This Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is the kind that has you licking straight out of a bowl. It’s the star of any dish you use it on be it pasta, with rice, to coat veggies or even as a dipping sauce and it’s so delicious.
I knew exactly what type of flavor I was going for when I started developing this Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. It’s the kind of sauce that has you licking it straight out of a bowl. It’s delicious and the star of any dish.
Have you ever tasted roasted red bell peppers? I’m not talking about the kind you buy from the store out of the jar. I’m talking about the kind you make at home.
This creamy sauce takes about 20 minutes to make, with less than 10 minutes of prep. The rest of the time is spent in the oven and waiting for the skin to soften before you peel the peppers.
I took it up a notch and added some jalapenos for some spice, but you can easily omit it or take some of the sauce out before adding in the jalapenos if your kids can’t handle spice (although my 3 year old couldn’t get enough of the spicy version, even though she needed water on the side, ha!).
And trust me, you’ll want to make this for your kids. Whatever you drizzle it on, they’ll devour. It’s creamy, rich, and has a beautiful color to it since we typically eat with our eyes first. It also freezes well, though I doubt you’ll have any left-over once you get a taste.
How To Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Preheat the oven to Broil on high. Cut the bell peppers and jalapenos in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds and membranes
Place pepper and jalapeno halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Flatted the pepper halves with your hand. Tuck the whole peeled garlic cloves under one of the red bell peppers to keep them from burning.
Broil for 10-12 minutes or until the red bell peppers are charred and blackened (just like the photos below).
Remove from oven and instantly place only the red bell peppers in a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel to seal. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Once cool, remove and peel the outer skin off.
Add the roasted red bell peppers, garlic cloves, jalapenos to a blender (I used my Vitamix) along with the remaining ingredients and puree until completely smooth. The exact amount of lemon juice depends on it’s acidity, so season to taste with additional salt and/or lemon juice if needed
Ways To Use This Red Pepper Sauce
To be honest, I developed this sauce for a taco recipe I’ve been working on (which you will LOVE), but after having it around in my fridge, I’ve drizzled it on nachos, used it as a pizza sauce, sandwich spread, dip for crackers and veggies, flavored some veggie bowls with it, and even poured the last of the sauce over pasta.
I am pretty sure you will love this recipe as much as I do. Give it a try…only 20 minutes to make, half of which is time spent in the oven. It is kid friendly, simply take some of the sauce out before blending in the jalapenos. It’s freezable and versatile.
I loved seeing all the ways in which you guys used my other sauces such as my Sweet Jalapeno-Lemon Cream Sauce and Vegan Cucumber Ranch, and I can’t wait to see how you guys will use this Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce!
Adjusting The Spice
Jalapenos – add more or less jalapenos depending on your level of spice. This sauce will still taste great even if you omit the jalapenos completely. Alternatively, you can simply take some of the sauce out before blending in the jalapenos if you want both versions of the sauce.
Cashews – If you are using a powerful blender such as a Vitamix, you do not need to pre-soak the cashews. Just be sure to completely puree into a smooth sauce.
Tips For Making This Red Pepper Sauce
- Make sure to remove the white membrane and seeds as they can taste bitter
- Make sure your broiler is on high so you get charred bits on the peppers it gives a lot of flavor to the peppers.
- After broiling it’s important to place the bell peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap as this helps to peel the skins easily
- Lemon juice is a perfect substitute for apple cider vinegar in the recipe
- Make sure to store this sauce in airtight containers and place in the fridge for a few days or freeze
- If you freeze this sauce you might need to reblend one defrosted
More Delicious Sauces You Might Like;
- 5 Ingredient Creamy Carrot Tomato Vegan Pasta Sauce
- Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Spicy Green Peruvian Sauce
Spicy Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 1-2 fresh green jalapenos , see notes below
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup raw cashews , pre-soaked for ~2 hours, see notes below
- 1/4 + 1/8 teasp salt , divided
- 2.5 teasp lemon juice , freshly squeezed
- 1/4 teasp apple cider vinegar , or more lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to Broil on HI.
- Cut the bell peppers and jalapenos in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds and membranes
- Place pepper and jalapeno halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Flatted the pepper halves with your hand.
- Tuck the whole peeled garlic cloves under one of the red bell peppers to keep them from burning.
- Broil for 10-12 minutes or until the red bell peppers are charred and blackened.
- Remove from oven and instantly place only the red bell peppers in a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel to seal. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Once cool, remove and peel the outer skin off.
- Add the roasted red bell peppers, garlic cloves, jalapenos to a blender (I used my Vitamix) along with the remaining ingredients and puree until completely smooth. The exact amount of lemon juice depends on it's acidity, so season to taste with additional salt and/or lemon juice if needed.
- Store the sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few days or freeze in freezable deli containers and use when needed (see notes below).
- Use the sauce as a dip, as pizza sauce, spread it on sandwiches, drizzle it over tacos and veggie bowls, or pour it over pasta!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O that sounds amazing! With my brother and I home for summer right now, we are all about the spicy condiments and such right now 😉
anjali
Then you’ll love this sauce! It’s so easy, has a great kick to it, and the flavor of the roasted red peppers + cashews really goes a long way.
