Blacken the skin, then steam the pepper so it lets go. Under a broiler that takes about 15 minutes with a turn every few minutes; in a 450°F (230°C) oven, about 35 minutes; over a gas flame, about 8. Then cover the hot peppers for 15 minutes and the skins rub off with your thumbs.
Roasted peppers are one of those things people buy in a jar for years before discovering that making them costs nothing but a little heat and patience. The technique is genuinely simple, and every method comes down to the same two steps: char the skin hard, then trap the steam. Skip the steaming and you will spend twenty minutes picking at blackened flecks with a knife, which is the reason most people only try this once.
| Method | Heat | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broiler | High, rack 4 in below | 12-18 min, turn every 4 | A few peppers, fastest |
| Oven | 450°F (230°C) | 30-40 min, turn once | Big batches, hands-off |
| Gas flame | Direct on the burner | 6-10 min, turn constantly | Deepest smoky flavor |
| Grill | Direct, medium-high | 10-15 min, turn often | When it is already lit |
Char it properly, and do not be timid
The skin needs to blister and blacken, not merely tan. A pepper that is pale brown in patches will not peel. You are looking for skin that has puffed away from the flesh and gone black over most of its surface, which sounds like you are ruining it and is exactly right. The flesh underneath is protected by all that moisture and will still be firm.
Steaming is the step that actually peels them
The moment they come off the heat, put the peppers in a bowl and cover it tightly, or close them in a paper bag. Fifteen minutes is enough. The trapped steam lifts the charred skin away from the flesh, and afterward it comes off in sheets under your thumbs. Do not rinse them under the tap to speed this up: you will wash away the smoky juice that is the entire point of roasting them.
Which method to use
Use the broiler if you want a few peppers fast and you can stand there turning them. Use the oven if you are doing a large batch and would rather not babysit — the color is a little less dramatic but the flavor is the same. Use a gas flame if you own one and want the deepest smoke, holding the pepper on a long fork or setting it straight on the burner grate. An electric coil burner works too, if slowly.
Keeping them
Peeled roasted peppers keep in the refrigerator for about five days in a covered container, and they are better on day two than day one. Cover them with olive oil and they will go a week. They also freeze well, flat in a bag with their juices, for about six months — worth doing in late summer when peppers are cheap and sweet.
Questions we get asked
How do you roast sweet peppers in the oven?
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C), set the whole peppers on a foil-lined sheet, and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning them once about halfway through. They are ready when the skins are blistered and blackened in patches and the peppers have slumped. Then cover them for 15 minutes to steam before peeling.
Do you have to peel roasted peppers?
Yes, if you have charred them properly. Blackened skin is bitter and papery and it will not soften with more cooking. Steaming them under a cover for 15 minutes makes the skin come away easily with your fingers.
Why will not the skin come off my roasted peppers?
Almost always because they were not charred hard enough, or because they were not steamed afterward. The skin has to blister and blacken across most of the surface, and the peppers then need 15 minutes covered so the trapped steam separates the skin from the flesh.
Should you seed peppers before or after roasting?
After. Roast them whole so the flesh steams in its own moisture and the pepper stays juicy. Once peeled, tear it open over a bowl, tip out the seeds, and keep the juice that collects — it is worth more than the pepper in a dressing.
Can you roast peppers without a broiler?
Easily. A 450°F (230°C) oven does the job in about 35 minutes, and a gas burner does it in under 10 if you turn the pepper with tongs. A grill works too.
How long do roasted peppers keep?
About five days covered in the refrigerator, or a week if you submerge them in olive oil. They freeze flat in a bag with their juices for around six months.
What kind of peppers roast best?
Thick-walled sweet peppers — red, yellow and orange bell peppers, or long sweet varieties like Cubanelle and Romano. Thin-walled peppers scorch through to the flesh before the skin blisters.