When the Summer rolls around I try to cook outside as much as possible. There’s something nice about cooking on an open flame.
I have a lot of recipes on my outdoor cooking rotation. One of my favorites is my Italian roasted peppers recipe.
It became one of my favorite ways to roast peppers a few years ago. It was late Summer and my garden was bursting at the seams with peppers.
I had green peppers, yellow peppers, red bell peppers and lots of Italian peppers a/k/a Cubanelles.
I had so many sweet peppers I had to figure out how to use them up so they wouldn’t go bad.
Sure, I could have given fresh peppers away to all of my friends and neighbors if I had to.
But I decided to make a ton of roasted peppers. And I decided to do it on the grill.
This is such an easy recipe and what you get in the end is really good stuff.
Here’s how I make Italian roasted peppers on the grill.
What You Need to Make Italian Roasted Peppers
This roasted peppers recipe calls for really simple ingredients. You should be able to get everything at your local grocery store.
Peppers
Obviously the peppers are the star of the show here. Get some whole peppers at the supermarket.
I like to mix it up with some red, yellow and orange bell peppers. I use green bell peppers too, but I don’t think they are as sweet as the brighter colors.
The size of the peppers doesn’t really matter, so you can get small, medium or large bell peppers.
Olive Oil
Since we’re talking about Italian style roasted peppers, get a good extra virgin olive oil from Italy. I find Sicilian olive oils are really good for the price.
I try to use a higher quality olive oil for salads and appetizers that are served cold or room temperature.
Garlic
Garlic is an important part of this recipe. Always use fresh garlic for this recipe.
Try to use American garlic instead of the garlic imported from China.
Fresh Herbs
For this recipe I try to keep it simple. I like using fresh basil or fresh parsley.
If you want to use parsley, I suggest buying flat-leaf parsley. It’s also called Italian parsley at the supermarket sometimes. I guess it makes sense for Italian recipes.
Vinegar
It’s nice to add a little bit of acid to this recipe. I like red wine vinegar. You can also use balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar if you prefer.
Seasoning
Again, I keep it simple. I like using Kosher salt and black pepper. I also use sea salt if it’s available. That’s it.
How to Make Italian Roasted Peppers
In a few simple steps you will have some of the best roasted peppers around.
Step 1
Fire up the grill. I used a gas grill, but you can use a charcoal grill too. Get the flames going!
Step 2
Put the whole peppers right on the grill. Turn them over a few times. It should take about 20 minutes. The goal is to get really charred peppers.
Step 3
When the peppers are charred I put them in a brown paper bag and roll up the top. This allows the skin of the peppers to steam separate from the flesh.
If you don’t have a brown bag you can put the peppers in a large bowl and cover it tight with plastic wrap. This will also let the charred skin steam off of the peppers.
Step 4
When the peppers are cool enough to touch, clean the peppers. Remove the stem, seeds and skin.
The skin should come off pretty easily. Use a knife and gently scrape it off.
Slice the peppers into long strips. I like them about an inch wide, but if you like thin strips that’s fine.
Step 5
Place the pepper strips into a bowl and add crushed garlic cloves, fresh herbs, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes to a couple of hours.
Italian Roasted Peppers FAQs
What You Can Do With these Roasted Peppers
Roasted peppers are part of so many great recipes. When I have guests over at the house I have lots of roasted peppers.
These are some examples of the Italian appetizers I like to make.
An Italian antipasto platter with a mix of marinated vegetables, cured meats and cheeses is always a great option.
Toast up some slices of good crusty Italian bread and make crostini topped with roasted peppers.
Serve the roasted peppers with homemade focaccia bread.
Roasted peppers are also a great side dish. Here are some of the main courses I serve them with… steaks, pork chops, chicken cutlets and Italian sausages.
Do you want to make a really delicious sandwich? Combine these roasted peppers with chicken cutlets, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula. You’ll love it!
Can I make roasted peppers in the house?
Yes. If you can’t use the grill outside, you can still make great roasted peppers in the kitchen.
Put them on a baking tray and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees until they start to look burnt. Follow the technique above to remove the skins.
You can also put the peppers right on top of the gas burner of the stove. The flame will get the job done fast!
