Roasted bell peppers are one of my favorite healthy snacks. In this post, I’ve outlined four easy methods for roasting bell peppers with a step-by-step photo tutorial, as well as an instructional video. These methods can actually be used for any pepper, but the amount of roasting time will vary based on the size of the pepper.
How to Roast Bell Peppers – Easy methods for cooking and charring bell peppers for a rich smoky flavor, from stovetop to oven to grill. Recipe & step-by-step video below!
Roasted bell peppers are tender, smoky, and delicious. They add flavor and texture to a variety of dishes and sauces. Once you know how easy the process is, you’ll never spend the money on those jarred roasted peppers again. Detailed instructions for how to roast bell peppers below including a step-by-step how to video. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that include roasted bell peppers:
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Nutritional information is for 6 bell peppers – values and cook times will vary based on how many peppers are prepared and what cooking method is used.
Video by Entice Films
How to Roast Bell Peppers
Ingredients
For All Methods You Will Need
- 6 bell peppers (more or less as needed)
- Large bowl, paper bag, plastic bag or plastic wrap
- Towel or paper towels
For Oven Roasting Method You Will Need
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For Stovetop Roasting Method – Direct or Grill Pan You Will Need
- Gas stovetop burner
- Oven mitt
- Aluminum foil, for lining the burner to keep it clean
- Tongs
For Flame Grill Roasting Method You Will Need
- Flame grill
- Oven mitt
- Tongs
NOTES
Instructions
Oven Roasting Method
- This is my preferred method for roasting peppers, because you can roast several peppers at once. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a baking sheet lightly with olive oil. Lay peppers on their sides, stems pointing sideways.
- Put baking sheet in oven and allow peppers to roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove baking sheet. Using tongs, give the peppers a half turn, then place back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
- Check to make sure peppers have fully roasted. The skin should be charred and soft, and the peppers should look slightly collapsed. If they don’t look ready, let them roast for a few more minutes. When they’re done, remove baking sheet from oven.
- You can also use your oven broiler to roast the peppers, which is a faster process that chars them more than regular oven roasting. While it goes faster, you also have to watch it carefully, as the peppers will need frequent turning during the process. If you wish to broil the peppers, I suggest placing the rack in the upper third of the oven so there is 8-9 inches between the broiling element and the peppers. That way, the peppers will be able to soften as they char. When they're too close to the broiler, they will char before they're cooked, which means the flesh won't soften and they'll be harder to peel.
- Preheat broiler to high and place the peppers below the broiler.
- Let them roast for 20-25 minutes, giving a quarter-turn every 5 minutes, until the peppers are charred, soft and collapsing. The broiler will char them quite a bit, the skin will be very black and crispy– don’t worry, you’re going to peel it off anyway. Remove from the oven.
- Proceed to instructions for “Steaming Your Peppers.”
Stovetop Roasting Method – Direct or Grill Pan
- I typically use this method when I only have one or two peppers to roast. It’s messier than the oven method, but it produces a very smoky rich flavor. There are a couple of ways to roast peppers on the stovetop – on a gas flame, or on a grill pan. If roasting directly on a gas stovetop, you may wish to cover parts of your heating element with foil to protect it from spills.
- Turn your gas stovetop flame to medium. Place pepper on the grate directly over the top of the gas flame. Let it roast for 20-25 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to give the pepper a quarter turn every 4-5 minutes.After 20 minutes, use tongs to gently squeeze the pepper. If the pepper is soft and easily yields to the tongs, it is ready. If the pepper still feels somewhat firm, let it continue to roast for a few more minutes until it softens.
- Remove pepper from the stovetop. Proceed to instructions for "Steaming your Peppers."Prepare grill pan according to instructions. My pan requires a bit of water to be placed in the circular chamber. Preheat grill pan over medium heat; brush lightly with oil if it is recommended for your pan. Place pepper on the preheated pan.
