Roasting Red Peppers: Simple Steps for Perfect, Smoky Flavor

How to Roast Red Peppers. Quick and simple — the result is flavorful, smoky, and versatile.

Six roasted red pepper halves on a foil lined cookie sheet

Roasting red peppers is an essential skill for any home cook. The heat concentrates their sweetness, adds a pleasant smokiness, and brings out a subtle tang that elevates many dishes.

Use roasted red peppers on pizzas and salads, stirred into pasta, blended into sauces, or folded into sandwiches and grain bowls. They also pair beautifully with proteins; one favourite preparation is roasted red pepper pasta with Cajun shrimp.

With under five minutes of hands-on prep, homemade roasted peppers taste far better than jarred versions and are often less expensive.

Six raw red pepper halves cut side down on a cookie sheet with olive oil

Remove the stems, slice each pepper in half, and scrape out the seeds. Place the pepper halves cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and roast. It really is that straightforward.

When the peppers come out of the oven, loosely tent them with foil and let them rest for about 10 minutes. This steaming step makes the skin easy to peel away. Once cooled slightly, remove the skin and use the peppers however you like.

Roasted red peppers cut side down on cookie sheet

roasted red peppers shown on foil lined cookie sheet

How to Roast Red Peppers

Roasting red peppers intensifies their natural sweetness, adds smoky depth, and lends a touch of bright acidity — a simple technique with big flavor.
Course Essential Skills
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword How to Roast Red Peppers
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 59kcal
Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

  • 3 red peppers
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Slice each pepper in half, remove the stem and scrape out the seeds.
  • Arrange the peppers cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Roast for about 50 minutes, until the flesh is soft and the skin blisters.
  • Remove from the oven and loosely tent with foil; let rest for roughly 10 minutes to steam.
  • Peel off the skin, discard it, and use the roasted peppers as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1865IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.3mg