Rashmi
This sauce is awesome, the colour and the fact that one can use it on every and anything…BONUS!
I said this already on Instagram, but HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AGAIN…Wishing you a lifetime of happiness sweet Anjali, glad you had a wonderful getaway.
My favourite 3 day getaway would probably be Sun City in Johannesburg, South Africa, there is everything one could possibly need for a break away and not too mention, pool, slides etc, which makes us feel like kids again 😀
To answer your other question, I would probably use this sauce as a dip with crackers and as pizza sauce… Well-Done!
anjali
Thank you SO much Rashmi!! We did have a much needed amazing getaway! Thanks to family for being able to watch the kids =) Oh I love things that make us feel like kids again…Sun City sounds awesome! Using this sauce on pizza and sandwiches is so delicious! Sorry haven’t caught up on all the wonderful commnets you guys have left! I’ve read every one of them but still need to catch up!
Reshana
This sauce looks amazing Anjali and that rich colour! Wow! Sounds you both has fun and ate lots of delicious food… Hmmm definitely Sun city 🙂 and they also have a lovely breakfast buffet too which we always enjoy 🙂 I would make this sauce, add meatballs alongside some spaghetti…YUMMY!
anjali
Thank you Reshana!! The color is one of my favorite parts of this sauce, in addition to the taste of course =) Thank you!! Yes…super fun city! I love hearing about other people’s favorite 3-day weekend spots! Sun City sounds awesome…need to visit sometime. I also need good food wherever I visit when I’m on a kidless vacation ha!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
I’ve actually never had a roasted bell pepper. Bell peppers weren’t a common veggie around my house, but pretty much everything is better roasted. All that deep flavor! I can imagine this will be amazing on those tacos, but the nacho idea sounds really good and easy too! And you had quite a fun (and delicious) trip from the looks of it! Seattle is definitely on my list to visit someday 🙂
anjali
Oh wow!! YES…you need to try roasted bell peppers, especially red, orange, or yellow ones. And you’re right everything is better roasted, but red peppers are one of my favorites! Super sweet, and I love using them on so many dishes! This sauce is awesome and I think I’ve tried to use it on anything and everything! Any excuse to have it in my meals ha! And yes, we had a wonderful much needed trip. It was so nice to get away from everything for awhile and we love exploring new cities, especially ones we can explore by foot =) Great food always helps as well haha.
Jenn
Sounds so good!! I love roasted red peppers. I make a smoky roasted red pepper cashew dip that I literally can’t get enough of. This is similar, but with a bit different flavor. I know I would love it too!!
anjali
Oh your dip sounds awesome Jenn!! Yes…I think I’d love anything with cashews and roasted red peppers in it! The flavors pair so well together!
Mandy
You had me at spicy!! Oh, this sounds wonderful!! We love roasting red bell peppers and like you said, they’re sooooo much better than the stuff you buy in a jar. I could definitely see myself putting this on everything! Can’t wait to see your taco recipe 🙂
I know I already said it, but I’ll say it again…Happy Anniversary! Such a beautiful couple. We’ve been to Seattle a few times, but I’ll have to check out some of the places you mentioned next time we visit. <3
anjali
Thank you Mandy!! Years ago I’d always buy the ones in the jar for sandwiches before I realized how easy it was to make your own and of course tasted SO much better! You’ll love the taco recipe and this sauce…so simple and it’s so delicious! I saw your message, replying soon =) Thank you for the wishes…things have been crazy over in our house and I’ve been feeling super overwhelmed and tired, so this 4 day trip was much needed and a great get-away. I owe it to my mom and sister-in-law for coming down to watch the kids for us. As much as we love places like Hawaii and relaxing, we’ve also always had a love of exploring new cities and I love being able to simply walk around everywhere which you don’t get here in San Diego.
Kelly @ TastingPage
What a beautiful sauce. I just had a great long weekend in Seattle, and loved it. I’m also a big fan of weekends in CA wine country.
anjali
Thanks Kelly! It was our first time in Seattle, and loved it but hoping to go back! Yes…SF and Napa/Sonoma are our other favs!
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
i cant get over how CREAMY this looks.
anjali
Thanks Dixya! The roasted red peppers and cashews definitely makes this super creamy and delicious!
Mel @ avirtualvegan.com@
I love Seattle! We go there often as we live in Victoria BC and there is a direct ferry there. It sounds like you had a wonderful time and the sauce looks totally delicious! It would be perfect on my Buddha Bowls!
anjali
Yes! Loved your buddha bowls and this sauce would go perfect! We LOVED Seattle…luckily it’s not too far of a plane ride away so we’ll definitely be coming back. Loved all the vegan finds there too! So good!
Aimee
Oh my goodness, DROOLING over this! YUM.
anjali
Thanks Aimee!
Uma
This is recipe is simple and flavorful. I liked this because we can use this sauce for so many things like you said. Awesome Anjali!
anjali
Thank you Uma! Sauces you can use on many things are the best!
