Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce

A smooth, smoky roasted bell pepper sauce the whole family will love! Quick to make, veggie-packed, and freezer-friendly. Use as a base for pasta dishes, pizza, rice, or vinaigrette.

Prep Time8

Cook Time39

Total Time47

Course: Condiments, dips, sauces

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: CUPS

Calories: 120kcal

Author: Maureen Celestine

Equipment

baking sheet
heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven
Immersion blender or standard blender

Ingredients

1 big head garlic 60g
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 Red bell peppers cored, seeded, and halved (400g)
8 mini sweet peppers seeded, and cut in half (about 454g)
2 Roma tomatoes cored and halved (257g)
1 large Sweet Onion peeled and cut into wedges (370g)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup fresh basil stems removed, roughly chopped (20g)
⅓ cup heavy cream or Plain Greek yogurt, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut about ¼ inch off the tip of the garlic, then sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wrap it in aluminum foil, then place it in the sheet pan.
1 big head garlic, Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Place the cut peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and onion on a rimmed baking pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and kosher salt and black pepper to taste (I used 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. If using table salt, divide in half)
2 Red bell peppers, 8 mini sweet peppers, 1 large Sweet Onion, 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Spread them out in a single layer, skin side up. Add the seasoned garlic, then transfer to the heated oven. Bake for 32-35 minutes or until the vegetables are charred but not burnt.
Once roasted, remove the pan from the oven, and allow to cool slightly or use a kitchen tong to lift off the skin of the peppers and tomatoes. Squeeze the garlic flesh by pressing the end with the head.
Transfer the roasted mix into a medium-sized pot or Dutch oven (if you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer it into a blender bowl). Add the fresh basil and heavy cream or yogurt (if using).
⅓ cup fresh basil, ⅓ cup heavy cream
Using an immersion blender, purée the mix until it's smooth. If you like it extra smooth, run the purée through a fine sieve.
Place the pot on the stove and cook on medium-low heat for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until warmed through.
Remove from heat. At this point, you can either transfer it into a storage container or jar, use it as a base for your pasta or pizza, or soak it up with a crusty bread.

Notes

After roasting, cover the hot peppers with foil or place them in a bowl for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the skin, so it peels off easily.
Store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months. Freeze in cubes for quick access.

Other ways to roast the pepper mix:

Broiler: place skin-side up. Broil on high 8 –12 min until blistered/black in spots.
Gas flame: char whole over open flame with tongs until blistered all over. Cool, peel skin, core, then remove seeds.

To make Roasted Pepper dressing

Whisk together the ingredients below and store in a jar until ready to use:

10 oz roasted bell pepper sauce (from above)
2 tablespoons soured cream (plain Greek yogurt works just fine, omit if you added heavy cream using the recipe above)
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
¼ cup vegetable broth, optional (only use this if you like a runnier consistency)

Nutrition