- Roast the pepper for 20-30 minutes, giving a quarter turn with a pair of tongs every 5 minutes or so, until the pepper is charred and collapsing. Check water level about halfway through cooking if your grill pan requires it. Skip to instructions for "Steaming Your Peppers."
Flame Grill Roasting Method
- I tend to use this method during the summer when we’re using our gas grill a lot. Roasting over an open flame produces a great smoky flavor. Be sure to wear a protective oven mitt. Place peppers on the open grill over a medium flame. Let them roast for 15-20 minutes, using tongs to give them a quarter turn every few minutes, until the peppers are charred, soft and collapsing.
- You can also use a kitchen/bruleé torch to char your peppers, but it’s a slow process. Using a grill or gas flame is more efficient.
Steaming Your Peppers
- Once you have roasted your peppers, you will need to steam them. This process will help you peel the tough skin from them more easily. There are a few ways to steam the peppers. I like to place the roasted peppers on a flat, smooth surface like a cutting board, then invert a large bowl over the top of them. The bowl traps the steam inside. Steam for 15 minutes.Alternatively, you can place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the top by rolling it closed. I prefer using the bowl method. Whichever method you choose, steam the peppers for about 15 minutes.
Seeding and Peeling Your Peppers
- Once you have roasted your peppers, you will need to seed and peel them. This is kind of a messy process, but it’s well worth the effort. Note that some people like to seed their peppers before roasting. When I have tried this in the past, the results are never as good as when I keep the whole pepper intact during roasting– I recommend roasting the peppers whole and seeding after the roast.
- Slice the pepper vertically from top to bottom and lay the pepper open so it becomes one long strip. Pull the stem from the top of the pepper. The stem and a clump of seeds should loosen easily. Use a towel or paper towel to wipe off any loose seeds that remain inside the pepper.
- Flip the pepper over to reveal the skin side. Strip off the charred skin. If you want a more charred flavor, you can leave a few small blackened bits on the skin.
- Alternatively, you can seed and skin the pepper under running water, which will make it easier to get the pepper flesh clean. I prefer not to do this, because I feel the pepper loses some flavor in the process– but if you're in a hurry and don't want to mess up your hands too much, it will speed things up.Once you've peeled and seeded your peppers, you'll end up with soft, sweet, tasty pepper flesh.
- Roasted peppers can be used in a variety of recipes, or snacked on as-is dressed with salt and pepper. They can be added to stews and pasta sauces or chopped into salsa. They can even be mixed with fresh basil and olive oil to create a peppery bruschetta. I have many recipe ideas on my website, just search Roasted Bell Peppers for ideas. Enjoy!
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
Carolyn says
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this!
Elizabeth says
So glad to have found this site. Thanks for your information. I have roasted several peppers now on my outdoor grill to add to hummus. I am in Arizona and it is still a little too warm to use my stove top or oven. I have found that after I slice the pepper vertically I can use the back of my knife to scrape the seeds off. Works great.
Susie says
Thanks!
Susie says
Hi, I was wondering if water can be used fir storing in the refrigerator instead of oil?
Tori Avey says
Hi Susie, I do not recommend storing them in water. If you don’t want to cover them with oil, I recommend freezing them instead.
Crystal says
Thank you for sharing this, it was incredibly easy to follow and I used the roasted peppers for my hummus!
Tori Avey says
Great Crystal! Happy it was helpful.
Dee says
I slow sauteed them in a frying pan on the stove top after stemming and seeding them. Added olive oil and fresh basil and let them steam. Delicious. Did not peel. They were great.
Thanks
Dee
joylan furtado says
Thanks, tori. I plsced a small grate on the coils and roasted 4 jalapenos. It took about 25 minutes and turned out good enough.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Tori Avey says
Great idea Joylan!
joylan furtado says
Hello, would electric coils work?
