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This classic Italian recipe showcases peppers and the flavors of a summer garden like no other dish! Peperonata is an Italian vegetable stew that’s made with slow-simmered sweet bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. This versatile side dish, appetizer, sauce, spread or condiment tastes sweet, fresh and delicious. You can enjoy it with pasta, rice, polenta or another grain, pair it with crusty bread, or pair it with chicken, fish or your chosen protein. It is one of those recipes that goes with everything! You’ll find peperonata easy to make and, once you try its rich fresh taste, you’ll want to make it all the time.
Juicy fresh vegetables and herbs pair with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings to make this wonderful tasting peperonata recipe.
Italian food lovers might also enjoy homemade arancini. For those with a sweet tooth, limoncello tiramisu and Italian lemon ricotta cake are winning desserts.
Why You’ll Love It
So fresh tasting: This sauce or condiment is made with fresh vegetables, fresh basil and fresh garlic. It screams freshness! And it really is delicious however you serve it.
Simple to prepare: The ingredients are added to a skillet and cooked low and slow to coax out the wonderful flavors. It’s an easy one-pot recipe that doubles easily if you’re feeding a crowd.
A versatile condiment: Peperonata can be spread on toast, served as a dip with pretzels or crackers, paired with crusty bread, stirred into pasta or rice, added to a charcuterie board, or served alongside your favorite protein. It’s hugely versatile!
Peperonata Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Bell peppers: I usually use a mixture of red and yellow peppers for their sweetness. Green bell peppers can also be used in a peperonata recipe but they can sometimes have a bitter flavor.
Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil, as you prefer. Extra virgin olive oil is fine for cooking as long as you aren’t using a high heat. This recipe uses a medium low heat so either type of oil would work.
Canned tomatoes: To add sweetness and liquid.
Balsamic vinegar: Adds both a sweet taste and a tart one to balance out the flavors in this classic Italian recipe.
Garlic: Always good in savory Italian recipes – add extra if you love it!
How to Make Traditional Peperonata
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Cook the vegetables: Cook the sliced bell peppers and shallot in oil in a skillet and then add the garlic and seasonings and cook some more.
Add the remaining ingredients: Mix in the tomatoes, vinegar and basil leaves, then cover with a lid and cook until the peppers are tender, stirring occasionally.
The finishing touches: Let it cool slightly and then serve garnished with fresh basil, with crusty bread if liked.
Substitutions and Variations
Other vegetables: Mushrooms, zucchini, potatoes, and eggplant are all good vegetables for making peperonata, so mix and match as you like.
Different peppers: The bitter flavor of green peppers means that most people prefer red, yellow or orange bell peppers, but go ahead and use whatever you want. Roasted peppers would work too.
Spice it up: Add 2 pinches of red pepper flakes.
Onions: Swap the shallot for half a yellow, red or white onion. Shallots have the mildest taste but onions work.
Different tomatoes: Swap the canned crushed tomatoes for tomato passata which is a sieved tomato puree. (This brand is delicious!)
Another garnish: A sprig of fresh oregano makes a pretty garnish if you don’t have enough fresh basil, or you can use any fresh herbs to garnish the finished dish.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Peperonata pairs with so many appetizers. Serve it as part of a charcuterie platter or antipasto board, or simply with crusty bread.
Snacks: Making dips for a party? You can make a dip trio, perhaps a dirty martini dip and baked artichoke dip along with peperonata, for a range of contrasting flavors and textures.
Main dishes: Try it spooned over creamy polenta, with some of these easy Italian main dishes or as a topping for farinata, which is an Italian chickpea flour pancake.
How to Store Peperonata Sauce
Store: Keep peperonata refrigerated and eat within 3 to 5 days. It’s best in an airtight container.
Freeze: You could freeze it for up to 3 months but the vegetables will get a bit mushy in texture.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a couple of hours on the countertop.
Reheat: You can eat peperonata chilled but, if you want it warm, give it short bursts in the microwave, stirring every 10 seconds, until warm. You can also warm it up in a pan on the stove.
Top Tips
Make extra: Double or triple the recipe, as this condiment is very popular and pairs with all kinds of dishes. You can keep it for several days in the fridge or several months in the freezer.
Try new combinations: Every Italian household seems to have its own peperonata recipe, so don’t be afraid to try new ingredients such as mushrooms, zucchini or even potatoes.
Cool before serving: You can serve it warm, at room temperature or chilled, as you prefer. It typically isn’t served hot.
Peperonata FAQs
I’ve found that either olive oil or extra virgin olive oil is perfect – Italian of course! If you want to use another oil, you can, but the resulting peperonata won’t be as authentic.
Red peppers work well in this recipe but you can use any color you want – green peppers if you don’t find them too bitter, or orange or yellow, or even mix and match some of each.
It’s best to slice thinly, and that includes the shallot and garlic too. The peperonata just has a more delicate texture that way.
Italian Peperonata Recipe
Peperonata
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin or regular
- 6 bell peppers, 4 red, 2 yellow, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 shallot, large, sliced
- 4 Cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 Teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
- Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 28 Ounces crushed tomatoes, canned
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ Cup basil leaves, fresh, loosely packed and thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- crusty bread, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Add crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil leaves. Stir to combine.
- Cover and let simmer on low for 15 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Serve peperonata garnished with fresh basil, with crusty bread if desired.
Notes
Try new combinations: Every Italian household seems to have its own peperonata recipe, so don’t be afraid to try new ingredients such as mushrooms, zucchini or even potatoes.
Cool before serving: You can serve it warm, at room temperature or chilled, as you prefer. It typically isn’t served hot.
Nutrition
Juicy fresh sweet bell peppers pair with garlic, shallots, tomatoes, and tasty seasonings to make this authentic Italian peperonata recipe. It’s one of the most versatile condiments ever. It’s tasty served as a sauce, a dip with baguette slices or crackers, part of an antipasti platter, or even stirred into rice or pasta. This Italian traditional recipe doubles easily and it keeps for a while, so it’s worth making a big batch like Nonna would.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
This reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking—so simple yet so full of flavor. I loved how versatile it was; we had it with grilled chicken one night and pasta the next.
Loved how fresh and flavorful this was. It’s my first time making it and won’t be my last!
Pure perfection, paired beautifully with crusty bread for a perfect bite!
Loved how fresh and flavorful this was! Perfect with crusty bread or over pasta—definitely a keeper.