Italian-Style Peppers and Onions

Recipe Ingredients

• Bell peppers: Different color peppers livens up the color of this dish, but varying them also serves a purpose. Red bell peppers are allowed to mature longer (hence the color change) and have a sweeter flavor than less-ripe green peppers. Using one of each rounds out the pepper flavor nicely.
• Onion: A given in peppers and onions. You may notice the yellow onion above magically transforms into a red onion below. I took these photos at different times and tested this recipe both ways (both good).
• Olive oil: A must to develop a tender texture and delicious flavor. Don't skimp - you'll want to ensure there's a thin layer of oil on the entire bottom of your pan before adding the peppers and onions.
• Dried spices: These include basil, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper for an Italian-style seasoning blend. A bonus of using dried spices is that their flavors get to bloom in the hot oil during the cook time. Besides the obvious - no chopping.
• Garlic: Yes, double garlic! Garlic powder is added near the beginning of the cook time while fresh garlic is added near the end to maintain its fresh flavor. Pressed/finely-minced garlic will burn if left in a hot pan for the lengthy amount of cook time this recipe calls for.
• Balsamic vinegar: A small drizzle about a minute before serving adds a deliciously contrasting pop of acidity and nice complementary flavor, as well as enhances the "jammy" nature of these softened, quasi-caramelized peppers and onions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Step 1: Slice peppers and onion into long, thin strips.

Tip: To efficiently slice a bell pepper, stand it up on its base, hold its stem, and slice down on all four sides to remove just the outer flesh. This will leave the inner stem with most, if not all, of the seeds attached for you to easily discard. Slice the pepper that remains.

2. Step 2: Heat pan to medium, then add olive oil and once heated, peppers and onions. Stir to coat, then let them cook undisturbed for 5 minutes before seasoning with dried spices.

3. Step 3: Continue to sauté, stirring often, as the peppers and onions soften and cook down to your preferred texture. This can take anywhere from 10-18 additional minutes.

4. Step 4: A couple of minutes before these Italian peppers and onions have finished cooking, make a space in the center of the pan and add the pressed garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then drizzle in balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute before serving warm.

Tips and Tricks

• Be mindful of the heat. Important when caramelizing onions and also applicable here: you don't want the heat to be too high so that whatever's cooking chars and starts to burn before softening and becoming jammy. Keep an eye on it and adjust it lower if you notice the peppers and onions getting prematurely toasty on the outside.
• Deglaze if needed. If at any point in the cook time you notice the peppers and onions beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan, pour in a small amount of water to deglaze it until things are moving again.
• Serving suggestions: Peep the photo below for my favorite way to eat these Italian peppers and onions (it's the burger).
  • As a burger topping. And not just any burger - an Italian sausage burger. Complete the meal with a nice spread of spicy Calabrian aioli and really enjoy yourself at your next BBQ.
  • Make on-the-fly sausage and peppers by preparing air fryer sausage links.
  • Scramble them into eggs. A shortcut to making a pepper and egg sandwich.
  • A generally tasty vegetable side dish, especially when sautéed for the shorter amount of time so they retain some bite.