We grow lots of bell peppers around here. We use them in lots of dishes all summer long and I put them in almost every soup I make during the winter. I have a son who will eat a whole sliced pepper raw as long as he has ranch dressing to dip it in. But my favorite way to enjoy them is roasted. If you’ve looked at the cost of a jar of roasted red peppers at the store, you know how expensive they can be. So if you have a glutton of peppers in your garden, its easy to roast them yourself.
Roasted Red Peppers
This tutorial for roasted red peppers will work whether you have gas or electric appliances. So many tutorials I’ve seen recommend roasting them over an open flame on a gas stove. Since we have electric appliances, I decided to figure out how to do it in my oven. This method works great and I freeze them so I can enjoy them all winter long!
One caveat-I would not go to the store and purchase peppers for this project unless you find a really good deal on them. By the time you pay for the peppers, you probably could have just purchased a jar of them already roasted.
BUT, you can roast yellow and orange peppers too! (And I’ve never seen yellow and orange roasted peppers for sale in the store.) I used all three colors in these pictures.
How to make roasted red peppers
First, wash the peppers. Cut them into sections, removing ribs and seeds. I usually just quarter them. Place them skin side up on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the oven at 425 degrees and roast until the skins start to blacken and the peppers soften, 20-30 minutes. Thicker peppers take longer than thinner ones, that’s why there is such a wide range of times.
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- Mixed peppers
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- Mixed peppers about to be roasted
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- Roasted peppers just pulled from the oven. A couple in the upper left corner probably should have been roasted a little longer.
Once the peppers are black in spots, remove them from the oven. If some start to blacken before others, go ahead and remove the blackened ones and return the others to the oven. Once they are all blackened and out of the over, cover the whole pan with another sheet of foil and allow to cool. When cool, peel the skins off and discard. If the skins seem difficult to peel off, you probably didn’t roast them long enough. You can pop them back in the oven for a few minutes or just do the best you can removing the skin. A few pieces of skin will be okay.
Mixed peppers that have been oven roasted
Once the skins are removed, you can store the peppers in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for long-term storage. I usually pop 1 pepper (4 quarters) in a small snack bag and then place all the bags in a larger freezer bag. Be sure to label the bag. Otherwise, this winter you won’t remember what you’ve got.
If you are also still harvesting tomatoes, here’s a post on the easiest way to preserve them.
How to use your roasted red peppers
Roasted red peppers can be used in so many ways. They are fabulous added to a grilled cheese sandwich (or any sandwich). Make a quick pasta meal by tossing them with cooked pasta along with some pesto and Parmesan cheese . They can be chopped and added to salads or wraps. They make a wonderful addition to a homemade pizza and are great in quesadillas too. I almost always add a few finely chopped roasted red peppers to my quiche recipe.
Below is a printable version of how to make oven roasted red peppers.
Oven Roasted Red Peppers
An easy way to roast peppers even if you don't have a gas stove or a grill.
- bell peppers-as many as you would like
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First, wash the peppers. Cut them into sections, removing ribs and seeds. I usually just quarter them. Place them skin side up on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.
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Place in the oven at 425 degrees and roast until the skins start to blacken and the peppers soften, 20-30 minutes. Thicker peppers take longer than thinner ones.
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Once the peppers are black in spots, remove them from the oven. If some start to blacken before others, go ahead and remove the blackened ones and return the others to the oven. Once they are all blackened, remove them from the oven.
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Cover with another sheet of foil and allow to cool. When cool, peel the skins off and discard.
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Store the peppers in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for long-term storage.
Do you have any other uses for roasted red peppers? I would love to know how you enjoy them.
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