Homemade Bell Pepper Sauce Recipe

This bright and flavorful bell pepper sauce is an easy homemade condiment that makes everyday meals taste more special. It has a soft, gently textured consistency, a naturally sweet pepper flavor, plenty of garlic, a little heat, and enough richness from tomato paste and olive oil to bring everything together. Spoon it over steak, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, grain bowls, hummus, sandwiches, or simple leftovers that need a fresh lift.

Why We Love This Recipe

This bell pepper sauce sits somewhere between a relish, a chutney, and a warm vegetable condiment, though it does not need to fit neatly into any one category. What matters most is how useful it is. A spoonful adds color, depth, and a lively savory-sweet flavor to foods that might otherwise feel plain.

The recipe began as a simple way to use three colorful bell peppers that were waiting in the refrigerator. After one batch, it became the kind of sauce worth making again and again. It is simple, flexible, and practical, and it works with many different meals throughout the week.

• It is savory, lightly sweet, and gently spicy.
• It helps bring together leftovers and makes them feel intentional.
• It can be adjusted easily with more or less garlic, chili flakes, or fresh herbs.
• It is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
• It keeps well in the refrigerator and can also be frozen for longer storage.

What You’ll Need

Here is a clear look at the ingredients used to make this easy bell pepper sauce. The list is short, but each ingredient plays an important role in building flavor and texture.

• Bell peppers: Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers all work beautifully. Using one of each creates a vibrant mix of color, but their flavors are very similar, so you can use whichever combination you have.
• Garlic: This recipe uses a generous amount of fresh garlic. Chop it evenly but not too finely. A rough chop helps prevent the garlic from burning while the peppers soften.
• Olive oil: Olive oil helps cook the peppers gently and gives the finished sauce a smoother, richer texture.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds body, silkiness, and deep savory flavor. Canned tomato paste or double-concentrated tomato paste from a tube both work; use the same amount either way.
• Chili flakes: The amount listed gives the sauce a noticeable but gentle heat. Add less for a milder sauce or more if you prefer extra spice.
• Salt and black pepper: These simple seasonings balance the sweetness of the peppers and sharpen the overall flavor.

How to Make It

Making bell pepper sauce is mostly a matter of chopping the vegetables and letting them cook down until tender. The peppers should become soft and almost melting, while the tomato paste, water, garlic, and seasonings blend into a thick, spoonable sauce.

1. Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch frying pan with a lid. You will need the lid later for simmering.
2. Add the diced bell peppers, chopped garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers have visibly softened.
3. Stir in the tomato paste so it coats the peppers and begins to blend into the oil and juices.
4. Add the water, chili flakes, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat.
5. Cover and simmer until the peppers are very tender and the liquid has become part of the sauce. Stir more often near the end so nothing sticks.

Expert Tips and FAQs

More Favorite Condiments to Jazz Up Simple Foods

• Mornay sauce
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4.60 from 10 votes

Bell Pepper Sauce

By Carolyn Gratzer Cope

This homemade bell pepper sauce was created as a practical way to use colorful peppers, and it has become a repeat-worthy condiment. It is bright, garlicky, gently spicy, and lightly textured. Serve it with simply cooked steak, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, hummus, grain bowls, or roasted vegetables.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 45 mins

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 medium red bell pepper, about 250 grams
• 1 medium orange bell pepper
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons (33 grams) tomato paste
• ½ cup (120 ml) water
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the stems, ribs, and seeds from the bell peppers. Cut the peppers into a very small dice, about 1/4 inch. Chop the garlic.
2. Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. A nonstick pan is helpful but not required.
3. Add the diced peppers, chopped garlic, and salt to the pan.
4. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the peppers have softened and released some of their moisture.
5. Stir in the tomato paste until it is evenly distributed.
6. Add the water, chili flakes, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the peppers are extremely tender and the liquid has blended into the sauce. Stir more often as the sauce thickens, lowering the heat if needed. Serve right away or let it rest for even deeper flavor.

Notes

1. Use red, orange, yellow, or a combination of these bell peppers. A mix creates a beautiful color, but the flavor will be similar.
2. Chop the garlic rather than mincing it finely so it cooks gently with the peppers and is less likely to burn.
3. Tomato paste gives the sauce a smooth texture and a savory backbone. Canned tomato paste and tube tomato paste both work.
4. Adjust the chili flakes to make the sauce milder or spicier.
5. Fresh herbs are optional. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, or basil can be added depending on what you have on hand.
6. Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze it for up to one year. The texture will soften after freezing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1,
Calories: 96 kcal,
Carbohydrates: 8 g,
Protein: 1 g,
Fat: 7 g,
Saturated Fat: 1 g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g,
Sodium: 267 mg,
Fiber: 1 g,
Sugar: 3 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Sauces and Condiments

Cuisine: American