Roasted red pepper antipasto is an example of the many versatile and delicious ways you can use roasted red peppers. Once you know how to roast red peppers, you will be able to use them in so many ways.
Roasted red peppers are one of those Italian foods that I grew up taking for granted.
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My mother always grew her own peppers and one of our favorite ways to eat the red ones was (and still is) roasted, mixed with oil, garlic, salt and sometimes a little oregano.
The other day, she was making some roasted red pepper antipasto and I caught her just as she was turning the peppers on the tray. I said, “Whoa! What are you doing? I can blog this!”
My mother was not born to post recipes! 😂 Whenever she’s helping me in the kitchen, she’s always moving onto the next step before I’ve taken a picture; she just keeps forgetting.
Making roasted red peppers is a bit messy, but so simple and easy, because the skins slip right off once they are charred. You can grill them on the barbecue in the summer, or under the broiler (grill) anytime. They can be used in potato salads, on pizza, or basically any way you like.
How about pickled red peppers?
Once you know how to roast red peppers, you can use them in so many ways; the flavor is fabulous!
How to Roast Red Peppers
by Christina Conte (printable instructions below)
BARBECUE METHOD: If you want to roast them on the barbecue, place them directly on the grill and turn as they become charred. Skip to the peeling instructions below.
BROILER/GRILL METHOD: Turn on your broiler/grill and place the red peppers on a rack which is placed on a cookie sheet/baking tray; put the peppers on top and place under the broiler. Turn as they become charred on each side.
When they are done, they will look like this. Don’t overcook them or the end result will be mushy peppers.
While they are still hot, take one pepper at a time and keeping it on a plate, peel off all the skin. It’s very easy, as you can see.
After all the peppers are peeled, it’s time to remove the stem and deseed them. Just tear out the stem, open up the pepper with your fingers (this is the messy part) and pull out the seeds; easy-peasy! Now you know how to roast red peppers!
At this point, you can use the peppers as you wish, or even freeze them.
Try these recipes~
ROASTED RED PEPPER & POTATO SALAD
RED PEPPER and GRILLED MOZZARELLA CHEESE SANDWICH
(use roasted red peppers instead of fried)
And one from my friend Nancy at A Communal Table: a Greek roasted red pepper dip!
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How to Roast Red Peppers
easy, step by step instructions to roast red peppers
Materials
- ripe, sweet red peppers
Tools
- baking sheet
- rack
- bowl
Instructions
BARBECUE METHOD: If you want to roast them on the barbecue, place them directly on the grill and turn as they become charred. Skip to the peeling instructions below.
BROILER or GRILL METHOD: Turn on your broiler/grill and place the red peppers on a rack which is placed on a cookie sheet/baking tray; put the peppers on top and place under the broiler. Turn as they become charred on each side.
PEELING INSTRUCTIONS:
- When they are almost completely charred, they are done. Don’t overcook them or the end result will be mushy peppers.
- While they are still hot, take one pepper at a time and keeping it on a plate, peel off all the skin. It’s very easy, as you can see.
- After all the peppers are peeled, it’s time to remove the stem and deseed them. Just tear out the stem, open up the pepper with your fingers (this is the messy part) and pull out the seeds; easy-peasy! Now you know how to roast red peppers!
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
[…] also ripening! This variety is the sweetest peppers we grow! These are great roasted or raw in salads, on pizza, or sliced for snacks and dipped in hummus or baba ganoush. […]
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I just made roasted peppers. I have a dinner next week and I like to do some of the dishes in advance. I made the roasted peppers added the garlic, olive oil and covered them and refrigerated them. Is it parsley or basil I add after I take them out of the fridge to bring them to room temp? Thank you.
Hi Carol, you could add some fresh Italian parsley if you like, but we usually don’t. Enjoy!!
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On the roast red peppers,can I use any kind of peppers or is there some special kind I need to buy .?
Good question, Lela! Yes, regular bell peppers can be roasted, but they are not optimal as they are too thick. If you can find the longer, large Italian peppers, those are the correct ones to use. They have a much thinner flesh and so they cook quickly when roasted. I will add this to the post, but you can see which ones I’m referring to in my photos as that is the type of pepper to use.
I love roasteds red peppers, thank you for sharing, I will try it and give you feedback later 😄
Sounds good, thank you, Lela!
I just made these and I’m so excited to see how it turns out! Thank you Christina!
Yay! I’m sure they’ll be wonderful! Try it on homemade pizza as a topping, my fave! You are so welcome, Sharyn! :)
[…] How to Roast Red Peppers […]
If I make these and then freeze can I use them for antipasto later”?
YES! I should have added that, Jo. They freeze really well. As you said, freeze them after being roasted, then add the oil, oregano, etc once you defrost them to use. Enjoy!
Thanks, I for your feedback. Will roast and freeze.
You’re welcome, Jo. :)
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Hi!
Oh, I just found your post. I was born in Romania and we love roasted peppers. After roasting an peeling, we mix them we salt, oil and a little vinegar. They are great as a side dish to any meat. One thing though, after roasting, place them in bowl and cover them tight. Let them stand for about 30min to an hour. It will be much easier to peel them.
Hi Gabi, they are soooo yummy! I love vinegar so I like them like that, too. In fact, I had them that way in Spain recently. Yes, I’ve seen people put them in paper bags to steam the skin, but we’ve just peeled them right away, the skin does still come off quite easily. Maybe Italians are impatient! haha! Glad you found my site! :)
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I was checking out Google for recipes for Roasting Red Peppers and stumbled upon your site. I am in love!!! Can’t wait to make these later today! I usually drive about 30 miles to my favorite Italian Deli to get these, now with summer coming and the garden going in (hopefully soon) I’ll be making my own!!
