Roasted Pepper Sauce

We love having a versatile dipping sauce on hand for snacking on with veggies, pretzels, or pita chips. Store-bought sauces can be loaded with preservatives and unnecessary chemicals, though, so here’s a favorite fresh, homemade alternative. 

This roasted red bell pepper sauce combines the smoky char of roasted peppers with warm spices.

Why You'll Love Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

Hearty and robust with a subtle nuttiness, you can use this sauce just about anywhere. It makes a fabulous dip, but it’s also easy to thin it out for pasta sauce or salad dressing.

You probably have everything on hand you need to make this sauce, too — perfect to throw together for a last-minute dinner. 

Why Does Roasting The Peppers Make A Difference?

When peppers are roasted, natural sweetness is brought out by caramelization. At the same time, the vegetable skins develop that blackened exterior responsible for the smoky taste. 

Roasted vegetables maintain more of their nutrients than other cooking methods do. So you’re not only reaping that toasty taste and crispy goodness, but you’re also cashing in on a higher nutritional benefit.

What Do I Need To Make Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce?

We roast our veggies for this sauce in the air fryer, but you can use the oven too if that is easier. You’ll need a food processor or immersion blender, a medium-sized skillet and mixing bowl, aluminum foil, and standard measuring utensils.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 big red bell peppers
• 1 yellow or white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup walnuts
• ¼ cup olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

How To Make Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

Preheat the oven or air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 C).

Group the garlic cloves together and wrap in foil.

Add the peppers, garlic, and onion (no need to peel the skin off) to the air fryer basket or arrange on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting, toast the walnuts in the skillet over medium-low heat until they become fragrant and their brown color deepens. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the roasting is done, remove the basket or tray and cover with aluminum foil. This way, the peppers will sweat and loosen their skins for easier peeling. Let the roasted veggies rest and cool for about 15 minutes.

Once the veggies are cool enough for you to comfortably handle them, remove all foil and transfer the veggies to your mixing bowl. Hand-peel the onion and peppers (be sure to remove the pepper seeds, but it’s okay if a few are left over), then squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins.

Add the toasted walnuts, olive oil, salt, dried oregano, and smoked paprika to the bowl. Blend with an immersion blender until the preferred level of smoothness is reached, or transfer to a food processor for blending if desired.

What To Serve With Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

• Healthy poblano goat cheese sweet potato cakes with avocado crema
• Healthier hatch chile crab cakes
• Healthy whipped feta artichoke dip
• Smoked goat cheese dip with crispy garlic

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce FAQs

Notes And Bottom Line

This roasted red bell pepper recipe is easy to make and even easier to adapt. With how many possibilities there are for enjoying this sauce, we believe it’ll be gobbled up soon after you make it, but even if you find yourself with too much it can easily be frozen for later. 

If you are storing leftovers, seal them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Tip: pour a very thin layer of olive oil over the sauce’s surface before closing up your Tupperware to preserve freshness and flavor.

Print