Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This fantastically easy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce takes 5 minutes to make, and adds instant flavor to a ton of foods. I drizzle it on Crispy Smashed Potatoes, spoon it onto Spice Rubbed Chicken, toss it with pasta and vegetables, and more. It’s made without cream, and is friendly to all styles of eating (Whole30 compliant, paleo, gluten-free, etc).
Much like the Basil Vinaigrette I shared last week, this is a sauce that can go on sooooooooo many things. It’s basically flavor sauce.
Drizzle it on chicken, fish, vegetables, and so on, and boom! Flavor.
This is another recipe that I came to love during my Whole30, and I really have to thank the Whole30 for forcing me to rediscover the awesomeness of blender sauces. Because of the restrictions of the program, you’re forced to get creative with simple and flavorful recipes, and having this sauce on hand was key to many satisfying dinners.
Tips for Best Results
Brand matters – Because we will be using purchased roasted red peppers in a jar for this recipe, quality really matters! I have done side-by-side taste tests comparing various brands and it’s INCREDIBLE what a difference there is in flavor. My favorite brand is Divina (I have no affiliation with them).
Use the freshest ingredients possible – The other ingredients here, like the fresh basil, fresh garlic, lemon and so on, should be of peak freshness. Flavor deteriorates as these ingredients age, so try to use the freshest stuff possible.
As far as the preparation goes, it’s quite simple, and goes as follows:
Put stuff in a blender, and blend.
Done.
See why I love it so much? And just wait until you taste it (seriously).
Step by Step Guide:
For the prep, you’ll need roasted red peppers, shallot, garlic, capers, and basil:
Quick note on the peppers: make sure to use a good quality jarred roasted red pepper. I’ve seen brands where it’s a bunch of pepper scraps crammed into a jar, and in my taste tests, it wasn’t as good.
I usually use Divina brand, which I get from Whole Foods. The peppers are huge (about 3 to a jar), have those charred fire roasted bits, and are really delicious.
You may also roast your own peppers, but I’ve done it before numerous times via numerous methods (stovetop, grilling, broiling in the oven), and it’s a lot of work. The flavor isn’t better than a good quality jarred option, in my opinion.
Moving on: throw those ingredients into a blender, and also add some lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper:
Blend on high for about 30-60 seconds, until completely smooth:
The sauce can now be stored in the refrigerator for one week, ready to be drizzled on whatever you’d like.
I LOVE this sauce on those Crispy Smashed Potatoes I posted the other day:
I also dunk roasted broccoli florets into this sauce, serve it with Crispy Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs, or even plain Slow Cooker Chicken Breast when I’m in a pinch.
More Ways to Serve It
Drizzle on fish like Grilled Salmon, toss with pasta, serve with roasted Spatchcock Chicken or lamb, drizzle a little bit on a fancy vegetable pizza, spread on a sandwich, or dollop a spoonful onto your Turkey Burger.
You can also mix it into Homemade Mayonnaise or Aioli for serving with potatoes. It’s extremely versatile.
FAQ and Tips
Yes, for up to 2 months in an airtight container. You may also choose to freeze the sauce in an ice cube tray, then you can quickly add a few cubes for sauces and such.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Yes, parsley or oregano would both be great in place of the basil.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp minced shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp packed chopped fresh basil (10 leaves)
- 1 tbsp capers drained
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (3/4 oz, liquid measurement)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a blender jar.
- Blend for 30-60 seconds on high speed, until completely smooth.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for 1 week, or freeze for 1 month.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
This post contains affiliate links.
30 Comments on “Roasted Red Pepper Sauce”
Could I use just normal red bell peppers bought from produce if I just grill them? If so how much do you think I’ll need?
Nicole per my experience, 4-6 large roasted red peppers equal approx two cups which is 16 oz’s. as needed for this recipe. I hope this helps.
I love roasted red peppers, can’t wait to try this,
I basically want to put this in and on EVERYTHING. Yum!
This was fabulous on pasta! What a marvelous recipe!
5-minute perfection! I use this recipe as a condiment all the time.
I love that this sauce can be used for so many things!
I sought this recipe out to mimic that of a restaurant that has amazing roasted veggies with this sauce on top. It was perfect!
Hi Melissa, fantastic! Glad to hear!
I can’t wait to give this a try!
Love drizzling it on the potatoes!
This is such a great sauce to have for just about anything!
I love this, I can see dipping garlic bread in it, drizzling on kebabs, chicken, pork , using as a pasta sauce and more, thanks
The brand of peppers really does make a difference. I used my favorite Greek roasted peppers and the sauce was delicious!
Wow, so simple and so much flavor. Love it!
This looks so good, I am grilling tonight, and I think this would be perfect with some grilled chicken.
I love Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. I make mine a little different than you do and since I’m always excited to try new variations I look forward to trying your recipe. I love the color!