Homemade Italian Roasted Red Peppers are truly one of the easiest things to make and so much better than the jarred kind you’d find at the grocery store. They make a great addition to salads and sandwiches, but are also wonderful with crusty bread.
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Editor’s Note: This was originally published on June 11, 2018. It has been updated with an improved recipe and process steps along with new photos.
In today’s world we often find ourselves opting for convenience over quality and taste, but that trend does not need to continue.
When it comes to roasted red peppers, you may be tempted to grab a jar from the store, but I’m here to tell you the homemade version is far superior to anything storebought!
I make these all the time, as we frequently use roasted red peppers; my personal favorite way to enjoy them is on a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella sandwich with balsamic vinegar.
Italian roasted red peppers also make a fantastic addition to any antipasto platter, and a delicious roasted red pepper pasta!
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Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Peppers. Red bell peppers are the preferred pepper to use for this recipe, although you could use orange or yellow peppers if that’s all you can find.
- Garlic. I love adding garlic to my roasted red peppers as it gives great flavor but you can omit if you prefer.
- Parsley. Flat-leaf Italian parsley adds freshness and flavor to these peppers.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 450f. Slice 2 cloves of garlic and mince 3 tablespoons worth of flat-leaf Italian parsley. Place 6 large red bell peppers on a beking sheet and roast them in the oven for 20 minutes, then flip them over with tongs and roast for another 20-25 minutes or until the peppers are well charred on both sides.
- As soon as the peppers are done in the oven place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam for 15-20 minutes.
- After the peppers have steamed, the skin will be easy to peel. Use your hands to remove the skin from the peppers, then slice them in half and remove the seeds and stem. Note: Do not rinse the peppers; doing so will remove most of the flavor. The peppers can be left as large halves or sliced into strips or smaller pieces.
- Add the peppers to a bowl along with 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, garlic, and the parsley. Let the roasted red peppers sit for at least 1 hour before eating, or refrigerate them overnight. Serve and enjoy!
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If you love Italian roasted red peppers, give these other recipes a try!
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Italian Roasted Red Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 large red bell peppers
- 2 cloves garlic sliced, optional
- 1/2 cup (120g) extra virgin olive oil or more as needed
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450f.
- Place the bell peppers on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes then flip them over and roast for another 20-25 minutes or until the peppers are well charred on all sides.
- Quickly place the peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15-20 minutes to steam.
- With your hands, peel the skin from the peppers. Cut them in half and remove the stem and seeds. Don't rinse the peppers since that will remove the flavor. The peppers can be left as large halves or sliced into smaller pieces.
- Add the peppers to a bowl along with the extra virgin olive oil, salt, garlic, and parsley. Let the peppers sit for at least 1 hour before eating or refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not rinse the peppers to remove the seeds or skin since that will remove a lot of the roasted flavor.
- If you own a gas burner, you can char the peppers with long tongs over the flame and save time over roasting in the oven. Additionally, a grill works great for charring the peppers.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on June 11, 2018. It was completely updated on October 18, 2024.
Hi. We loved your original recipe with this name that included breadcrumbs and cheese. Can we still access that original recipe?
Hi Janet, we don’t have that recipe here on the site anymore, but after you roast the peppers, you can top them with seasoned breadcrumbs, Pecorino Romano, and extra virgin olive oil and bake them at 375° for about 10 minutes, then you can broil for the last minute or so. I hope that helps!
really love your recipies, the time you put into them helps a lot.
keep them coming, looking forward to the next one.
We’re so happy you’re enjoying the recipes, Barbara!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOUR RECIPES!! KEEP ‘EM COMIN’! THANK YOU.
Thanks, Theresa! There are plenty more coming!
Love the details you gave! I am making this today! Thank you Jim!
We hope you enjoy, Alean!
Very flavorable. Easy to make. Delicious.
OK wow! I don’t have a grill and was so excited to see I could still roast peppers in the oven. AND I have always rinsed my peppers and never knew that it removed a lot of the flavor. These were the best peppers ever and I will make them weekly! Thanks so much!
We are so happy to hear that, Jessica!
I love your recipes!
Just the way I make and love them, beats the old way of top of the stove and this clean up is so much easier! Bravo!!!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
“My family’s favorite sandwich to make with these peppers is baguette or hero bread, sliced fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, and balsamic glaze or vinegar. Give it a try!”
Jim,
That sandwich is called The JFK at Salumeria Ercolano in Jersey City and is our favorite sandwich from that wonderful deli! The day we moved our son from Bayonne back to Texas in 2020, we stopped there and picked up two JFK’s takeout for the drive home… I miss that place… we make them here in Texas but the bread is hard to find… too “bready” down here, not enough “chew”… thanks for the roasted pepper recipe.
Crystal in Texas
Hi Crystal, thanks for the info and hope you enjoy the recipe!
I make these all the time and marinate in EVOO with garlic and basil. It’s a great accomplishment to mozzarella and tomato salad.
Love the roasted peppers they are the best! 👍
So happy you enjoyed!
My husband always made then on the grill, and then into a paper bag to steam a little
This recipe for roasted peppers is so simple yet so delicious.
Truly the best I’ve ever tasted and I enjoy making them frequently.
Thanks Jim!
We’re happy you enjoyed them, Brian!
I might have missed it, however when do I use the garlic?
Hi Irene, we just updated – sorry for missing that. It’s added at the same time the salt, parsley, and olive oil is added.
Love these. Make them all the time. I add walnuts. Everyone loves them.
I whipped this up last night and it was incredible. My husband and children also loved these stuffed peppers. I will be making these often. Thanks for the fantastic recipe.
Thanks very much, so glad you enjoyed them!