This peperonata (sometimes spelt pepperonata) is a mix of colorful sweet peppers, onion, garlic, herbs, olives, capers and pine nuts slowly stewed in fruity extra-virgin olive oil.
The flavor, texture, and color of this dish are remarkable, especially when made fresh. Serve it with crusty bread to sop up all aromatic juices or offer peperonata as part of a larger antipasto spread, then sit back and watch it disappear!
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🥘 Essential Ingredients
- Peppers: I like to use an assortment of colorful bell peppers, such as red, yellow and orange for this dish, which are sweeter than green. If you like a little heat, add a few hot peppers. When seeding and coring the peppers, be sure to cut the white ribs from inside the peppers.
- Onion: I like to use red onion in this dish, as it imparts a slightly sweet flavor, but you can use yellow onions here as well.
- Olive oil: A fruity extra-virgin olive oil is important for this dish's flavor, so don't skimp here. Choose a good-quality olive oil.
- Olives: Pitted kalamata olives add just the right bit of salty earthiness and texture to the dish, and provide pops of color.
🔪 How to make the recipe
- Cut the peppers and onion ¼-inch thick slices, and the halve them crosswise. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until they are softened.
2. Add the garlic, olives, capers, pine nuts, vinegar, and herbs and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more oil and vinegar if needed.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.
💭 Recipe tips
- The peperonata can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated.
- The baguette toasts can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept at room temperature. Spoon the peperonata onto the toasts just before serving.
📋 Recipe FAQs
Peperonata is a classic rustic Italian dish that has many uses. It hails from the Calabrian region of Italy (at the tip of the Italian "boot") and is a mix colorful peppers, onions, garlic, fresh herbs and may also include tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies that are simmered in fruity extra-virgin olive oil. As with most Italian country fare, it's a dish that is made with the ingredients that are on hand.
Peperonata can be served on its own with crusty bread or toasted bread slices (bruschetta,) or as part of an antipasto platter as a first course. It's also wonderful served as a side dish with grilled sausages or chicken, and makes a delicious topping for polenta or pasta. Honestly, the useless are almost endless
🍴 More Easy Appetizers
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Peperonata | Pepperonata
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
- 4 to 5 medium assorted bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into strips
- 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 Tbs. minced garlic
- ⅓ cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
- 2 Tbs. capers, drained
- 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar, more as needed
- 3 Tbs. pione nuts, toasted
- 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers, and onion, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes.
- Add the garlic, olives, capers, vinegar, herbs, and pine nuts, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in more olive oil if needed.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more vinegar if needed. Transfer the peperonata to a bowl serve right away with baguette toasts.
Notes
- The peperonata can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated.
- The baguette toasts can be made a few hours ahead of time and kept at room temperature. Spoon the peperonata onto the toasts just before serving.
Nutrition
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Lilia says
I added some cooked sausage slices and served this over bread for a quick dinner - so good!
Molly says
Amazing and so easy!
Sophia says
Perfecto!
Naomi says
Yum! Loved this recipe. I used this with a charcuterie board and it was a huge hit!
Thanks for the recipe.
Glenda says
What a delicious appetizer! We had a spaghetti feed two weekends ago and served this while the rest of the meal was finishing up. What a hit! Everybody loved it!
Emily says
This was not lacking in flavor at all! I loved how the pine nuts brought another layer of texture. Thanks for sharing!
Gen says
So good! I will be making this again and again. Thanks for a great recipe!
Shelby says
I love that I can use up my fresh peppers for this! And it makes a wonderful appetizer too, so colorful.
Kris says
This was so rich and flavorful! Such a wonderful use for the peppers from the garden. Thank you! 🙂
Patricia says
I served this as part of an antipasto spread, looked and tasted great!
Tricia says
I gave this a try and it's really good!