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Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Name: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces roasted red peppers from a jar, drained Note 1 (about 1 1/2 peppers); 1/2 cup roasted almonds; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 teaspoon chopped garlic ((about 2 cloves)); 1 green onion; 5-7 fresh basil leaves; zest of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon kosher salt ((or less if using salted almonds)); 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

ByCheryl September 18, 2020October 21, 2021 Updated onOctober 21, 2021

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Get a bit of zip, texture, gorgeous color and a ton of flavor in this versatile roasted red pepper sauce. It takes just 5 minutes, a few ingredients and a food processor or blender to make the magic happen. How can you use this delicious sauce? Check it out!

I served this roasted red pepper sauce as a dip at my sister’s cottage on the weekend. We all scoffed it down with homemade naan in about 5 minutes flat. Which didn’t bother me since it only takes me 5 minutes to make.

I throw roasted red peppers, roasted almonds, lemon zest, a green onion, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil into my food processor. And blend it until fairly smooth. That’s it.

The end result? A flavorful red pepper sauce that is gluten free, vegan, freezable and can be served with everything you can think.

Great ways to use this roasted red pepper sauce

over grilled veggies or steamed green beans
tossed with pasta or tofu
with a tofu or noodle bowl
as a condiment for salmon stuffed with herbs,
as a topping for homemade veggie burgers,
drizzled over grilled cauliflower, or crispy oven roasted potatoes
with a breakfast egg bake

Roasted red peppers – jar vs homemade

The red pepper sauce in this recipe uses roasted red peppers in a jar. I’m sure you clued into this when I mentioned the entire recipe takes 5 minutes 🙂

Of course, using fresh roasted red peppers would be great too, but that would take an extra hour or more to make the recipe. If you have the time, here’s how to make roasted red peppers – 4 ways – by Tori Avey.

Back to the jar kind. Which brands are best? The taste can actually differ quite a bit – from smokey-charred to vinegary-pickled. If you prefer the less acidic kind (like me), look for vinegar toward the end of the ingredient list on the jar.

Two big cooking sites – Cooks Illustrated and Fine Cooking – chose Dunbars as their number one choice. Huffpost chose Divina in a taste taste of 13 brands. It’s really personal preference though.

Neither of those brands are available at my local store. I just use a brand that looks decent ingredient-wise (I’m sure you never heard of it) and the recipe turns out great regardless. Tip: My only suggestion would be to taste the peppers first and adjust the amount of lemon zest you use based on how vinegary the peppers are.

Tailor To Your Taste

This sauce/dip is very forgiving and totally adaptable to your liking. Here are a few variations and substitutions to consider.

Try some different seasonings such as smoked paprika, za’atar or chili powder.
Add spicy heat with red chili flakes or sriracha. Start with 1/4 tsp and add more to taste.
Instead of almonds, try pecans or skinned hazelnuts
Substitute the basil with fresh parsley or cilantro
Leave out the almonds for a smooth creamy texture. The sauce will be thinner without nuts.
If the sauce is too thick for your liking, thin it out with tablespoon or two of water.

Make Ahead

The roasted red pepper sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to a week or frozen for 2-3 months.

Ways to use leftover roasted red peppers

So many options. Here are a few…

make a romesco sauce with roasted tomatoes and peppers
make an easy soup with peppers and tomatoes
blend a roasted pepper into a gazpacho
use as a topping for burgers, sandwiches or wraps
add to a risotto
fold into scrambled eggs or an omelet
use as a pizza topping
add to a quinoa, pasta or green salad.