Fire roasted peppers have an additional flavor added to them -- a delicious smoky, char flavor! Do you know how to fire roast a pepper? It's easy and the taste is typically superior to those you'd buy in a jar -- and it's definitely less expensive. 
A raw pepper can certainly be delicious, and if you roast it, it'll turn it into something rich, smoky, and soft.
It's also delicious -- in a different way.
There are a few different ways to roast a pepper -- my technique of choice for large peppers is to fire roast them on a stove burner.
How to Fire Roast a Pepper
- Place the pepper directly on top of a high flame and let it char for a few minutes. You’ll hear it crackle as the skin begins to heat. Use metal kitchen tongs to turn the pepper as each side chars. 
- Use the tongs to remove the pepper from the burner and place it in a bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the pepper steam this way for about 5 minutes. Then remove the plastic and let the pepper become cool enough to touch.
- Gently use your hands to peel the blackened skin off the pepper. It should come off with ease this way, but you can also use the dull side of a paring knife to help. (I like to leave a few tiny bits here and there for an added smoky flavor.
- Use your hands or the paring knife to break the pepper into a few large pieces.
- Remove the stem, and use a paring knife on the inside of the pepper to remove any white membranes and seeds.
Now you can slice and dice any way you’d like!
Roasting Tips
- You can roast a few peppers at one time (using all of your burners) — use a large bowl when they’re finished charring, and steam them all at once.
- It's harder to fire roast peppers that are smaller, like jalapeños. You can roast those in a broiler. Here's an example.
Hope you love making your own fire roasted peppers as much as I do!
Recipes with roasted peppers:
- Roasted Tomato Poblano Salsa
- Spicy Kale Soup with Roasted Pepper
- Baked Feta with Olives and Roasted Peppers
Fire Roasted Pepper
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper (or any color)
Instructions
- Place the pepper directly on top of a high flame and let it char for a few minutes. You’ll hear it crackle as the skin begins to heat. Use metal kitchen tongs to turn the pepper as each side chars. It should be mostly black when you’re done. This should take just a few minutes.
- Use the tongs to remove the pepper from the burner and place it in a bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let the pepper steam this way for about 5 minutes. Then remove the plastic and let the pepper become cool enough to touch.
- Gently use your hands to peel the blackened skin off the pepper. It should come off with ease this way, but you can also use the dull side of a paring knife to help. (I like to leave a few tiny bits here and there for an added smoky flavor. (Do not rinse the pepper! If you do, you’ll rinse off some of the wonderful flavor!)
- Use your hands or the paring knife to break the pepper into a few large pieces. Remove the stem, and use a paring knife on the inside of the pepper to remove any white membranes and seeds.
- Now you can slice and dice any way you’d like!
NUTRITION
Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
thyme (sarah)
I can't wait to show this to my husband. He was making a mess of the red peppers the other day. I totally forgot to tell him to put the poor peppers in a bowl and let the steam release the skin. He spent forever peeling the skin off by hand.
Shannon
Do you ever set off the smoke detector doing this?
valentina
Nope! Only when I sauté mushrooms it seems -- 😉 Turn on the hood fan if you're concerned about it -- but this method doesn't really create smoke the way a grill would. Happy roasting! 🙂
Chef Mireille
I love freshly made roasted peppers - Sometimes I have it as a salad as is with just a little olive oil and balsamic. Great tips on roasting peppers!
valentina
Thanks so much. I love them just as they are after roasting too. Such great smoky-sweet flavor! 🙂
Danielle Wolter
I love roasted peppers so much! Thanks for all the helpful tips. I do mine both on the stove and on a grill - depends on the season 🙂
krissy
Where has this been all my life! What an easy and very efficient way to peel a pepper. thanks for sharing.
valentina
Thanks! Makes me happy. 🙂
Adrianne
This is such a great idea Valentina! I have done it before but I was hesitant as I didn't really know what I was doing. But your step by step photos are great. Cheers!
valentina
Thanks so much, Adrianne. Love that this is helpful! 🙂
Jillian
Your photos are beautiful and instructions are very helpful - great post!!
valentina
Thank you Jillian!