Happy to hear it, Sharon! You’re going to love these so much more than the deli’s peppers! Let me know what you think :)
[…] pepper bears a sweet taste perfect when they are at a deep red hue. Â These puppies are delicious roasted whether as a side dish or on an antipasto plate! Ringo – Better known as the percussionist from […]
What a well-timed post! I have been craving antipasto lately, I think I could eat a big plate everyday! I love how roasting red peppers really brings out their sweetness! And recipes from mom are always the best – thanks for sharing :)
Thank YOU, Kathleen! Yes, the roasted red peppers are incredibly sweet and one of the best things to have on an antipasto plate (in my opinion)! :) Thanks for stopping by! CC
tapas is one of my favourites, and I love roasted red peppers. there is just something delicious about them when theyre done right!
Yes, yes, and yes, Laura! :) CC
Ahh! This looks amazing! I just LOVE antipasto and everything involved. Definitely my favourite type of spread when entertaining :)
Me too, Dana! I love picking at things and eating a little of a lot of things, more than a lot of just one thing. The Italians do it right! :) CC
Yes roasted peppers are easy to make and so versatile in so many dishes. Your pictures inspired me to make this.
Wonderful! Thank you so much, Cathy! :)
Those peppers look so good, I love roasted peppers and they are the perfect antipasti!! That plate with the peppers, bread etc,, has my stomach growling, I need to roast some peppers and your tutorial is fantastic.
I think a lot of people are going to be making roasted red peppers this weekend! Haha! Thanks so much, Suzanne! I appreciate your lovely comments! CC
Hi, I don’t know if this happened to everyone, but under the entire post, there was writing – I think Christina. You may not realize this, but it was very hard to read the words; even trying to find the print icon or word was impossible. Thank you very much.
Hi Tammy, thank you for letting me know, but I think there is a glitch on my site sometimes. My father sent me a screen shot once, and I think it’s what you are describing. Did it look like two sentences were typed on top of each other? Rest assured, that is not what my site should look like and I’ve messaged my tech lady to look into it! Thanks again, and hopefully you won’t run into this problem again. CC
What wonderful photos! I had also forgotten(how?? I ask myself?) about these delicious peppers. You’ve inspired me…
That’s what I’m going to make for Superbowl Sunday! Let everyone else bring chips & dip etc.
Can’t wait. I have loads of Thai Basil growing that I’m going to sparingly add as a topping too. Yum. Thanks.
I think you’re going to make a touchdown if you make roasted red peppers for Superbowl Sunday, Jane! Good for you, making something so healthy yet still delicious! Have fun! CC
This is one of my favorite Italian antipasti and I would so much jump into the screen and straight on the dishes of your photos. Soooo good! I do them the same way you do and I think it’s a great idea for this week end. Thank you for this beautiful post and the photos!
Oh you are so sweet, Heidi! You’re so welcome and I’m glad you enjoyed this post! CC
Messy, yes, but oh-so-worth it! Jarred peppers will do in a pinch, but your own are so much better. (I must be like your mother — I hardly ever take pictures during the process. Or maybe I just — subconsciously, of course — want to display how messy my kitchen can get!)
Yes, I too have tried the peppers in a jar and as you said, they’ll do in a pinch, but not nearly as good as homemade! If I can avoid the messy kitchen photos, anyone can, Rosemary! Always looks like a tornado struck after I’ve finished cooking! Haha! CC
These are a thing of beauty, that color just makes me happy! I love anything charred, and I actually like to leave the skin on!
Wow, Sue! It never even occurred to me to leave the skin on! But you’re right, for someone that likes the charred flavor, that would make sense. Thanks for the info!
Oh this is so nice.. I love it on sandwiches but had no idea how to make it :D
Hi Medeja! I was thinking about you just the other day! How are you? I hope you are well!
The peppers are definitely easy to make, I hope you try it sometime! Nice to hear from you! Take care, CC ;)
Hi Christina,
I feel like I am home! Your post and recipe are just the way my family makes the Red Roasted Red Peppers. Every holiday or when we had company came out the roasted red peppers. I love them! We sometimes used to put them in a sandwich with roast beef or just eat them mixed in with scrambled eggs. They were a staple in my mom’s kitchen. We never grew them, but we ate them for sure. Especially with antipasto. To me, there is nothing like them. The sweetness of the pepper and the flavor of the garlic…. unbelievable! Beautiful photos and now I am craving them..off to make a list for the grocery store which will include red peppers….Have a great rest of the week and enjoy the Superbowl if you are watching it…
Dottie :)
I’m literally salivating here! No matter the quality of red pepper (capsicum here in Aus!), doing this always results in a fabulous flavour. After charring the skin, I pop mine in a shallow tray, cover with cling wrap and let them sweat for a few minutes- I find them a bit easier to skin, and easier to handle not being quite so hot.
All this talk….. must make some tonight!
So how do you differentiate between sweet (bell) peppers and say, cayenne peppers? I thought capsicum were only the spicy ones.
I’ve also seen people put the peppers in brown paper bags to get them to sweat a bit, but we never have and so we just continue to roast and peel. You are right though, they do cool off a bit and are easier to handle with your method. Mum and I have Teflon hands, but I know some people are really sensitive. I’ll add this info to the post, thanks, Lisa!