How to Roast and Skin Peppers

  • 01 of 07

    Roasting Peppers Over an Open Flame

    Roasting pepper over flame.
    Carolyn Iagattuta / Getty Images

    Roasted peppers add wonderful flavor to a number of Moroccan salads and other dishes, such as:

    • Salade Mechouia
    • Roasted Pepper Salad
    • Taktouka — Cooked Tomato and Green Pepper Salad
    • Zaalouk of Roasted Peppers and Eggplant

    You can roast a pepper over an open flame such as shown here — or even directly on an electric burner — but you might prefer to use a broiler if roasting several or more peppers.

    Roasting Over a Flame

    To roast peppers over a flame, lay the peppers on the burner grate over the fire, or you can use skewers or tongs to hold them. Turn to char the skin on all sides.

    Once the pepper is blackened, rub or scrape off the charred skin, cut the pepper open and discard the seeds. The roasted pepper will be more flavorful if you don't rinse it with water.

    Continue to 2 of 7 below.
  • 02 of 07

    Broiler Method

    Half cut green pepper on tin foil.
    Christine Benlafquih

    You can roast a lot of peppers at one time using the broiler method.

    Start by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds, and place the peppers skin side up on a foil-lined baking sheet.

    Continue to 3 of 7 below.
  • 03 of 07

    Place Peppers Under the Broiler

    Green peppers in the oven
    Christine Benlafquih

    Place the peppers as close as possible to the broiler flame or heating element.

    In this picture, you can see I've raised the oven rack to its uppermost position.

    Continue to 4 of 7 below.
  • 04 of 07

    Burn and Blister the Skin

    Cooked green peppers on tin foil
    Christine Benlafquih

    Broil until the skins are dark and blistered. This will probably take 10 to 15 minutes but will vary from broiler to broiler.

    Continue to 5 of 7 below.
  • 05 of 07

    Wrap the Peppers in Foil

    Pepper wrapped in tin foil
    Christine Benlafquih

    You can immediately scrape or peel off the burned skin, but you might prefer to do this instead — while the roasted peppers are still hot, wrap aluminum foil loosely around them and allow them to sit for 10 minutes or longer; the peppers will "sweat" in the trapped steam, making the blistered skin easy to remove.

    Continue to 6 of 7 below.
  • 06 of 07

    Peel off the Skin

    Person peeling off pepper skin
    Christine Benlafquih

    After the peppers have cooled in the foil, you can remove the skin.

    Pinch a section of the blistered skin and lift upwards. Large pieces of skin will peel off.

    Continue to 7 of 7 below.
  • 07 of 07

    Roasted Peppers With the Skin Removed

    Roasted peppers ready to be eaten
    Christine Benlafquih

    Here are the roasted and skinned peppers. Now you're ready to use the peppers in a recipe.

    Try this Moroccan classic: Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad.