Home-roasted red bell peppers are almost nothing like everyday raw peppers. Charring a pepper in the oven concentrates its natural sweetness and transforms it into a special ingredient that can elevate simple weeknight meals.
How to roast peppers
- Place whole peppers on direct heat. You can use a very hot grill, broiler or stovetop burner.
- Turn peppers as skin chars
- Cover with plastic wrap to steam and loosen skin
- Peel cooled peppers, under water if needed
Roasted red pepper pesto
Add the following to a food processor:
- 4 roasted red bell peppers
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Process until smooth. For a quick dinner, spread pesto on a panini.
Roasted red bell pepper pineapple salsa
In a medium sized bowl, mix together:
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Serve over grilled fish or chicken. Or tacos!
Created by the executive wellness chef and registered dietitians at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program.
Relevant reading
The Mayo Clinic: Faith – Hope – Science
The Mayo Clinic: Faith – Hope – Science is the companion book to the two-hour PBS documentary of the same title. This book features interviews with patients including John McCain and the Dalai Lama and tells the story of William Worrall Mayo, an English immigrant who began practicing medicine with…
