How to Saute Onions and Peppers
If you're looking for a simply delicious veggie dish, look no further than these melt-in-your-mouth Sauteed Red Peppers and Onions. Featuring yellow onions and bell peppers sautéed with pungent garlic, savory Italian seasonings, rich balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. This simple one pan recipe is the versatile side dish your dinners have been missing!
Equipment
- 1 Large, Straight-Sided Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 TBS Olive Oil (good quality brand)
- 2 whole Yellow Onions – thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 3 large Bell Peppers – stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced (SEE NOTES)
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning – homemade or store-bought
- ¼ - ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- To Taste Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic – peeled & finely diced
- 1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar (SEE NOTES)
- ¼ Cup Fresh Basil Leaves – torn or chiffonade, plus more for garnish
- Optional Garnishes: Fresh Oregano, Fresh Parsley, Grated Parmesan, Mini Mozzarella Pearls
- Serving Suggestions: Roasted Garlic Bread Italian Sausages, Reduced Balsamic
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat (SEE NOTES). Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions to the pan. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and slightly golden in color, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add Bell Peppers and Seasonings: Next, add the bell peppers, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Then, increase heat to medium-high and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened and slightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. (NOTE: The bottom of the pan should start to develop browned bits, known as Fond during cooking. You can either use a wooden spoon to stir the vegetables into the browned bits, or add a few splashes of water, wine or broth to the pan and stir it into the vegetables. The fond is what adds a rich flavor to the dish!)
- Add Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar: Add the garlic to the pan and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and add the balsamic. Stir again to combine. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the peppers and onions are very tender.
- Add Fresh Basil: Stir in the fresh basil and then taste the stir fried veggies and adjust for seasoning to suit your taste.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh herbs and cheese, if desired. Serve sauteed peppers and onions hot, warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- Onions: You can substitute red onion or sweet onion for a different color and taste.
- Peppers:
- You can substitute 6-7 sweet Italian chili peppers or 8 sweet mini peppers for the bell peppers.
- Green bell peppers have a more bitter taste, while red, yellow and orange peppers are sweeter. If you want to use green bell pepper, I recommend using less green bell pepper than the other colors. (example: 1 green & 2 red).
- Balsamic: Make sure you use a high quality balsamic vinegar for the best taste.
- If you want caramelized peppers and onions, I highly recommend using a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet for this recipe. While you absolutely can use a non-stick skillet, you won’t get develop as much fond on the bottom of the pan (the browned bits). Those browned bits give the onions and peppers a richer, more complex caramelized flavor.
- Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You'll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
- Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can!
- Recipe Yield: Approximately 5 Cups
- Recipe Serves: 4-6
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 6 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.
Nutrition
Calories: 68kcal Carbohydrates: 6g Protein: 1g Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Sodium: 6mg Potassium: 189mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 4g Vitamin A: 2651IU Vitamin C: 105mg Calcium: 16mg Iron: 1mg