Roasted Capsicums (Bell Peppers)

Roasted Capsicums (peperoni al forno) are an easy recipe that results in juicy, moist and flavorsome roasted red peppers that can be used for sandwiches, dips, soup, a side dish and more! Using minimal effort we create these oven roasted peppers with their natural sweetness and an amazing aroma that fills the house.

Recipes like the Crumbed Mushrooms, Garlic Butter Potatoes and the Fried Cabbage and Bacon are all vegetable sides that pair well with a wide variety of dishes.

The Turkish Garlic Bread, Garlic Ciabatta and Garlic Pizza Bread compliment mains with cheesy garlicky, herby yum!

🤍 Recipe Highlights

I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:

• Everyday ingredients: you will be able to get everything you need to make this oven roasted recipe from your local grocery store. You likely will already have the oil, salt and pepper so then its only the capsicums needed.
• Back to basics: there is nothing too tricky going on when we are roasting vegetables in the oven. There is a little bit of prep work done and then they pretty much cook themselves! No need to have an open flame to grill them, rather we oven bake them to perfection.
• Homemade: yes, you can purchase these in a jar from the supermarket. It is easy to get your hands on them. But there is a satisfaction (and amazing smell) that comes from making them yourself. Plus once you know how, you will find that you want to make them again and again.
• Versatile: once cooked, cooled and peeled you can use these bell peppers for anything and everything. Some ideas are on antipasto platters, a grilled vegetable sandwich, as a delicious addition to your favorite salads, blitzed into soup, popped on a grazing platter, crudité platter or cheese board.
• Economical: sometimes you will find a fruit shop that is having a sale and you will see a large batch of red capsicum at cheaper than chips prices and find yourself needing to take advantage of the sale and whip something up. This is the recipe you need in mind when you see that opportunity. 😉👌
• Want to air fry them instead? Sure, you can do that, check this post Air Fryer Red Peppers.

🥗 Ingredients

The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the roasted peppers recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.

As you can see the recipe calls for:

• Olive oil: we use some extra virgin olive oil to brush onto the capsicums before cooking them.
• Salt and pepper: we use salt and a little bit of black pepper to season the vegetables before we cook them.
• Capsicums: the red capsicums are the primary ingredient needed for the recipe! Also known as red bell peppers by my American friends 😉. Bright red and bursting with nutritiousness they are a fantastic robust vegetable to roast.

Tasty Tip: I like to provide you with a number of substitutions and variations giving you an array of options when making my recipes. If in doubt of any of the above ingredients, or wanting alternatives, read this section (further below) before jumping into the instructions on how to make the recipe which are coming next 😉👌.

🍳 Instructions

Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by preparing the capsicum. You will need a knife and chopping board for these initial steps.

• Cut the capsicums in half (Photo 1)
• Remove the stem and seeds (Photo 2)
• Season with salt and pepper (Photo 3)
• Brush with oil (Photo 4)

👩‍🍳 How to Make Roasted Capsicums

Start the recipe by using a knife and chopping board to slice the capsicum in halves. Once done use a smaller knife to carve the stem out and then remove the seeds and white flesh.

Next, season the non skin sides with salt and pepper. Then transfer the capsicum onto a silicon mat on a baking tray in a single layer and place capsicum side up.

Use a basting brush to coat each of the skins with olive oil and then place the baking tray into a hot oven.

Let the peppers roast skin side up for 20 minutes and then use oven mits to remove the tray from the oven and place it onto a heatproof surface.

• Cook then rotate sides (Photo 5)
• Cook other side for a further 15 minutes (Photo 6)
• Place roasted peppers into a bowl and cover with cling wrap (Photo 7)
• Remove the skins (Photo 8)

Then use kitchen tongs to rotate each capsicum so that they are skin side down. Once done return the baking tray to the oven and bake with open side facing up for 10 to 15 minutes.

Once the peppers are cooked (35 minutes total) then use the oven mits to again remove the tray from the oven and place it onto a heatproof surface.

Use tongs to transfer each roasted capsicum into a bowl then cover it with a layer of plastic wrap. Then let this sit for about 20 minutes.

Placing the peppers into the bowl and covering it helps to release their skins so that once they have cooled, you can simply pull them off and discard them.

I have shown you this step in the photo above, but I wanted you to see it even more zoomed up so that you can see what this will look like, so I have also included the photo below.

We want to pull all of this loose material off and discard the peeled skin before serving the peppers.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

You have ample opportunities and different ways to use these roasted capsicums. Oven roasting them releases the pepper juices and they will literally melt in your mouth like parmesan cheese.

If you don't have something in mind for them, you can simply pop them in a sealed jar in the fridge and then use them when the occasion arises.

Or if you are so excited that you are keen to use them to whip up another recipe with them straight away, you can use the food processor to turn them into roasted capsicum pesto or even a dip!

You can see what this would look like in the photo below and find that recipe here Roast Capsicum Dip.

Or check out what I made for lunch one day with these here. It's the best sanga around town.

👍 How to Guide

How to Store

Store leftover roasted peppers in a bowl with cling wrap or in a sealed container in the fridge. They can be kept for 4-5 days.

How to Reheat

Use the peppers as an ingredient in a roast vegetable sandwich by layering them and then placing the sandwich into a grilled press for 5 minutes until the bread is crisp and toasted.

How to Freeze

Allow the peppers to fully cool and remove their skins. Then place 2-3 pieces of them into zip lock plastic bags, push the air out to seal and then lay them flat in the freezer.

They can be frozen for up to 3 months. They are best then fully thawed before being consumed.

😉 Substitutions and Variations

Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:

• You can use poblano peppers in place of the red bell peppers if you wish too.
• You can add a clove of garlic or 2 to the baking tray also if you like and roast them to combine the peppers with once cooked.
• If you want to add a herb when roasting the peppers, basil or oregano are both good options. 1 teaspoon of either sprinkled with the salt and pepper is plenty!
• You can also roast yellow capsicums and green capsicums if you wish too.

💡 Tasty Tips

Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:

• The salt and pepper will fall off if we try and season the skin side, so we don't do that. But they will stick to the other side, which is why we season this side.
• If you are making dip you can keep the seeds in the capsicum when you roast them and then add these to the dip for extra flavour and texture.
• The pepper pieces will be quite hot after roasting them. Let them cool in a bowl with cling wrap to release the skin before trying to hold them in bare hands.
• If you want to preserve the roast capsicum for longer than 4-5 days and don't want to freeze them you can use oil to preserve them. Preserving roast capsicums is easy, simply add the sliced roast capsicum pieces to a jar and fill it with enough oil to cover them. They can then be kept in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

🤓 Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cut roast capsicum?

Once the capsicum have been roasted, allow them to cool down before pulling the skin off. Then use a sharp knife and chopping board to slice the capsicum into long strips, much like you would for stir fry, yet a little wider.

Can you freeze peppers after you roast them?

Yes you can. Simply allow the peppers to cool, then pull the skins off. Once done place the peppers into zip lock bags, push the air out and then seal them. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

How long do homemade roasted red peppers last in the fridge?

Roasted red peppers will last up to 4-5 days in the fridge. They need to be stored in a sealed jar or airtight container with a lid.

😍 More Easy Side Dishes

How good is it when you spy the sides and they look even better than the main event! Here are some ideas to get your spy on:

• Polenta Al Forno
• Duck Fat Roast Potatoes
• Air Fried Onions
• Creamy Garlic Potatoes
• Air Fryer Potato Cubes
• Skin on Roast Potatoes
• Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

It is time to get roasting my friend! You can also find all of my side dishes recipes in the one spot.

Adrianne

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