Description
A vibrant and creamy roasted red pepper sauce made with blistered bell peppers, fresh garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and basil. Perfect as a flavorful spread, dip, or pasta sauce, this recipe highlights the sweet smokiness of roasted peppers combined with the richness of Parmesan and aromatic basil.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cup (50 grams) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220ºC) to prepare for roasting the peppers.
- Prepare Peppers: Wash the red bell peppers thoroughly and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Initial Roasting: Roast the peppers in the oven for 20 minutes until the skin starts to blister.
- Flip and Continue Roasting: Using tongs, flip the peppers over and roast for another 10-15 minutes, ensuring that at least half of the pepper skin is blackened for a smoky flavor.
- Steam Peppers: Remove the sheet from the oven and cover the peppers with parchment paper and a kitchen towel to steam for 10-15 minutes, helping the skins to loosen.
- Peel Peppers: Once cooled, peel off and discard the skins of the peppers carefully.
- Deseed and Chop: Make a lengthwise slit in each pepper, remove the stalk and most seeds, and scrape away any remaining seeds. Roughly chop the pepper flesh.
- Prepare Garlic: Peel the garlic clove, cut it in half, and remove the germ—the green sprout in the center—to avoid bitterness.
- Blend Sauce: Place the roasted peppers, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, basil leaves, and salt into a food processor or blender. Gradually add olive oil while blending until the mixture turns thick, smooth, and creamy.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust the salt or olive oil as needed for perfect balance.
- Serve: The sauce yields approximately 1 ¾ cups and can be used immediately or stored for later as a delicious condiment or pasta topping.
Notes
- To easily peel the peppers, steaming after roasting is key; do not skip covering with parchment and towel.
- Removing the garlic germ reduces bitterness and yields a cleaner garlic flavor.
- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor and texture.
- This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- For a vegan variation, omit the Parmigiano Reggiano or substitute with a vegan cheese alternative.
- If you want a smoother sauce, blend longer or pass through a fine sieve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: roasted red pepper sauce, red pepper sauce, Italian sauce, roasted pepper dip, Parmigiano Reggiano sauce, basil sauce
