I use roasted red peppers in my cooking all year round. In the winter, I crack open a store-bought jar when I want to add roasted red peppers’ sweet, rich flavor to a pasta, dip, or soup. But in the summer, bell pepper season, I much prefer to make my own.
Homemade roasted red peppers are sweeter and smokier than store-bought ones, and they’re not overly salty or briny either. They’re super easy to make, and they keep in the fridge for a week or more—perfect for punching up the flavor in whatever you’re cooking.
I’m sharing 2 methods for how to roast red peppers below: on the stove and in the oven. The next time you have a bunch of bell peppers on hand, give one a go! You’ll love using the sweet, tender peppers in salads, sandwiches, and more.
Jarred roasted red peppers are exactly what they sound like: red bell peppers that are roasted until charred and blistered on the outside, then peeled to reveal the vegetable’s tender flesh.
How to Roast Red Peppers on the Stove
My favorite way to roast red peppers is on the stovetop. You can do this in three ways:
- On a grill pan
- In a dry cast-iron skillet
- Directly over a gas flame
Light a gas burner, or preheat a grill pan or dry skillet until a drop of water sizzles when you add it. Place a whole red bell pepper over the flame or in the pan and cook, turning as the pepper blackens and blisters on each side. It’s ready when it’s charred and tender all over. Feel free to cook more than one pepper at once if there is room in your pan.
Note: Don’t rub the pepper with oil before cooking. It’ll smoke and burn!
When the peppers are charred and blistered all over, let them steam. Place them in a large bowl, and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes for the peppers to soften.
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the loose skin. If you can’t get off every last bit of it, that’s ok! I actually like to leave on a little of the blackened skin for a nice charred flavor.
Finally, remove the stem, membranes, and seeds. Enjoy the roasted red peppers right away, or store them in the fridge for one to two weeks.
How to Roast Red Peppers in the Oven
You can also cook roasted red peppers in the oven. I use this method for roasting bell peppers when I’m cooking a large batch, since it’s more efficient than charring each individual pepper over a gas flame.
- Preheat the oven broiler.
- Place the whole peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet. The peppers should be dry—no oil needed here!
- Broil the peppers until they are blistered and blackened all over, turning them as necessary. Oven broilers vary quite a bit, so the exact timing will depend on your broiler.
- Place the roasted peppers in a large bowl, and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let the peppers steam for 10 minutes before removing the loose skin, stems, membranes, and seeds.
If you’re not using all your roasted red peppers right away, transfer them to a jar with a tight-fitting lid or another airtight container. Pour in enough olive oil to submerge the peppers, and store them in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
For longer storage, you can freeze roasted red peppers. Cut the peppers into whatever size or shape you like, and then spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze on the pan for 2 hours before transferring to an airtight container. They’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Zap them in the microwave to thaw, or transfer them to the refrigerator to defrost overnight.
Are roasted red peppers and pimentos the same thing?
FAQ
Are jarred roasted red peppers good?
Why do they only roast red peppers?
Can you eat roasted red peppers?
What do roasted red peppers taste like?
Are roasted red bell peppers easy to make?
Homemade Roasted Red Bell Peppers are surprisingly easy to make right in your oven. But, obviously not as easy as picking up a jar from the grocery store. Is it worth your time to roast your own red bell peppers? Is there any real savings? I perfected roasted red bells at home, and then compared prices on jarred vs homemade.
Which is better, green or red pepper?
Both are excellent foods to be part of a healthy diet. The specific choice of one or the other depends a lot on the objective. Both red and green peppers are a source of capsaicin, a phytochemical with beneficial health properties that improves neurological conditions, helps with weight loss and maintenance, glycemic control and insulin resistance.
Do roasted red peppers taste better than store-bought?
Homemade roasted red peppers taste better than store-bought. Recipe yields about 1 ½ cups roasted red peppers. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. To prepare the bell peppers, position one pepper upright with the base against a cutting board.