Classic peperonata, stewed peppers with tomato
Classic peperonata with bell peppers, onion and tomato slowly cooked in oil: a soft, tasty summer side, great warm or cold and even better the next day.
Are you looking for classic peperonata, the soft, fragrant kind that tastes of summer and goes with just about anything?
Then this recipe is exactly what you need. Peperonata is a side of bell peppers cut into strips and cooked slowly with red onion, garlic and tomato, until they turn tender and sweet and the sauce thickens. Few ingredients, a single pan and patient cooking: the result is a colourful, tasty dish that everyone enjoys.
The whole secret lies in slow, gentle cooking. The peppers should soften without falling apart, while the tomato wraps them in a thick sauce that brings out their natural sweetness. That is why it pays not to rush and to let everything simmer over low heat, stirring now and then.
It has at least three clear advantages: it is completely vegan and gluten free, it is made with simple, inexpensive ingredients, and it gets even better the next day, when the flavours come together.
A useful tip: if you love contrasts, try the Sicilian sweet and sour version with a tablespoon of vinegar and one of sugar at the end of cooking. And remember to choose firm, fleshy peppers, red and yellow, for a more colourful dish.
Serve it warm or cold, as a side, on bruschetta or to dress pasta. It keeps in the fridge for three days in a sealed container.
Ready? Let’s make the peperonata.
Base preparations used
Steps
- Wash the bell peppers, remove the seeds and white membranes and cut them into strips about one centimetre wide. Slice the onion and chop the garlic.
- In a pan, heat the oil with the garlic and the chilli, add the onion and let it soften over low heat.
- Add the bell peppers and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring, until they start to soften.
- Add the tomato pulp and a pinch of salt, lower the heat and cook slowly for about 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender but not mushy and the sauce has reduced.
- Scent with torn basil and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Helpful tips
Slow, gentle cooking: the peppers should soften without falling apart.
For the Sicilian sweet and sour version, add one tablespoon of vinegar and one of sugar at the end of cooking.
It is even better the next day, warm or cold. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
Great as a side, on bruschetta or to dress pasta.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 14.0 g
- Sugars
- 10.0 g
- Protein
- 3.0 g
- Fat
- 7.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.0 g
- Fiber
- 4.0 g
- Sodium
- 280 mg
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