Ajvar Recipe: How To Make Yummy Roasted Red Peppers Sauce

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: sunflower oil

Avocado oil offers healthy fats while sunflower oil is cost-effective.

red bell peppers

🥗Healthier: yellow bell peppers

💰Cheaper: canned red peppers

Canned peppers are more affordable and still flavorful.

chili peppers

🥗Healthier: jalapeños

💰Cheaper: cayenne pepper

Jalapeños provide heat with fewer calories, while cayenne is often cheaper.

Preheat the oven to 460°F or 240 °C.

Clean the red bell peppers and arrange on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet or aluminum foil.

Place the peppers in the oven and bake for about 1 hour until the skin darkens and gets wrinkly.

Check on the peppers regularly, removing the ones with charred skin while turning others around.

After baking, remove the pan with the peppers from the oven, and while still warm cover with a plastic wrap.

Leave the peppers covered overnight to make them easier to peel off the skin.

Meanwhile, pierce the eggplant with a fork and place it in the oven to bake at 460°F or 240 °C.

Peel the peppers and discard the burnt skin along with the stems and seeds.

Cut the top of the eggplant and separate it lengthwise. Spoon out the soft meat on the inside and discard the skin.

Place the peppers and what is left of the eggplant and mix together in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth consistency.

Put the mixture in a large cooking pot and simmer over medium high heat for about 1 hour.

Add the oil while stirring constantly.

After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to medium-low heat and simmer for another 30 minutes, but continue to stir.

In the last 20 minutes of cooking, add vinegar, salt and sugar and stir until everything is well combined.

Remove from heat and transfer the ajvar sauce into clean and sterilized small jars with the lids shut tight.

As you fill up the jars, leave about 0.3 inches or 1 cm on the top.

Allow ajvar to cool for at least 24 hours before placing it in the fridge.

Or, if you want to eat ajvar right away, spread this delicious treat on bread or with meat as soon as it cools down.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary