A vibrant sauce with unique flavors that is comforting at the same time. It’s made by blending roasted red peppers with garlic, onion and lots of basil; and this roasted red pepper sauce is so incredibly versatile, whether you use it warm or cold.
Roasting deepens the natural sweetness of red peppers and adds a gentle smokiness that no raw pepper can replicate. Combined with sautéed onion, garlic, and a generous handful of fresh basil, the sauce blends into something that tastes rich enough to coat pasta, light enough to spoon over grilled fish, and good enough to eat straight from the jar. A healthy sauce that is ready to serve in about 10 minutes.
Why This Combination
A simple flavorful sauce that can be served warm or cold, chunky or smooth is a powerful asset in everybody’s arsenal. Whether you serve chicken or beef, fish or pasta, the sauce adds a warmth and a freshness at the same time. A few substitutions and this roasted red pepper sauce can be made vegan.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Roasted red bell pepper – you can buy roasted red peppers or even better roast red peppers yourself. Store-bought roasted red peppers usually come in a jar, soaked in a brine. Drain them, but don’t rinse them. You want to keep the charred pieces as that’s part of the flavor.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Butter – or olive oil
- Basil
- Vegetable broth – no reason to use chicken broth, it will add a flavor you may not want and the sauce is no longer vegetarian.
- Cream
This quick video gives you a short inside into the recipe.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Step 1 – Prep the ingredients, or to say it in French prepare you ‘mise en place’. For this particular recipe it is simple; clean and cut your onion as well as the garlic. No need to cut it very small as everything will go through you blender or food processor.
Step 2 – Heat butter in a skillet, add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until soft and golden. Allow to cool just a little bit.
Step 3 – Place all ingredients (roasted red bell peppers, onion, garlic, basil, broth, cream) in a food processor or blender and process until you have a smooth sauce.
Step 4 – Of course you can process the sauce to a lesser extent and still have bigger pieces left; entirely your choice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Alternative for a Vegan Sauce
- Use olive oil instead of butter
- Use plant cream instead of regular cream.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 3.5 ounces onion
- 1/2 clove garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 6 ounces roasted red peppers, jarred
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 0.4 ounces fresh basil
- 1/4 cup cream
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients; clean and cut your onion as well as the garlic. No need to cut it very small as everything will go through you blender or food processor.
- Heat butter in a skillet, add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until soft and golden. Allow to cool just a little bit.
- Place all ingredients (roasted red bell peppers, onion, garlic, basil, broth, cream) in a food processor or blender and process until you have a smooth sauce. (NOTE 1)
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- You can process the sauce to a lesser extent and still have bigger pieces left for a chunkier sauce; entirely your choice.
- For a vegan roasted red pepper sauce: use olive oil in stead of butter and use plant cream in stead of regular cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.