Peperonata (peh-peh-roh-NAH-tah) is a Southern Italian vegetable dish of slow-cooked, or stewed bell peppers with onion and garlic.
I make peperonata every fall when my pepper harvest at HeathGlen Organic Farm peaks, and I use it on everything: pork chops, bunless burgers, ground beef, white fish, even as a bruschetta topping. This version pairs it with roasted butternut squash and optional romesco sauce for a complete slow carb dinner.
Quick Summary: Peperonata is an Italian sauce of stewed peppers cooked low and slow in olive oil with onion and garlic. Use a mix of sweet bell pepper colors. Serve as a side dish, bruschetta topping, or protein topping for pork chops, burgers, chicken, or fish. This recipe is for peperonata with butternut squash and romesco sauce for a slow carb fall dinner. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 20 min | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Peperonata? | How to Use Peperonata | Romesco Sauce | FAQ
What is Peperonata?
Peperonata is a Southern Italian dish that features sweet summer bell peppers cooked down in olive oil until they’re meltingly soft. The peppers themselves are the star of the show, and while it often includes onions and garlic, you do want to keep it simple and let the flavor of the stewed peppers shine.
Some cooks will add tomatoes or herbs or maybe even a little vinegar, but ultimately the focus is on the peppers.
The traditional way to make peperonata is to cook a couple of cloves of minced garlic with a half of a onion (sliced) in olive oil over low heat for about 10 minutes until translucent.
Season with salt and pepper and add 5 or 6 bell peppers that are quartered and of different colors and cook low and slow until the bell peppers are softened.
How Do You Use Peperonata?
The classic Italian way to use peperonata is as a side dish. It is also used as a sort of bruschetta on some toasted bread.
I like following a slow carb lifestyle that includes a lot of protein, so I tend to use pepperonata as a topping for meat or vegetables in a slow carb dinner.
In the recipe below I have used it mixed into ground beef and served with a side of butternut squash topped with Italian romesco sauce. A perfect slow carb Fall dinner!
I have also enjoyed the robust flavor of this stewed pepper blend simmered with pork chops as in the photo below:
And keeping with the slow carb diet plan, I had a great meal of peperonata on top of a bunless burger:
Lastly, peperonata could easily add flavor to mild white fish filets. Take advantage of the late-season glut of sweet bell peppers and add this quick, simple pepper sauté to your dinner plans. Throw in a few spicy chile peppers to liven it up even further!
What is Romesco Sauce
We sometimes have the luxury of an extra-long growing season in Minnesota, and when that happens I can harvest a boatload of different sweet and hot peppers, along with a bountiful harvest of heirloom squash.
It is always easiest to design a dinner around what is in your fridge (or in this case your garden), and the bright orange bell peppers and squash inspired this Italian Fall dinner with peperonata taking center stage.
The Italian Romesco sauce made with tomatoes, peppers, and almonds added sweetness and creaminess without any refined sugar or flour. The beta carotene from the orange peppers and butternut squash added nutrition, along with eye-popping color.
However you decide to mix it up, classic or uniquely yours, peperonata can be a stupendous stand-alone side dish or used as a sauté topping for proteins or vegetables on a low-carb lifestyle.
How to Grow (and Cook With) Sweet Peppers
Here are a few articles to help you learn to grow peppers and more recipes for cooking with sweet peppers:
- Italian Sweet Pepper Varieties for the Kitchen Garden
- Red Bell Pepper & Eggplant Spread: Kosovar Ajvar
- Low-Carb Stuffed Sweet Peppers
- Pepper and Tomato Seed Germination Guide
- Stuffed Peppers Made in the Crockpot
- What to Grow in Your Garden for Italian Cooking
- How to Design an Italian Kitchen Garden
FAQ
A Southern Italian dish of sweet bell peppers slow-cooked in olive oil with onion and garlic until soft and jammy. The peppers are the focus; additions like tomatoes, herbs, or vinegar are optional.
Sweet bell peppers in multiple colors (red, orange, yellow) for visual appeal and flavor variety. You can add a few hot peppers for heat if you like.
As a side dish, bruschetta topping, or sauce/topping for proteins. It works on pork chops, chicken, burgers, sausage, and mild white fish.
Yes. Bell peppers and onions are relatively low in carbohydrates. Serve over protein instead of bread or pasta for a slow carb meal.
Yes. It keeps refrigerated for 4-5 days and reheats well. The flavors often improve after a day.
A Spanish sauce made from roasted tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and garlic. It adds sweetness and creaminess without refined sugar or flour. Optional but delicious with this dish.
For recipes that make great use of these fruits and vegetables check out this Italian recipes category. For detailed and comprehensive information on starting your own Italian kitchen garden see this guide.
Peperonata with Butternut Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ to 2 cups assorted sweet peppers chopped
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste or 2 anchovy filets (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons Romesco sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large (12-inch skillet or saute pan over high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the peppers and onions to the skillet and saute, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute quickly being careful not to burn the garlic (only needs about 30 seconds. Add anchovy paste to skillet if you’re using it.Season with salt and pepper.1 1/2 to 2 cups assorted sweet peppers, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 2 anchovy filets, salt & pepper to taste
- Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft (about another 10 minutes).
- While the peppers are cooking cut the squash in half and place on baking sheet flesh-side down. Cook squash at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.1 medium butternut squash
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.salt & pepper to taste
- Check to see if squash is done by poking flesh with a fork and if it gives easily it is done.
- Serve the peperonata as a topping on ground beef or sausage with the squash on the side topped with Romesco sauce (or just butter).2 tablespoons Romesco sauce
[…] Another great recipe using pepperonata as a skillet fry can be found by clicking here. […]
[…] Another great recipe using pepperonata as a skillet sauté over butternut squash can be found by clicking here. […]