harvested before turning yellow, orange, and red.

Compared to green bell peppers, the red ones have almost 11 times more beta-carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C.

More vegetable sides

If you love roasted peppers, or you’re trying to increase your veggie intake a little, take a look at these healthy sides:

For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.

Roasted peppers in a bowl

Roasted Peppers

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 9 votes
Roasted peppers are easy to make, and you can serve them as an appetizerside dish or use them in other recipes, from pasta, salads, dips, wraps, and more.
In this post, we'll show you how to make roasted peppers in the ovenair fryer, or gas burner.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 – 8 people
Course: Side dish, Starter
Cuisine: American Italian

Ingredients

  • 4 bell peppers
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar red wine vinegar or balsamic
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 2 twists black pepper
  • 10 leaves basil or a handful of parsley

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 430°F or 220°C. Wash and dry 4 bell peppers and arrange them whole on a baking tray. There's no need for oil at this stage.
    Roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Turn on the side – 45 degrees turn – halfway through cooking.
    They should collapse, get soft, and be charred outside.
    For air fryer: Put the peppers whole in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400°F or 200°C for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them once.
    Roasted bell peppers on a baking tray
  • Transfer the roasted peppers to an airtight container and let them steam with their heat for 15 minutes—a bowl with a plate on top works too.
    Roasted bell peppers in an air tight container
  • Peel the peppers, remove their seeds and the stem, and pay attention to the hot liquid that might hide in them.
    Avoid rinsing them in water not to lose flavor.
    Peeling skin from a bell pepper
  • Break them into smaller strips then season with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon vinegar2 cloves garlic½ teaspoon salt2 twists black pepper, and 10 leaves basil.
    Roasted bell peppers in marinade with fresh basil
  • Let marinate for 15 minutes before enjoying them as an appetizer, side dish, or to make other recipes.
    Roasted bell peppers with a fork
  • Nico's recommendation: serve on a bed of hummus drizzled with yogurt tahini sauce, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of paprika and dive in with warm pita bread.
    Roasted bell peppers on a bed of hummus

Video

Roasted Peppers + how to serve them

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 roasted pepper out of four.
STORAGE
Make ahead: roasted peppers are an excellent recipe to make ahead as they keep in the fridge for days, and they are tastier on the second day.
Refrigerator: keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container, covered by a thin olive oil layer. Take them out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
Freezer: freeze roasted peppers before seasoning them. Roast, peel, let them cool down, then transfer them into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge, then season as recommended above.
ALSO ON THIS PAGE

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 268mg, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3795IU, Vitamin B6: 0.4mg, Vitamin C: 153mg, Vitamin E: 3mg, Vitamin K: 16µg, Calcium: 16mg, Folate: 56µg, Iron: 1mg, Manganese: 0.2mg, Magnesium: 16mg, Zinc: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below or mention @theplantbasedschool on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

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Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

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2 Comments

  1. I started watching you on Pinterest, I love your style of presenting the food, you look happy and so intune with cooking that I decided to try your recipes. Thank you for teaching how to produce wonderful dishes.

    1. Nicole, we’re so happy you are here!
      Thank you for your kind message, that made our day 🙂
      All the best,
      Louise