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Home » Recipe Index » Side Dishes

Sautéed Peppers and Onions

Published: Jun 10, 2025 · Updated: Jun 10, 2025 Author: Alexandra Cook

For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

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Pinterest image of photo of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photos of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photos of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photos of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photo of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photo of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photos of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photo of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photos of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
Pinterest image of photos of Sautéed Peppers and Onions.

My Sautéed Peppers and Onions are the side dish that will become your go-to when time is short. Sautéing is one of my favourite methods of cooking vegetables. It is quick, easy and produces vegetables that maintain their colour and flavour, whilst becoming lightly caramelised and the perfect degree of tender. Peppers and onions are perfect for this cooking method as they highlight their natural sweetness and flavour.

Sautéed Peppers and Onions in a large ceramic dish with a wooden spoon, and some basil leaves and chilli around the edge.

Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
  • Ingredients and Substitutions:
  • Variations:
  • How To Make Sautéed Peppers and Onions:
  • Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
  • Top Tip:
  • Serving Suggestions:
  • More Delicious Recipes For You To Try:
  • Sautéed Peppers and Onions

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • This is an easy recipe, made from simple ingredients that are readily available.
  • You can have the dish on the table in 30 minutes.
  • It is a versatile recipe; apart from enjoying it as a side dish, you can use it as an appetiser or a condiment on a burger; there are many options, and we have more ideas further down.
  • You can customise the recipe; add herbs or spice to suit your taste. 
  • It is a simple, healthy way to prepare vegetables. You will discover that you can use it for most vegetables.
  • The recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, making it suitable for many people with specific dietary requirements.

Recipe Inspiration: sautéing is a versatile cooking technique. It is a method of cooking food in a small amount of fat over moderately high heat and is suitable for vegetables, meats and seafood. Like our recipe for Sautéed Carrots with Gremolata, it is ideal for a quickly and easily prepared side dish, with the flavours of the vegetables heightened by the slight caramelisation from the high heat.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Ingredients in this recipe on a white marble background.
  • Red bell peppers/capsicums – I use red peppers as they are beautiful and sweet. You could also use some yellow peppers for a great colour contrast.
  • Brown/yellow onions – these are the onions most often used in cooking, but you can use white or red onions if you prefer.
  • Extra virgin olive oil – for the best flavour, use the best olive oil that you have.
  • Garlic – my preference is to use fresh garlic cloves. Their flavour is superior to prepared garlic. 
  • Balsamic vinegar – richly flavoured and the perfect complement to the sweet peppers and onions.
  • Chilli flakes, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – for seasoning the dish.
  • Fresh basil – for garnishing the dish.

Variations:

Herbs – dried oregano, fresh rosemary or parsley can also be used.

Balsamic vinegar – the dish can also be finished with a drizzle of Balsamic Glaze.

How To Make Sautéed Peppers and Onions:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Steps 1-2 of preparing this recipe: the onions and peppers in a large pan and the cooked down mixture.

1 – Add the peppers and onions to your pan:
Heat a large frying pan with olive oil over medium high heat. Add the peppers and onions.

2 – Sauté until cooked through:
Sauté the peppers and onions until they are almost cooked through, before finishing with the garlic and balsamic vinegar. Season and serve!

Hint: keep an eye on the heat to ensure the peppers and onions don’t burn. Lower the heat if necessary, throughout the cooking process.

Sautéed Peppers and Onions in a large ceramic dish with a wooden spoon lifting up a serving.

Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:

How long will the Sautéed Peppers and Onions last?

They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

What is the best way to reheat the peppers?

They are delicious served at room temperature, or can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.

Top Tip:

When a dish is as quickly prepared as this one, it is important that you have all your ingredients prepared before you begin to cook.

For more inspiration, view our collection of The Best Side Dishes.

A small white plate with a slice of bread, topped with cream cheese and some Sautéed Peppers and Onions and basil leaves.

Serving Suggestions:

When you need a fast, flavour-filled side dish, my Sautéed Peppers and Onions is the answer. It is a delicious combination of ingredients. But don’t restrict it to being a side dish. It can be enjoyed:

  • As part of an antipasto platter.
  • With my Whipped Ricotta as a delicious appetiser.
  • As a topping for Crostini along with some fresh creamy goat cheese.

Please let me know if you give this delicious recipe a try!

Alex xx

More Delicious Recipes For You To Try:

  • Oval white platter with grilled zucchini, garnished with slivered almonds, with a silver serving spoon on edge of the plate.
    Grilled Zucchini with Yoghurt Sauce
  • A serving of Tuscan Stewed Beans in a round black bowl, with a piece of grilled bread sitting on the beans.
    Tuscan Stewed Beans (Fagioli all’Uccelletto)
  • Sheetpan with six roasted Smashed Potatoes, garnished with rosemary, grated Parmesan and lemon zest.
    Crispy Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Lemon
  • Oval platter with Roasted Capsicum (Red Pepper) Salad, with some serving utensils on the side.
    Roasted Red Pepper Salad

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Sautéed Peppers and Onions in a large ceramic dish with a wooden spoon, and some basil leaves and chilli around the edge.

Sautéed Peppers and Onions

My Sautéed Peppers and Onions are quick, easy and produces vegetables that maintain their colour and flavour, whilst becoming lightly caramelised and the perfect degree of tender. Peppers and onions are perfect for this cooking method as they highlight their natural sweetness and flavour.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Review
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 105kcal
Author: Alexandra Cook – It’s Not Complicated Recipes

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

  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
  • 2 large red bell peppers/capsicums – prepared weight after trimming, about 500 g (1.1 lb)
  • 1 large brown/yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes – or to taste
  • 2 tablespoon fresh basil leaves – finely chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste

Instructions

  • Cut the bell peppers/capsicums in half and remove the stem, core, seeds and any white membrane.
    Slice the peppers into 1.5 cm (1 inch) strips.
    Cut the onion in half and peel, and slice into 1.5 cm (1 inch) pieces.
  • In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
    Add the bell peppers/capsicums and onions, and sauté for 10-12 minutes, moving the vegetables regularly so they cook evenly.
    Season with a little salt, pepper and chilli.
  • When they're almost cooked through, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, being careful to not let it burn.
  • Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and mix through. Cook for an additional 1 minute before turning off the heat.
    Check that the seasoning is to your liking, adjusting as needed.
  • Transfer the vegetables to a bowl or platter and garnish with the fresh basil.

Notes

  1. Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
  2. Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
  3. Storage: keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. 
  4. Reheating: leftovers are delicious enjoyed at room temperature, or can also be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Made this recipe? We’d be so grateful if you could leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the page!

Nutrition Estimate:

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
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.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sally Lockrey

    June 14, 2025 at 3:42 pm

    5 stars
    This is a wonderful dish. I used it to top chicken thigh fillets. Just one per person & top with this. Incredibly tasty.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Cook

      June 14, 2025 at 4:03 pm

      Thank you so much, Sally!
      So delicious with chicken – great idea!
      Alex xo

      Reply

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