Fresh Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This Fresh Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is the perfect complement to fish, chicken, gnocchi, and pasta. Fresh red peppers are roasted (or grilled), then simmered with garlic, fresh herbs, wine, and a few other ingredients to bring out the amazing flavor in this sauce. It’s a great recipe for entertaining, as it can be made ahead. And, it gets even better over time!
This delicious and easy sauce recipe is so versatile, and it’s vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free! You can also make a few delicious variations of this sauce, to make it richer, or more refined. To find out how, visit our Blog Comments & Tips.
Sign up for a free subscription to our monthly newsletter and access to exclusive content.
To browse some of our favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and pantry items, visit our Recommended Products page.
RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe updated as of 3/24/22
FRESH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (see Note #1). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray.
- Place whole bell peppers on the prepared baking sheet pan, and roast for 20 minutes. Using tongs, give them a quarter turn, then roast another 20 minutes until the skin is charred. Place roasted peppers in a glass mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10-15 minutes until the skins are wrinkly and have started to separate. Remove plastic wrap, and let peppers cool down a bit.
- Remove and discard the stem and seeds from each roasted pepper. Using a spoon (see Note #2), gently scrape out remaining seeds, and discard. Peel the skin off all the peppers, and discard. Then with a sharp knife, roughly chop the cleaned peppers, place them in a bowl (including juices), and set aside.
- In a 5 quart non-stick saucepan, heat olive oil on medium heat until glistening. Add shallots, and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and translucent. Add garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add rosemary and thyme leaves, and stir. Carefully add wine, turn up to medium high heat, and bring to a brisk simmer. Simmer until reduced by half.
- Add chopped peppers, Kosher salt, black pepper, and chopped parsley. Give the sauce a quick stir, then add lemon juice, and stir. Bring to a fast simmer. Lower heat, and simmer partially covered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste to check flavors and seasoning. If needed, add more salt and pepper. If too acidic, add honey (optional), and simmer for another 5 minutes (no need to continue simmering if you don’t need to adjust seasoning, or add honey). Add torn basil, stir, and immediately remove from heat. Allow to cool down a bit in the saucepan for about 10-15 minutes (sauce should still be warm, but not hot).
- Transfer to a high speed blender (see Note #3), and pulse in quick spurts to a thick puree. Do NOT over blend sauce. Sauce should be a thick puree and should not be liquidy. If serving immediately, transfer back into saucepan, and stirring occasionally, heat on low for about 5 minutes until hot and ready to serve (for make ahead preparation, see Note #4).
Notes
- If you prefer, you can grill your peppers until they are soft, and the skin is charred.
- Try using a grapefruit spoon to remove the seeds. We find it makes this process easier, as the serrated and pointed tip of the spoon grabs the seeds easily.
- If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can use an Immersion Blender directly in the saucepan. Just cool down the sauce for a few minutes, before blending. This sauce should not be perfectly smooth. It should have a little texture, as shown in the photos above. That said...if you prefer it smooth, go for it!
- Make Ahead Preparation: We highly recommend doing the make ahead version. It can be made up to two days ahead and tastes even better as the flavors macerate and mellow over time. After sauce is blended, transfer to a heat proof airtight glass storage container, and allow to cool uncovered on the counter. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate overnight. Reheat on the stove on low medium heat until sauce comes to a simmer, and serve.
- Keep in mind that the flavors in the sauce will mellow over time, especially overnight. For a more refined sauce, see the Pimp Our Recipe section in our Blog Comments & Tips.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
116.14Fat (grams)
6.96Sat. Fat (grams)
0.96Carbs (grams)
8.41Fiber (grams)
1.36Net carbs
7.05Sugar (grams)
4.61Protein (grams)
1.16Sodium (milligrams)
120.58Cholesterol (grams)
0.00Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Nutritional calculations do not include honey, which is optional.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
Roasting Peppers
STEP 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet pan with aluminum foil, and lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray.
Note: If you prefer, you can grill your peppers until the skin is charred, and they are soft.
STEP 2a
Place 6 medium whole red bell peppers (1 ½ pounds) on the prepared baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. Using tongs, give them a quarter turn, then roast another 20 minutes until the skin is charred.
STEP 2b
Place roasted peppers in a glass mixing bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 10-15 minutes until the skins are wrinkly and have started to separate. Remove plastic wrap, and let peppers cool down a bit.
STEP 3a
Place a pepper on a cutting board, and slice the top lengthwise just below the stem. Remove and discard the stem and seeds. Using a spoon (see Note below), gently scrape out remaining seeds, and discard. Peel the skin off of the pepper, and discard. Repeat this process for each pepper.
Note: Try using a grapefruit spoon to remove the seeds. We find it makes this process easier, as the serrated and pointed tip of the spoon grabs the seeds easily.
STEP 3b
With a sharp knife, roughly chop all the cleaned peppers, place them in a bowl (including juices), and set aside.
SAUCE
STEP 1a - MISE EN PLACE
To make your cooking process easier, have all your chopping done in advance. Before you start your sauce, measure out all your ingredients. This is called “mise en place” (i.e., everything in its place). Check out our Mise en Place video on our Tips & Tricks page!
Place the following in separate bowls, so you can quickly add each one to the sauce.
Shallots: ⅓ cup minced (about 2 large shallots)
Garlic: 1 ½ tablespoons minced (about 5 large cloves)
Thyme & Rosemary: Combine in one small bowl.
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
Parsley, Italian Flat Leaf: 1 tablespoon chopped
STEP 1b
In a 3.5 quart non-stick saucepan, heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil on medium heat until glistening. Add minced shallots, and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and translucent. Add minced garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
STEP 1c
Add finely minced fresh rosemary and fresh thyme leaves, and give it a quick stir. Carefully add 1 cup dry white wine, turn up to medium high heat, and bring to a brisk simmer. Simmer until reduced by half.
STEP 2
Add chopped peppers, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste), ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and chopped parsley. Give it a quick stir, then add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and stir. Bring to a fast simmer. Lower heat, and simmer partially covered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
STEP 3
Taste to check flavors and seasoning. If needed, add more salt and pepper. If too acidic, add 1 teaspoon honey (optional), and simmer for another 5 minutes (see Note below).
Add ½ cup torn fresh basil leaves, stir, and immediately remove from heat. Allow to cool down a bit in the saucepan for about 10-15 minutes (sauce should still be warm, but not hot).
Note: Keep in mind that the flavors will mellow over time, especially overnight. No need to continue simmering if you don’t need to adjust seasoning, or add honey.
STEP 4
Transfer to a high speed blender (see Note below), and pulse in quick spurts to a thick puree. Do NOT over blend sauce. Sauce should be a thick puree, and it should not be liquidy. If serving immediately, transfer back into saucepan, and stirring occasionally, heat on low for about 5 minutes until hot and ready to serve (for make ahead preparation, see Notes section).
Note: If you don’t have a high speed blender, you can use an Immersion Blender directly in the saucepan. Just cool down the sauce for a few minutes, before blending. This sauce should not be perfectly smooth. It should have a little texture, as shown in the photos above. That being said, if you prefer it smooth, go for it! We used the NutriBullet blender for this recipe. Although the popular Vitamix Blender is an amazing high speed blender, this NutriBullet is versatile, more affordable and is an equally efficient blender that can withstand daily use for years on end.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serving Option 1
Best served with a moist white fish, such as our Grilled Chilean Sea Bass. Also pairs beautifully with chicken.
Serving Option 2
This sauce tastes amazing with gnocchi, cheese raviolis, or with our Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.
Notes:
For a more refined sauce, see the Pimp Our Recipe section in our Blog Comments & Tips.
Make Ahead Preparation: We highly recommend doing the make ahead version. It can be made up to two days ahead and tastes even better as the flavors macerate and mellow over time. After sauce is blended, transfer to a heat proof airtight glass storage container, and allow to cool uncovered on the counter. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate overnight. Reheat on the stove on low medium heat until sauce comes to a simmer, and serve.
Blog Comments & Tips
This sauce is the perfect complement to fish, chicken, gnocchi, and pasta!
My favorite way to serve this sauce is with our Grilled Chilean Sea Bass. This sauce pairs well with any white fish, chicken, or even pasta. It is so versatile, and can easily be made into a rich, creamy, and elegant sauce for any protein.
Although this sauce is similar to our Easy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, the ingredients, measurements, and preparation, are somewhat different. Our easy version uses jarred roasted peppers, and is delicious. Although you eliminate the first few steps of roasting the peppers, you have to cook down the sauce a bit longer to reduce the acidic flavor from the jarred peppers.
I am partial to this recipe, as the flavor of freshly roasted peppers really stands out in this sauce. It’s tangy, sweet, and perfectly balanced. As I’ve said before, this sauce gets better over time. The last time I made it, I had some leftover sauce. Two days later, my husband was craving pasta, and I decided to make our Roasted Red Pepper Pasta. It was simply amazing! Just writing about it in this blog makes me want to make that pasta dish again!
Now you have the recipe, ingredients, and equipment, but how do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
Our 5 tips to making a great sauce:
Fresh, organic ingredients.
Use a great quality extra virgin olive oil.
Don’t be afraid to char those peppers. It just adds to the flavor.
After roasting the peppers, make sure to let them rest covered in a bowl for a full 10-15 minutes. It will make it easier to peel off the skin.
If you can make it ahead, that allows the flavors to meld.
Want to know how to Pimp Our Recipe?
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Spicy: Add ¼ teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes, while you are sautéing your shallots.
Make it Rich: Use only 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Then when the sauce is heated through (just before serving), whisk in 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter. The butter will smooth out the acidity in this sauce and soften the flavor.
Make it Lux and Creamy: Use only 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to sauté the shallots. After the sauce is puréed and returned to the saucepan, bring to a simmer, then add ¼ heavy cream, stir, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Make it More Refined: Use only 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to sauté the shallots. After the sauce is puréed, strain through a fine mesh strainer, and pour back into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then add ¼ cup heavy cream, stir, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to let your peppers rest covered for a full 10-15 minutes. This makes it easy to peel them.
Adapted from the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (with Gnocchi) recipe by Georgia Downard on FoodNetwork.com, we’ve amped up this recipe to make it a flavorful and healthy sauce for your main course, pasta, or gnocchi.
Every editorial product is independently selected. We may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you purchase products via our links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