Manju | Cooking Curries
Oh yay!! You came to my city! I am so happy Seattle behaved with good weather for you guys. Happy Anniversary!
anjali
Oh that’s awesome you live in Seattle! Yes…we both visited portland two years ago and loved it so knew we’d love exploring Seattle as well. We planned it assuming we were going to get rain, so when it was beautiful, clear, and sunny out it we were surprised! It only rained for 1/2 a day, which was actually quite refreshing =) Great city…where do you live there?
Hauke Fox
Roasted Bell Peppers? I’m in! My mate Dave recently has been obsessed with roasted bell pepper sauce. I forwarded him your recipe to try out 😀
Thanks for sharing!
anjali
Thanks Hauke! Roasted bell peppers are the best!
Gin
So cool you guys vacationed in Seattle! I used to live there. If you’re there and in the mood for pizza Pizza Pi is near the university, totally vegan and _awesome_. But there’s so much vegan to choose from in Seattle, it’s hard to pick a place. I love roasted peppers and need this sauce in my life, on a big bed of pasta!
anjali
Thanks Gin! I will definitely put Pizza Pi on the list to try next time! And yes, loved exploring all the vegan finds there! Seems like a wonderful place to live, although I’m pretty set on SD for the time being =) This sauce is awesome you will love it!
Vay
I tried this recipe to add to the condiment options for veggie burgers. It was a huge hit at our 4th of July barbecue. It was also very easy to make. Lots of flavor and just the right amount of spice. I have already made it twice since then. Thanks so much. Also my brother attended your session at YJA and really enjoyed it. Hope you’re well.
anjali
That’s so awesome! I feel like I pass by your place when I visit my mom, so we need to get together! Thanks so much for trying out my sauce…it’s one of my favorites! So funny I’m working on a burger recipe with this sauce hoping to get it out soon! =) You need to try my tacos I just posted with this sauce…so good! Great to hear that your brother attended my session…the kids this year really surprised me at how open they were to veganism! Such a great response. I’m trying to get all the info fromt he talk up onto my site and will hopefully follow up with all the kids from the convention soon. Thanks for checking out my site and hope to see you soon! A trip to SD is in order! =)
Sara
This sauce is amazing! The color is beautiful and the taste is every bit as versatile as you said. I only used one jalapeno because I was using for company, but will use two next time as we like things with kick. Really delicious. Used it to make homemade tamales, but will also use as a pasta sauces and just a general sauce. Thank you.
anjali
That’s so great to hear Sara!!! I have yet to post a few more recipes using this Sauce!! And homemade tamales sounds wonderful…it’s been on my list of things to make for awhile now. I can see how this Sauce would go perfectly with them!!
Jasmine
We LOVE this! Making another batch tonight to dress roasted and stuffed poblano peppers!
Thank you!!!
anjali
Thank you Jasmine!! Great to hear! This sauce would go so well over roasted & stuffed poblano peppers…need to try that sometime. I have another recipe coming soon using this sauce! Thanks again!
Danielle
This sounds amazing! Is there a substitute for the cashews? My son is allergic to nuts, so would maybe roasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds work in the same way?
anjali
Thank you! I personally haven’t tried any other substitutde, but there definitely are non-cashew subs you could try! I’d probably go with boiled or roasted pumpkin seeds (not salted) first since they are slightly on the sweet side similar to cashews in that sense. That should work well! A second option would be to maybe add some corn starch (as a thickener) and then reduce the sauce over the stove but you may need to add a few additional things to adjust the flavor in that case. I’d totally try the pumpkin seeds! I think it’ll still taste great! Let me know!
Gee Amaya-Solis
thank you so much, my son and I are allergic to tomatoes so this sauce is great, we have missed red pastas so much.
anjali
So great to hear! Yes…this roasted red pepper sauce is so delicious! I’m coming out with another roasted red pepper pasta sauce soon! I’ll try to keep in mind and have a tomato free version depending on what I create!
Anamit
Hi! Very nice recipe, was wondering if it could be used as a pizza sauce instead of the regular tomato-based sauces..?
anjali
Absolutely! This sauce can be used for so many different things! Pizza sauce is a great idea!
Sheryl Alvernaz
I didn’t see how much garlic you use in the recipe? It does look wonderful can’t wait to tr
anjali
It says it right up in the recipe 🙂 4 cloves of garlic in the ingredients list.
Rick
Ummm yum.
I was looking for a reason to use a red pepper on taco Tuesday other than fajitas so I googled red pepper sauce for tacos and this came up. My wife, off and on doing Paleo, the cashew cream called out to me. Plus cashew sauces have always been delish to me even as a dairy lover.
I roasted the peppers over my gas stove rather than under the broiler (garlic in skin on a griddle) and I only had 1 red pepper and had planned to half it but ended up sticking to the amounts as listed minus 1 red pepper…. which turned out perfect drizzable salsa for tacos.
Served over pulled beef on fresh corn tortillas with green onions and cilantro.
I’d definitely make again.
Thanks.
anjali
Awesome thank you so much! So glad you loved it! The combo of roasted red peppers + cashews is definitely a favorite combo.