Tori Avey says
Hi Joylan, I’m not sure because I haven’t tested it. I think they should work, but I can’t promise anything. The contact between coils and aluminum foil may make the foil too hot and cause it to burn, so if you decide to try it be sure to monitor the heat carefully and turn down the heat if you feel the foil is turning red and/or burning. You may alternatively use the oven method, which might be a safer bet.
Lucia says
Your instructions, along with the photo’s was so easy to follow. My roasted peppers turn out great! This is my new favorite website.
Tori Avey says
So happy it was helpful Lucia! Welcome to the site. You can subscribe here to make sure you never miss a post: https://toriavey.com/feed/subscription/
George says
Been roasting green bell peppers for years, as my mother did as far back as I can remember. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, the best cut which allows them to retain a shape, and remove the stem, seeds and pulp BEFORE you proceed. Roast in a foil-lined pan with some olive oil at 375-400F degrees, turning them over once, until desired tenderness is reached. There is no need to char the peppers and, therefore, no need to peel them. Thank you.
Tori Avey says
George, this is a great method but I have to say the charred parts are my favorite part… they add so much flavor! 🙂 That’s just my personal taste though. 🙂
jaida says
thanks tori i am a first timer @ this. ur instuctions are very detailed
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome 🙂
Elsie says
Thanks for the wonderfully helpful, informative, & just-the-right amount of cooking advice. I am hopping into the kitchen right now to try out the steps you recommend. Great job!
Mark McGovern says
This is my first time roasting peppers, and they came out perfectly! The skins slipped right off the peppers after steaming, and I just pushed the seeds to the side with a table knife. It was so easy. And the house smells great too. I’ve always thought that roasting peppers would be a daunting task, but you’ve made it so simple. I can’t wait to make my next batch. Thank you from a roasted pepper fan in Miami Beach.
Tori Avey says
Great to hear that Mark! We roast them on the regular here at home. They do make the house smell great!
Bethany says
Thanks for this recipe! I had some bell peppers that were too far past their prime for eating raw, but not so bad that they needed to be tossed on the compost pile. I roasted them and plan on throwing them on some focaccia tomorrow, along with some spinach, feta, and marinated artichoke hearts.
Zigmund Froyd says
Quick Question, could you use vegetable/canola oil in place of the olive oil? I understand you can’t get as much flavor as you would with olive oil, but, seeing as I’m a little economically disadvantaged, I’d like some alternative options. And if there is no alternative option, could you use the olive oil that you stored the peppers in for a sauce? (Say, a piperade sauce, for instance)
Tori Avey says
Hi Zigmund, absolutely, vegetable oil will work find here. So would the leftover storage oil for the peppers. Enjoy!
Susan Parker says
My husband brought home bell peppers from our Farmer’s Market in Olympia, Washington because he was craving spaghetti. I found your site and we watched it together, our peppers are happily roasting as I type. Thank you, Tori , We are your newest fans.
Susan
Tori Avey says
Welcome Susan!
Toby says
Can you roast on a glass top stove.
Thanks
Tori Avey says
Hi Toby– no, I don’t recommend it because the heat element will be too close to the foil, resulting in burning. I recommend using the oven method instead.
Del Carson says
excellent info re: roasting peppers! Thank-you!
Tami Dervan says
This was an excellent explanation for roasting bell peppers! Very informative and close attention to details. I especially liked the pictures and recipes. Thanks for your help!
Jay says
Like someone already said, your instructions are amazing! Just when I am thinking of a question to ask you as I was reading some of the methods, there was my answer in the following sentence. I read a different recipe just before reading yours. A recipe from one of the food network “goddesses” and it was nothing like yours as far as step by step and the thoughtful detail you showed. Thank you very much! I will be making roasted peppers myself from now on instead of buying jarred.
Tori Avey says
So happy it’s helpful Jay! I have many more tutorials on the site, I add a couple new ones each month. Here’s a link to all of them: http://theshiksa.com/in-the-kitchen/cooking-techniques/