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!
Danielle says
Thank you for a detailed step by step of an easy enough recipe. The pictures and tips are what makes this post stand above. I have just roasted the peppers to use in your matbucha recipe.Thanks for your post!
Allison Liebowitz says
Tori – this is STILL a fabulous how-to and thread. Roasted my red peppers just as you said – which everyone says to do – but the STEAMING part I’ve not seen. Utterly brilliant and left me with luscious, soft, easy to peel, seed and cut peppers, that I just put in my virtually calorie-free version of a snack: Fresh Roasted Peppers and Cucumber with Fruit Vinegar.
Recipe for this is: Two fresh-roasted, peeled and seeded peppers (red, yellow or orange) cut into small pieces, one peeled (or not if you don’t want to) and two cucumbers, sliced into sections. Put in a coverable container and add a PULPY FRUIT VINEGAR – currently I’m using A L’Olivier Passion Fruit Vinegar, and toss.
(I like to leave the salad in the fridge as long as I can stand to wait, so that the vinegar might infuse a little bit into the veggies.) Fabulous taste, and the soft sweet slickness of the fresh-roasted peppers contrasts perfectly with the crispness of fresh cucumber! Note that I do NOT add any oil which I believe is not needed with the vinegar, and thus the calories are virtually evanescent! Alley
Tori Avey says
Sounds great Alley! Glad you’re enjoying the tutorial. 🙂
Masako says
Thank you for your great instructions! I just roasted a beautiful orange pepper. I’m going to cut it up and mix it in my pimento cheese for my sandwich for this week. Thank you Tori!
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome Masako! 🙂
Bo Newsome says
Hi Tori, I use roasted bell peppers exclusively in my Southern pimento cheese recipe…much, much better flavor than store-bought jarred pimentos.
Catch ya later!
Bo Newsome (International Man of Mystery)
gerryz says
explanations were perfect. i had always stayed away and then i said i would try. no regrets. totally easy. thanks a million.
Leo says
Hey! Nice guide 🙂
For the oven method, are the degrees celcius or farenheit?
Tori Avey says
Farenheit.
Sharon says
Thanks Tori, the roasted peppers recipe looks great. One question – I am very allergic to olives, can I use coconut oil or butter? I am not a fan of corn or soybean oils. Thanks again ❤. I look forward to reading your reply.
Sharon
Tori Avey says
Hi Sharon– yes! I’d use coconut or grapeseed oil due to the higher smoke point. Enjoy!
Cindy says
Thank you for providing this clear and detailed method for roasting peppers. I have tried various techniques with mixed results, but the oven method worked perfectly. To steam the peppers, I slipped the aluminum foil they were cooked on onto the stove top and put an inverted glass casserole dish on top. It worked great!
Don says
Tried the oven, followed the instructions but I like the peppers a bit crunchy. All I got here was a load of over cooked soggy peppers. I’ll stick with doing them fast on a hot grill.
Lindqa Marek says
These aren’t supposed to be crunchy. That’s the whole point of this method. They become “pimentos” which is what olives are stuffed with. They also blend beautifully into a creamy sauce or soup which you can’t do if they are crunchy. If you want crunchy, don’t cook them.
S.G. says
This is an excellent set of instructions for ROASTING bell peppers. If anyone is confused about the expected consistency of the finished product, check jars of roasted bell peppers in the store or in restaurants. As Lindqa says, “crunchy” is not an appropriate adjective for roasted peppers. What Don is describing is a different process, it’s used for removing skin and adding charred flavor to uncooked or soon-to-be cooked peppers. Most Chile Rellanos recipes include this charring process as the first step and the cooking process later. In NM they char the skins off full bags of peppers all at once just to save buyers time/effort skinning them for a variety of recipes. This is not the same as roasted peppers (as it is commonly known). Thus, Dan’s rating is not appropriate for these instructions. These steps always produce perfect roasted bells for me–and, obviously, many others.
Nicole says
I just ate the result of the over-roasted peppers and it was perfect! After steaming, I poured the “steam” in the peppers into what would become my green chili sauce, and it was so awesome.
Thanks for the easy to follow recipe!
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome Nicole 🙂
Paulette says
great instructions
easy to follow
Thanks
Laurie says
Hi I just did this with poblano peppers. They came out kind of mushy so I might try 30 min total and keep roasting for additional 5 till its where I like them.Thank you so much, I will definitly try with bell peppers.
Charlie says
try rubbing or brushing the peppers with olive oil before oven roasting.
the skins come off easy and in large pieces.I never have to steam them to get off the skins….
Rick Block says
Thank you, Tori,
I don’t have the equipment or facilities for canning but want to put a large amount away as I use store-bought roasted peppers quite often in cooking and daily salads. I am always leary of store-bought as to the preservatives and sugars added for shelf life. Could I use sealable plastic containers with olive oil, vinegar and spices and freeze them and then take out to refigerate as I need them, say for a week’s worth of salad toppers? Any other ideas you might have in this regard would be most appreciated.
Tori Avey says
Hi Rick, freezing roasted peppers is a good way to extend their shelf life as long as you are using an airtight container. What I would do is roast, peel and seed them, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen, put the frozen peppers into an airtight container or zipper bag. For the sake of flavor and texture, freeze them on their own without oil or seasonings, then defrost as needed and add the oil/seasonings to each defrosted batch. Hope that helps!
Nikki says
Why do you remove the skin? Is the skin not good for you?
Tori Avey says
Nikki, the skin has a stringy texture… the peppers have a nicer mouth feel without. It won’t harm you though.
Nikki says
Thank you 🙂
dolores goerlich says
love the illustrations & the steam method
Paddy Flynn says
Well done, Ms Tori Avey. I have done this several times and with excellent results. Your description is very good. The steaming process which I have not used, will be added to my programme. I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have converted to a full vegan diet in my sixty seventh year. These vegetable recipes add a colourful and delicious flavour to my meals. Thank you. PF
Jack says
Roasted Peppers with Goat Cheese
After roasting peppers. removing skin/seeds:
1) Slice peppers into pencil width slices, into a serving dish
2) Add EVOO to just cover the pepper strips.
3) Add fresh garlic and loosely chopped basil.
4) Serve with softened goat cheese on crostini or cracker
Excellent sandwich: We often serve the roasted peppers with goat cheese added to thinly sliced flank steak in a section of a baguette. Makes a phenomenal sandwich.
Bernard says
Thank you Tori for a great recipe, and easy to follow explanations. I happened to have 3 bell peppers that I had partially used for another recipe, so I had cut the bottom off of them. Rather than laying them on their side as you recommend, I found it easier to stand them up since the flat cut bottoms made it possible. I roasted them for a straight 40 minutes at 400 degrees without turning them, and they came out perfectly ready for steaming and peeling. Looking forward to having them at dinner tomorrow night! Thanks again.
Vince says
Tori,
You are soooooooo hot, pepper recipe not too bad either.
John Ippolito says
1st time roasting peppe I used broiler method! Thank you for fantastic directions. Delicious