Bowl of just-roasted balsamic mini peppers.

Say hello to your new favorite party trick: 4-ingredient balsamic-roasted mini peppers. The beauty of this pepper recipe is that you don’t have to do any prep — no stemming, no seeding, no peeling. You simply dress, roast, and serve.

It’s kind of a miracle.

My mother, who learned this recipe from cousin Kristina, makes these often for company, and I’m telling you, you soon will be, too.

Let me sing their praises a little bit more:

The Magic of Balsamic-Roasted Mini Peppers

  1. Fewer than 5 minutes of prep.
  2. Delicious flavor: charred and sweet with the right amount of sharpness thanks to the balsamic.
  3. Versatile: They can be served as a side dish or as an hors d’oeuvre.
  4. Amenable: They can be served piping hot or at room temperature.
  5. Colorful/Appealing/Stunning.
  6. Juicy. As they collapse, they release juices that mingle with the olive oil and balsamic and unite to form an incredibly tasty sauce, which you can sop up with bread or use to dress other things — I really love serving these peppers aside these black lentils and spooning the two together as I eat.

Let me know if you make them or if YOU have any party tricks up your sleeve.

PS: Another favorite, crowd-pleasing pepper recipe: Veggie-Loaded Stuffed Bell Peppers

Here’s the play-by-play: Place peppers in a 9×13-inch pan or similar dish:

uncooked peppers in 9x13-inch pan

Dress them with olive oil, balsamic, and salt.

A pan of peppers dressed in olive oil, balsamic, and salt.

Roast until blistered and collapsed to your liking.

A 9x13-inch pan filled with just-roasted peppers.
A pan of just-roasted balsamic peppers.

Serve immediately or at room temperature.

A bowl of just-roasted peppers.

Serve as a side dish or as an hors d’oeuvre with bread and cheese.

A plate of roasted peppers, cheese, and sourdough.
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Bowl of just-roasted balsamic mini peppers.

4-Ingredient Balsamic Roasted Mini Peppers

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Description

This is a recipe my mother has been making for years, and something she often makes for company because it is always well received. She learned about it from cousin Kristina, another source of all good things.

Regarding the pan: A sheet pan is not recommended because the balsamic will reduce too quickly and burn. You want to use a pan that will fit the peppers snuggly. I find a 9×13-inch pan to be perfect for 1.5 lbs. of mini peppers, but something a little bit larger or slightly smaller will work well, too.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs. mixed baby peppers
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 450ºF convection. (If you don’t have convection, don’t worry — your peppers may just take a little bit longer.) Place peppers in a 9×13-inch pan or something similar, see notes above (a sheet pan is not recommended). Season with salt, olive  oil, and balsamic and toss to coat.
  2. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 15 to 25  minutes. Start checking at the 15 minute mark — every oven is different, and depending on the pan you are using the peppers may need more or less time. Remove the peppers when they look blistered to your liking — they shouldn’t be charred the way peppers look when you want to roast and peel them, but they should have some nice dark spots, and they should look wrinkly and slightly collapsed — they’ll collapse more once you remove them from the oven.
  3. Remove peppers from the oven and transfer them and all of their juices to a serving platter. Taste one. Sprinkle with more flaky seas salt (or other) if desired. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American