How To Roast Peppers

Six roasted green chiles on a baking sheet.

Roasting peppers is a simple cooking technique that brings out their natural sweetness and adds a smoky depth of flavor. From roasting bell peppers to jalapeños to poblano peppers, this method works for them all. Use them to make Green Chile Queso.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Bell Peppers, Hatch Chiles, How To, Jalapenos, Vegetables

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings batch

Calories 0.2kcal

Author Darcey Olson

Cost $2

Ingredients

1-10 whole green peppers *Note 1

OPTIONAL

1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil *Note 2

Instructions

ROAST PEPPER IN THE OVEN

Place the oven rack in the top third position of the oven. Set the oven to either high broil or 450°F. (*Note 3)
Place the whole peppers on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. They must be in a single layer, not touching, for best results.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
Baking setting: Roast the peppers for about 20-25 minutes, turning every 7-10 minutes. The skin will blister and blacken in spots.
Broil setting: Roast the peppers for about 15-20 minutes, turning every 5-7 minutes. The skin should blister and blacken in spots.
Once evenly roasted, remove from the oven and transfer to a resealable bag or place in a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
After 15 minutes, use your fingers or a paper towel to peel away the skin gently.
Cut off the stems and slice open the peppers to scrape out the seeds with the knife. Discard or save the seeds to make red pepper flakes.
Your roasted peppers are now ready to use or store.

STOVE TOP OR GRILL

Turn on a stove top burner, or outdoor grill, to high heat. Use a pair of metal tongs to place the pepper on the burners directly over the open flame. Turn every few minutes to evenly char.
Once evenly roasted, remove from the flame and transfer to a resealable bag or place in a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
After 15 minutes, use your fingers or a paper towel to peel away the skin gently.
Cut off the stems and slice open the peppers to scrape out the seeds with the knife. Discard or save the seeds to make red pepper flakes.
Your roasted peppers are now ready to use or store.

Notes

Note 1 - Any pepper will work. Popular varietals are red bell peppers, jalapeños, serrano, hatch chile, anaheim or poblano.

Note 2 - Coating the peppers in oil can further enhance caramelization. The peppers naturally release oils during roasting, so it's not required to add extra oil. It's a personal preference.

Note 3 - The baking setting is a longer process but less hands-on. Broiling the peppers is faster, but you must always keep an eye on them. Pick which method works best for you. I use the broiler setting 95% of the time.

Nutrition