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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We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.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
Four easy methods for roasting bell peppers with a step-by-step photo tutorial and instructional video.
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Email Me RecipesServings: 6 servings (varies)
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
You may also use a grill pan on your stovetop, which makes for a much easier cleanup. A grill pan will protect your stove from the drips of roasted pepper juice. Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002W2Q4OK/?tag=theshiintheki-20
If you want to store the peppers short term, put them in a sterile glass jar and cover them with olive oil. Cap the jar tightly and refrigerate. If you don’t plan on using them within a few days, pressure can them: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/pressure-canning/ or freeze the roasted pepper strips in sealing bags (reusable or disposable)… they actually hold up well to freezing and retain much of their flavor when thawed.
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
Nutrition Facts
How to Roast Bell Peppers
Amount Per Serving
Calories 36
% Daily Value*
Sodium 4mg0%
Potassium 251mg7%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 3725IU75%
Vitamin C 152mg184%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
I baked in the oven, 20 minutes, turned, and baked another 20. Then steamed. The peppers peeled almost perfectly and they were the easiest batch I’ve ever made. Thanks for the guidance!
Cheers,
john
Great John! Glad to hear it.
I needed to roast a pepper today, so I turned to your recipe to refresh my memory as I haven’t done this in about 20 years. The broiler method worked flawlessly. I especially appreciated your suggestion to not put the rack at the top, as my default would be. Thank you for your clear instructions!
You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful.
This recipe was so simple that it was embarassing. Amazing flavor!
I cooked them in the oven as you instructed. Steamed them as you instructed. Everything was perfect until it came time to remove the seeds. Removing the seeds was pure drudgery.
Soooo….Before cooking, I cut a big deep square around the stem of the pepper. I pulled out the stem, reached into the pepper and removed all of the seeds. I re-inserted the stem right back into the pepper where I cut the square…it fit back in perfecty. I baked the whole peppers again as per your instructions…PERFECTION!
Well that’s a cool tip, thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for this wonderful tutorial! I’m so excited to be able to roast the peppers fresh from my garden. My mother used to roast them on top of the stove, directly on the burner, but it made such a mess. I’ve been finding that when I buy jarred roast peppers I have to check the ingredients because they often put sugar and they also use unhealthy oils. I’m so excited to be able to make my own and know exactly what the ingredients are. Thank you so much! I’ll be doing a lot of roasting.
Enjoy Mira! It was a revelation for me when I discovered how easy it can be. 🙂
Excellent! Oven-roasted and bowl method are my favorites.
My family always put in one slightly hot pepper. added olive oil and fresh garlic. They were delicious with italian deli meets in a fresh chuck of Italian bread..
First time I’ve ever roasted peppers. I did 4 red peppers in the oven, placed a bowl over them for 15 minutes and they were really easy to seed and peel. Thank you!
Thank you for the recipe! It worked really well! Peeling the peppers is quite tedious though. I think I’ll steam it longer next time. Thanks again for being amazing.
Ohmygosh! I followed your easy instructions and, for the first time in my life (I’m 85!), I was able to do this! I roasted two peppers, a red one, and an orange one, in the oven, steamed them under a bowl, seeded, peeled, and sliced them, and am freezing them in baggies.
Thank you so-o-o- much!!!!!
You don’t have to answer me, I just wanted you to know and say thank you.
Easy peasy!
It is easy, isn’t it? 🙂 Glad it was helpful!
This is by far the best steaming technique compared to the bagged way which I have always done. I just roasted/steamed 6 and will do more this week, great tips thanks so much!
Thank you for the tutorial on oven roasting sweet peppers!
As a retired cook I was used to charring the peppers on the stovetop.
Often the smoke would set off the smoke detector which in turn would set off my wife.
It became clear to me that if I wanted to continue living here not to use the stovetop method.
Apparently you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Glad I could help Bryce! 🙂
Thank you. I am going to try this. You said these peppers can be frozen. Should they be submerged in olive oil or just frozen alone? Also can these be roasted in… say… a cast iron skillet or would that make them burn??
Frozen alone. I’m sure you can roast them that way but I don’t have specific instructions for you.
First time I roasted a red pepper. I had a very large one. Used oven method at 400 bout 40 minutes on small all aluminum pan with sprayed olive oil on turned over couple times. Then put glass bowl on and it really softened it, and then it cut up very easily (unlike when nit is raw lol) and removed few seeds. Will add this to my homemade hummus from chick peas that I also just learned how to make.
Don’t think I can post a picture of it cut up here. Will put in on twitter.
Hi Tori,
What did you mean by the results are not as good when you seed the peppers before roasting?
Thanks!
Leaving the peppers whole (with seeds) and roasting keeps the moisture better intact in the flesh. You can do it either way but I prefer the results of roasting with seeds.
The insides get kinda gross. I always cut and remove the seeds before I roast mine. They are always juicy.
Thank you for giving such detailed instructions and the why’s for doing it a certain way!
You’re welcome Sherri! Happy it’s helpful.
Thank you! This was so educational down to every possible detail and question I would have.
I have been roasting chile for a long time. I loved your method for steaming the peppers. Thanks for teaching this old dog a new trick.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the excellent walkthrough and photos! Love that the olive oil storage method leaves us with lovely roasted red pepper-infused oil once we’re done with the peppers 🙂
Super easy directions!
Thank you!
Was perfect!!
is there a way I can store them were they will last longer?
They can be frozen for long term storage.