Caramelized Onions and Peppers
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Need a fast and flavorful side dish? Sautéed onions and peppers are perfect with grilled meats, spicy sausage, or spooned over creamy polenta.
There’s something kind of magical that happens when you sauté onions and bell peppers. Bell peppers, normally sweet and crunchy when raw, turn soft, silky, and slightly charred in the pan, while onions go from sharp and pungent to sweet and caramelized. The combination is simple but so satisfying. This dish makes the perfect accompaniment to steak, spicy Italian sausage, a bowl of hot, creamy polenta.
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Caramelized Onions and Peppers
Need a fast and flavorful side dish? Sautéed onions and peppers are perfect with grilled meats, spicy sausage, or spooned over creamy polenta.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch strips
- 4 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into ¼-inch strips
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and the peppers are tender and slightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. If a brown coating forms on the bottom of the pan during the cooking process, add a few tablespoons of water and stir; repeat as necessary.
- Add balsamic vinegar and thyme and turn the heat down to low. Cook for a few more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 108
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 298 mg
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Excellent and easy! I’ll make this again.
I buy a 3-pepper blend, frozen, in Kroger. Can your recipe be frozen safely and used as needed? I use it to make omelets. Thanks!
Hi Paul, I’ve never frozen these, but I think it would be perfectly fine.
Having a party and would like to know how far in advance that this can be made or keep in the fridge once made? Thank you.
These would be good for 2 – 3 days if stored in the fridge. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks. I have used this recipe multiple times since I happened upon it. I often eat this with grilled lamb – either backstraps or loins, and a good Mediterranean salad that has to include olives and feta. If you can add some good homemade hummus, even better. Cheers.
Holy delicious! I put this on a chicken burger with guacamole and it was amazing.
I have been wanting to try a pepper, or capsicum as they are called here in New Zealand, recipe forever- I’m so glad I tried this one. So good!! Already planning when I can make it again. Just working my way through the whole site since every recipe Jen does is the bomb. Thanks for doing what you do!
I added garlic and poblano to this and it was gorgeous! I also drizzled with olive oil after which gave it a wonderful fresh pop.
Love it! Thank you!
Having the best year ever for my garden – lots of peppers. Love the bright colors & flavor of this dish. We enjoyed it with some grilled chicken – perfect summer meal. Just can not beat the fresh flavors of home grown!
So simple and so good.
I had this last night with Grilled Salmon. What a Treat..Just right and pleasing to the eye as well as the palett