Roasted Red Peppers with Honey, Garlic, and Thyme
Sweet, smoky roasted red peppers get tossed warm in a honey garlic oil with fresh thyme is one of the easiest make-ahead appetizers you'll put on your table. The peppers do the work in the broiler, and the flavor only gets better the longer they sit.
Servings: 1 16 ounce jar
Calories: 1171kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers halved
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches from the element.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and place the halved peppers flesh-side down.4 large red bell peppers
- Broil for 25-35 minutes, until the skins are blistered and blackened in patches on all sides. Flip them to the sides after 15 minutes for even roasting. If your peppers are small, you can roast them whole; just make sure to flip them every 7-8 minutes.
- Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a plate. Let them steam for 15 minutes. The trapped moisture loosens the skins.
- While they steam, make the garlic oil. Combine the olive oil and sliced garlic in a small saucepan over the lowest heat, on the smallest stovetop. Warm gently for 5-7 minutes, until the garlic is soft, pale gold, and smells sweet. It should barely bubble. If it starts to brown at the edges, pull it off the heat immediately because browned garlic turns bitter and takes the whole dish with it. Add the thyme and pepper flakes in the last minute, then remove from the heat.½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 5 garlic cloves, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Peel the peppers once they're cool enough to handle. The skins should slip off with your fingers. Pull out the stems and seeds, and tear the flesh into wide strips, roughly ¾ inch.
- Whisk the honey, vinegar, and salt into the warm garlic oil, then pour it over the pepper strips along with the reserved juices. Toss gently to coat.1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust with more salt or a splash of vinegar.
Notes
Refrigerate the peppers submerged in their garlic oil in a sealed jar, and they'll keep for up to 5 days.
The flavor actually deepens the longer they sit, so don't be surprised if they taste even better on day two than the day you make them.
Once the peppers are gone, save the garlic-infused oil. It's too good to waste, and works well for dipping bread, dressing a salad, or tossing with pasta.
This is a genuinely good make-ahead recipe, so go ahead and make it up to a day before you plan to serve it.
When you peel the peppers, work with your hands instead of a knife. A knife tends to tear the flesh and take some of it with the skin.
Keep the garlic oil on the lowest heat your stove allows, and watch for a pale gold color rather than browning, since that's what tells you it's ready.
Taste the peppers right before serving, and adjust with a little more salt or a splash of vinegar if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 1171kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 110g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 79g | Sodium: 1197mg | Potassium: 1105mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 15148IU | Vitamin C: 617mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg
