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Peperonata is a rustic Southern Italian pepper stew that's stupidly simple and absolutely worth every minute of the low-and-slow cook time. Bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and plenty of extra-virgin olive oil slowly collapse into something sweet, savory, and deeply satisfying. Awesome as a side, on crusty grilled bread, stirred into pasta, or spooned over polenta. It's one of those ridiculously low-effort Italian creations that tastes like it required way more work than it did.
Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
Already gluten-free as written, just peppers, onion, tomato, garlic, and pantry staples, nothing here needs a swap.
You can use pre-cut pepper strips and garlic paste if that saves you a couple seconds with a knife.
Bell peppers get noticeably cheaper in late summer, so stock up then and freeze a batch for up to 3 months.
The oil can be eased back a bit if you like, the peppers still soften up fine, it just takes a couple extra minutes.
Nothing here needs a special grocery run, it's just peppers, onion, tomato, garlic, and basil.
Keep your pepper strips fairly uniform so they cook at pretty much the same rate.
Crowding the pan traps moisture and steams the sweet peppers instead of letting them soften and concentrate properly.
The tomatoes and vinegar are acidic enough to mess with your seasoning and throw off the flavor. Cook this in an enameled pan or stainless steel.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
Proper peperonata calls for no fancy cooking skills, no weird ingredients, just time, heat, and a little respect for the process. As the peppers and onions cook down, they lose that raw bite and turn into this soft, glossy goodness that's kinda sweet, kinda savory, and honestly, more than a little addictive.
Rock this on some vegan garlic bread, pack some into your next batch of vegan stuffed shells, or smother your next batch of vegan carbonara with it. You are about to have a new appreciation for sweet bell peppers, for realsies.
Peperonata - a pretty and easy condiment to add to sandwiches, dinners and any place else a little sweet love is in order. When the produce store has "picked over" bell peppers-or poblanos, etc., a bowl of peperonata is in order. I use a light sprink of sumac for gentle contrast if it's very sweet or add a hot pepper.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this peperonata recipe
✊ Vegan AF and GF: Peperonata was vegan before veganism was a whole thing people put in their bios. All my vegan Italian recipes are bangers, but this condiment is one of the completely gluten-free vegan recipes that you can put onto bruschetta and have your guests lose their minds over.
⏱️ Mostly Hands-Off: You do about 10 minutes of actual work (if you are super-embarrassingly slow, that is) and then the stove takes over completely.
Tested and Approved Worldwide: Over 1,000 real home cooks across dozens of countries test my vegan recipes before they hit your screen, and the only complaint was that they didn't make enough. Rookie mistake, honestly.
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🌶️ Ingredients
The Peppers
Using a mix of good quality red, yellow, and orange isn't just for looks (though it does look ridiculously good). Red bell peppers for deep sweetness, yellow for a milder balance, and orange splitting the difference right down the middle. One color works fine if that's what you've got, but the mix of everything is where it really gets interesting.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you've been saving that nice first cold-pressed EVOO for a special occasion, this is it because it makes a real noticeable difference here. Don't use that Kirkland swill from Costco on this if you can help it…
Tomatoes
Dark, sweet heirloom tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes are the move here because you really want that juiciness working for you. They bring the acidity, moisture, and sweetness that helps the whole thing come together into that saucy, jammy peperonata. Romas are better off in things like salsa ranchera, because in cases like that, you explicitly DON'T want a very juicy tomato. This is not a situation like that though, OK?
Tomato Purée
When we're in Sicily, I go straight for the glass jars of passata and it is genuinely unreal every time. Boxed or canned purée (sometimes labeled as "strained tomatoes") are totally fine here, just flip it over and make sure tomatoes are the only ingredient on the label.
Red Wine Vinegar
Red wine vinegar adds that subtle tang at the end that cuts through the richness and keeps everything feeling balanced and alive. Sherry vinegar works is the best substitute, but a mild, not-too-sweet balsamic can pinch hit too if that's what you have on hand.
Lemon
This is totally optional, but I think some fresh lemon zest grated on top of the cooked peperonata adds some fresh raw liveliness to an otherwise heavily cooked tasting topping.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖 How to make peperonata
The hardest part of this whole recipe is slicing the peppers, and after that, it's basically a waiting game with incredible smell side effects. Follow these steps for the full picture, or skip to the printable recipe card below if you've already waited long enough.
Step One
For Whom the Bell Tolls:
Cut the bell peppers into thin strips, removing the seeds and membranes. Set aside.
Step Two
Sautébraham Lincoln:
Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. After about 90 seconds, once hot, add the sliced onion and sauté for 7-8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
Step Three
Pepp Talk:
Add the sliced bell peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 7-8 minutes until they begin to soften.
Step Four
Garls Darwin:
Add the chopped tomatoes and garlic. Continue cooking for 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down and release their juices.
Step Five
Hakuna Ma-Passata:
Stir in the tomato purée, basil, sugar, vinegar, pepper, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are very tender and the mixture has thickened.
Step Six
Peperonata Lot You Can Do About It:
Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving, optionally garnished with additional olive oil, lemon zest, and either basil or chopped parsley.
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👉 Top tips
- Slice Peppers Evenly, Not Chaotically: Keep your pepper strips fairly uniform so they cook at pretty much the same rate. If some are thick and some are paper-thin, you'll end up with a weird mix of mushy and undercooked.
- Use a Wide Pan, Give Them Space: Crowding the pan traps moisture and steams the sweet peppers instead of letting them soften and concentrate properly. A wide, thick bottomed skillet lets everything cook down evenly and actually develop the rich texture peperonata is known for.
- Skip the Cast Iron on This One: The tomatoes and vinegar are acidic enough to mess with your seasoning and throw off the flavor of peperonata in ways you will definitely notice. Cook this in an enameled pan or stainless steel.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
It can be served warm, at room temperature, or even slightly chilled, and each version brings out a slightly different balance of flavors.
Peperonata focuses mainly on peppers, while ratatouille includes a wider mix of vegetables like zucchini and eggplant with a more herb-forward profile.
🧊 Refrigeration
Let the peperonata cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
❄️ Freezing
Place cooled peperonata in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months, leaving a little space at the top for expansion.
🌡️ Thawing
Move the peperonata to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight, or gently warm it from frozen over low heat.
🔥 Stovetop reheating
Add the peperonata to a skillet or pot and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Add a small splash of water or olive oil if it looks too thick.
✌️You'll also love these Italian sauces:
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Peperonata Recipe
Equipment
- metal mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ¾ cup tomato puree passata
- ¼ cup basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
Optional garnishes:
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Slice the bell peppers into thin strips, removing the seeds and membranes. Set aside.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the sliced onion. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Add the bell peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 7-8 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and garlic. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices.
- Stir in the tomato purée, basil leaves, sugar, vinegar, pepper, and salt. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are very tender and the mixture has thickened.
- Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving, optionally garnished with additional extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and basil or parsley.
Notes
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Jackie Humes says
Peperonata - a pretty and easy condiment to add to sandwiches, dinners and any place else a little sweet love is in order. When the produce store has "picked over" bell peppers-or poblanos, etc., a bowl of peperonata is in order. I use a light sprink of sumac for gentle contrast if it's very sweet or add a hot pepper.
Adam Sobel says
Love the idea of hitting this with some sumac! Thanks Jackie ❤️