Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This roasted red pepper sauce is sweet, smoky red peppers roasted with onion, garlic and a little chili, then blended until silky with olive oil, smoked paprika and a splash of red wine vinegar. It’s a versatile, vegetable-packed sauce for pasta, chicken, fish, eggs and grain bowls, and a lighter alternative to cream-based sauces. The recipe makes about 500 g (2 cups), enough for 6 servings, with about 70 calories per serving. It keeps in the fridge for 4 days and freezes well.

• Makes: about 500 g (2 cups)
• Serves: 6
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 30 to 35 minutes
• Total time: about 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large red peppers (about 600 g), halved and deseeded
• 1 medium onion (about 100 g), cut into wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 red chili, halved and deseeded (optional)
• 1½ tablespoons (20 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• A splash of water or stock, to thin

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F), or 200°C (400°F) with the fan on.
2. Put the peppers cut side down on a lined baking tray with the onion, garlic and chili. Drizzle with half the oil.
3. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pepper skins are blistered and blackened in places and the onion is soft.
4. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the skins.
5. Peel off the pepper skins; it doesn’t matter if a few bits remain. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins.
6. Blend the peppers, onion, garlic, chili, remaining oil, smoked paprika, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.
7. Add a little water or stock to reach the consistency you want: thicker as a dip, looser as a pasta sauce.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Use warm or cold.

Tips

• Char, don’t burn. Blackened patches give a smoky flavor, but too much makes the sauce bitter.
• Peel the skins for the smoothest, sweetest sauce.
• Use jarred roasted peppers to save time: drain 450 g of roasted peppers in brine, rinse, and blend with the other ingredients, skipping the roasting.
• Make it creamy: blend in 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, cream cheese or a handful of soaked cashews.
• Balance the flavors with vinegar or lemon if it tastes flat.

Swaps and variations

• Romesco style: blend in 30 g of toasted almonds and a slice of toasted bread for a thicker Spanish-style sauce.
• Tomato and pepper: add 2 halved tomatoes to the roasting tray.
• Spicier: use 2 chilies or add a pinch of chili flakes.
• Herby: blend in a handful of basil or parsley.
• Lower fat: use 2 teaspoons of oil and a little more water.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is about 80 g, a sixth of the recipe. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for raw red peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, red chili, paprika, red wine vinegar and salt.

Red peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C and beta carotene, as our guide to bell peppers explains. Some vitamin C is lost during roasting, but a serving still provides a good amount. Compared with a cream sauce, this one is much lower in calories and saturated fat, and an 80 g serving counts as one of your 5 a day, since the NHS counts 80 g of vegetables as a portion. Homemade sauce also lets you control the salt, which is often high in jarred sauces.

Contains: no major allergens. If you make the romesco version, it contains tree nuts and gluten.

Storage

Cool the sauce quickly and refrigerate it in a clean, covered jar within 2 hours. Eat within 4 days, as the USDA advises for leftovers. Freeze in portions, or in ice cube trays, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before using.

Ways to use it

• Pasta sauce: toss with whole wheat pasta, spinach and a little Parmesan. Our article on whether pasta is healthy explains how to build a balanced bowl.
• With chicken or fish: spoon over grilled chicken, baked cod or salmon.
• As a dip: serve thick with vegetable sticks or whole grain crackers.
• On eggs: with fried or poached eggs, or baked into shakshuka.
• In grain bowls and wraps as a dressing.
• As a pizza sauce instead of tomato.

Common questions

Can I use green or yellow peppers?

Yes, but red peppers are sweetest. Yellow and orange peppers work well; green peppers give a more bitter sauce.

Is roasted red pepper sauce keto?

In small portions, yes. A serving has about 6 g of net carbs. Skip the onion for an even lower-carb version.

Can I make it without an oven?

Yes. Char the peppers directly over a gas flame with tongs, or under a hot grill (broiler), turning until blackened all over.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.