This easy to prepare Roasted Red Pepper Salad is always a crowd pleaser. You will love the vibrant, fresh flavoured Mediterranean ingredients and the red, green and white colours reminiscent of the Italian flag. The peppers sit on a bed of rocket leaves with bocconcini, toasted pine nuts and pitted Kalamata olives. A flavoursome dressing of blended basil leaves, lemon juice, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil is drizzled over the top. There is flavour upon flavour; so delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- This is a versatile dish; serve it as antipasto or alongside our Roast Chicken or Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb. I assure you, it is always popular!
- It is made using good quality fresh ingredients, treated simply, which results in a salad which has a perfect balance of flavours and textures.
- I use red capsicums/peppers as they are the sweetest of the various coloured peppers.
- It is aesthetically pleasing and looks fantastic when set out on a serving platter.
- You can have the ingredients prepared ahead of time, ready to assemble the salad shortly before serving.
- It is naturally gluten-free and can be dairy-free by omitting the bocconcini.
Recipe Inspiration: this recipe is a combination of some of our most favourite ingredients – we can eat this on repeat!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Red capsicum/peppers – they add great colour and flavour.
- Rocket/arugula leaves – the slightly peppery leaves perfectly complement the sweet peppers.
- Bocconcini – small balls of fresh mozzarella add mellow creaminess. We have used cherry bocconcini but as the balls differ in size, use the size that you prefer.
- Kalamata olives – add a tangy, salty element to the salad.
- Pine nuts – the lightly toasted nuts have a buttery flavour, and when lightly toasted in a dry frying pan add crunch to the salad. If you have not used pine nuts for a while, check that they are still within date as they will be unpleasant if they are rancid.
- Basil leaves – great companions with peppers, and form the basis for the dressing.
- Extra virgin olive oil – this first pressed olive oil is the least processed, enabling its full flavour to be enjoyed. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed lemon adds bright flavour.
- Salt – we use sea salt flakes.
Variations:
Bocconcini – use feta cheese if you prefer.
Rocket – substitute with baby spinach or lettuce of your choice.
Pine nuts – toasted flaked almonds would be a great replacement.
How To Make a Roasted Red Pepper Salad:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Roast the peppers/capsicums:
To start with, we roast the peppers. You can also use store bought and skip this step.
2 – Toast the pine nuts:
In a dry pan, toast the pine nuts until a light golden brown. Immediately remove them from the pan so they don’t burn.
3 – Peel the peppers:
If you choose to roast your peppers – peel them once they have had a chance to cool slightly.
4 – Clean the peppers:
Remove the seeds from the peppers.
5 – Slice the peppers/capsicums:
Slice the Roasted Peppers into thin strips, or pieces of your liking.
6 – Make the basil oil dressing:
Add the basil, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a small blender or food processor. Blend until combined.
Place the rocket on a large platter, top with the peppers, sliced bocconcini, olives and pine nuts. Drizzle with the basil oil and enjoy.
Hint: the salad is best served freshly made. There are so many ways to enjoy it and I have some suggestions below.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
You can prepare the separate components ahead of time, but to keep the rocket crisp and fresh, I recommend that you assemble the salad shortly before serving.
The salad is best if served while still slightly warm or at room temperature. At fridge temperature the flavours will be dulled by the cold. If you need to refrigerate it for a time, remove about 20 minutes before serving.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two days. However, the rocket will wilt and lose its fresh colour and the pine nuts lose their crispness.
Can leftovers be frozen?
This is not suitable for freezing.
Top Tip:
For the best result, use good quality ingredients. As the peppers are the star of the show, choose them carefully. Avoid green capsicums; they are unripe peppers, and their flesh is slightly bitter as opposed to the sweetness of red. If you can only find yellow or orange, you can use these as their flavour profile is not as bitter as the green, but they are slightly less sweet than red. When selecting them, their stems should be green, they should feel heavy for their size, with smooth, shiny flesh. Avoid those with blemishes or wrinkles.
Serving Suggestions:
This Roasted Capsicum Salad is very versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways, such as:
- It is excellent served as antipasto, accompanied by crusty bread.
- Use it for a delicious bruschetta topping. Toast both sides of crusty bread on a chargrill, add some of the salad and drizzle with the basil oil. Delicious!
- Make a delicious sandwich with crusty bread – add some prosciutto or mortadella if you like.
- Enjoy at a barbecue with grilled meats.
- Add some chickpeas to the salad and enjoy as a meat-free meal.
- Enjoy as a side dish to most proteins. It works well with our easily made Baked Beef Meatballs; in fact, it is a delicious combination for a pita bread filling.
This Roasted Pepper Salad is certain to become a family favourite after you enjoy the perfect combination of flavours and textures. It is a favourite of mine and I hope it will be one of yours also.
Alex xx
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Roasted Red Pepper Salad
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 3 large red capsicums/bell peppers – roasted and cut into thin strips See Note 1
- 3 cups rocket/arugula leaves
- 150 g (5.3 oz) cherry bocconcini – thinly sliced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives – pitted and cut in half
- ⅓ cup pine nuts/pignoli
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste See Note 2
For the Basil Oil:
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves – firmly packed
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 3
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice – or to taste
- sea salt – to taste
Instructions
Roasting the Red Peppers/Capsicums:
- Follow this step if you'd like to roast your own peppers, or use store bought and skip to the salad assembly.Preheat your oven to 220 Degrees C (430 F).Line a baking tray with foil.Place the peppers/capsicums on the tray.Roast for approximately 50-60 minutes, turning the peppers every 20 minutes using tongs.
- Remove from the oven, and place in a bowl. Cover for five minutes with a towel or cling film.Uncover, and allow the peppers to cool slightly – until you're able to touch the peppers and remove the skin. Peel the skin from the peppers, and discard.Remove the stem, and discard.Slice the peppers in half, removing any remaining seeds. Slice the peppers into thin strips.
Assembling the Salad:
- In a dry pan, toast the pine nuts until a light golden brown. Remove from the pan so they don’t continue to cook and burn. Set them aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the basil, lemon juice, salt and extra virgin olive oil to a small blender or food processor. Blend until combined.
- On a large platter, place the rocket. Top with the peppers, bocconcini, olives and pine nuts. Drizzle with the basil oil and serve.
Notes
- Capsicums/bell peppers: I use my method for Roasted Capsicums, but you can also use store bought if you prefer.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Storage: the salad is best if served while still slightly warm or at room temperature. At fridge temperature the flavours will be dulled by the cold. If you need to refrigerate it for a time, remove about 20 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two days. However, the rocket will wilt and lose its fresh colour and the pine nuts lose their crispness.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Marie
I love this recipe – it’s got everything. Tang, sweetness, savouriness, creaminess from the cheese, crunch from pine nuts and the basil oil is amazing.
Alexandra Cook
Aww, I am so happy you enjoyed it, Marie!
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Alex xo