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This bright, flavorful, gently textured bell pepper sauce is an easy way to make simple food shine. Great for steak, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, and more.
Why we love this recipe
I think of this bell pepper sauce almost like a relish or a chutney, though it doesn’t technically meet either of those descriptions. It’s full of beautiful flavor, bright and vibrant, adds welcome dimension to a huge variety of meals.
I first developed this recipe to use up a trio of rainbow peppers that were languishing in the fridge. Ever since, I’ve been making it on repeat. It’s:
- A little bit savory, a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy
- A great way to tie together, and add interest to, a variety of leftovers
- Easy to customize by varying the amounts of garlic and chili, or adding herbs
- Vegan and gluten-free, in case your into those sorts of things
- Long-lasting in the fridge or freezer
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- You can use red, orange, or yellow bell peppers for this recipe. I like to use one of each when I have them on hand, just for the gorgeous rainbow of colors. Their flavors are basically indistinguishable.
- I call for lots of fresh garlic and sometimes use even more. You can customize the amount to your taste. Chop it evenly but somewhat roughly (rather than mincing) so it doesn’t burn.
- Tomato paste adds a backbone of umami and silkiness. You can use either the kind in the can or the double-concentrated kind in the tube — use the full measure either way.
- The amount of chili flakes called for gives this sauce a gentle but noticeable heat. You can, of course, customize to suit your preference.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a perfect batch of bell pepper sauce. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch frying pan that has a lid. (You’ll use it later.)
- Add the peppers, garlic, and salt, and cook until visibly softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste, and then add the water, chili flakes, and pepper.
- Simmer, covered, until meltingly tender. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
I love this sauce as-is, but it’s also a great place to use up any herbs you’ve got on hand. Chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and surely others would make a lovely addition. Add up to a tablespoon total of the first three along with the bell peppers and/or up to a quarter cup of basil toward the end of cooking.
Definitely. Bell pepper sauce keeps well in the fridge for a week and only improves in flavor as it sits. I often make a double batch and dollop it onto virtually every breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the week.
You can freeze it for up to a year if you like, though the texture will soften even more.
More favorite condiments to jazz up simple foods
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Bell Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium red bell pepper, about (250 grams)
- 1 medium orange bell pepper
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (33 grams) tomato paste
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the stems, ribs, and seeds from the peppers and cut into a very small dice (about 1/4-inch). Chop the garlic.
- In a 10-inch frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. A nonstick pan gives you a little more flexibility but isn't strictly necessary.
- Add the peppers, garlic, and salt.
- Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until peppers have visibly softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the water, chili flakes, and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the peppers are soft enough to almost melt away and the liquid has incorporated into the sauce. As the cooking proceeds, you'll need to stir more frequently and possibly lower the heat. Sauce is ready to use right away and will only improve over time.
Notes
- You can use red, orange, or yellow bell peppers for this recipe. I like to use one of each when I have them on hand, just for the gorgeous rainbow of colors. Their flavors are basically indistinguishable.
- I call for lots of fresh garlic and sometimes use even more. You can customize the amount to your taste. Chop it evenly but somewhat roughly (rather than mincing) so it doesn't burn.
- Tomato paste adds a backbone of umami and silkiness. You can use either the kind in the can or the double-concentrated kind in the tube — use the full measure either way.
- The amount of chili flakes called for gives this sauce a gentle but noticeable heat. You can, of course, customize to suit your preference.
- I love this sauce as-is, but it's also a great place to use up any herbs you've got on hand. Chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and surely others would make a lovely addition. Add up to a tablespoon total of the first three along with the bell peppers and/or up to a quarter cup of basil toward the end of cooking.
- Definitely. Bell pepper sauce keeps well in the fridge for a week and only improves in flavor as it sits. I often make a double batch and dollop it onto virtually every breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the week. You can freeze it for up to a year if you like, though the texture will soften even more.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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