Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
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This roasted red pepper sauce is the kind of thing that makes ordinary weeknight crab cakes suddenly feel like they wandered out of a restaurant kitchen. It’s bright, smoky, a little sassy from the horseradish, and impossibly smooth thanks to a swirl of mayo. It tastes like effort… while secretly being the simplest thing you’ll make all week.
And if you’ve been looking for an excuse to finally buy a kitchen torch? My friend, consider this fate knocking on your pantry door.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It gives you permission to break out that kitchen torch or finally buy one.
- It transforms humble ingredients into a showy, restaurant-level sauce that takes 5 minutes in the blender.
- It makes seafood, sandwiches, and roasted veggies taste like they’ve been personally blessed by a chef with excellent judgment.
What You’ll Walk Away Knowing
- How to roast a red pepper in the oven (with or without a torch).
- How to build bold, layered flavor using acidity, umami, and aromatics.
- How to make a silky remoulade-style sauce that lasts all week and elevates everything it touches.
Ingredient List
Red Pepper: Brings sweetness, color, and that signature smoky char. You can also use jarred roasted red peppers.
Shallots: Softens into a gentle, sweet base that blends seamlessly.
Horseradish: A sharp, nose-tingling kick that keeps the sauce lively and cuts through the richness of the sauce.
Capers: Briny and bright.
Lemon Juice: Adds lift; white wine vinegar works beautifully too.
Fish Sauce: Umami, depth, complexity. This adds that something that makes people ask, “what’s in this?” In a good way. No fishiness, just flavor.
Mayonnaise: Homemade has the best flavor, but store-bought is absolutely fine.
Food Processor Vs Blender
I use a food processor because my blender broke and I haven’t replaced it. A blender will give you the smoothest sauce, while a food processor creates a slightly more textured spread.
Kitchen Torch
People love to say you don’t need single-use kitchen tools. They’re right—mostly. But this is my playground, and sometimes a girl just wants her toys.
A kitchen torch is fun, full stop. It gives you precision, instant char, and dramatic flair. Is it completely necessary? Absolutely not. Will it bring you disproportionate joy? 100% yes.
If you’ve been looking for a sign to grab one… consider this your sign to hit up Amazon.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Prep the Vegetables
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the minced shallots.
- Cook 5–7 minutes until softened. Cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Cut the red pepper in half, remove the seeds, and place on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet, skin side up.
- Rub with oil to encourage blistering on the skin. This is when I char the skin with the torch: gently torch the surface until it starts to bubble and blister.
Don’t use a torch on parchment paper. I took this picture before I realized that paper was indeed flammable.
Crisis averted. I moved the peppers to aluminum foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes. If you don’t have a kitchen torch, broil at the end—place the sheet 6–8 inches from the broiler and broil 2–4 minutes until blistered.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into chunks that will fit into a food processor.
Optional: Once the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off the loosened skin for an ultra-smooth, silky sauce. If a little stays on, don’t panic—those charred bits add flavor, not bitterness.
Make the Sauce
- Blend the roasted red pepper, softened shallots, capers, garlic, parsley, horseradish, lemon, Worcestershire, and fish sauce in a food processor or blender for 30 seconds.
- Add the Dijon and spices, then blend for 30 more seconds, scraping down the sides.
- Add the mayonnaise and blend for 30 seconds.
The final texture should be thick, creamy, and spoonable—similar to remoulade or chipotle mayo.
- Allow the sauce to sit in the fridge so the flavors can marry. Even 30 minutes helps; 4–24 hours is the sweet spot.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
Cool everything before blending. Warm ingredients will thin the sauce, mute the flavors, and make the mayo oily.
Blend longer than you think. A full minute creates a silky, restaurant-style texture.
Chill before judging flavor. The horseradish will mellow slightly as it sits.
Taste and adjust. This sauce is wonderfully flexible—add more lemon for brightness, more horseradish for kick, or more mayo for a creamier profile.
Make it ahead. It tastes even better after time in the fridge; 4–24 hours is the sweet spot.
Don’t fear the fish sauce. It won’t taste fishy, it’s your shortcut to depth and umami.
Store it right. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5–7 days. Do not freeze (mayo-based sauces can split).
Serving Suggestions
- Old Bay Crab Cakes
- Salmon (especially broiled)
- Shrimp or scallops
- Roasted or grilled chicken thighs
- Roasted potatoes or smashed potatoes
- Steak sandwiches
- Grilled vegetables
- Fries — all fries, any fries
Basically, if it can be dipped, dunked, drizzled, or swiped, this sauce is ready.
FAQs
Yes! Hold the pepper with tongs over the flame until blistered, then continue with the recipe.
You can in a pinch, but the flavor will be less smoky. If you do, dry them thoroughly and skip the roasting step.
Try a bit of Dijon and extra lemon for brightness. It won’t mimic the heat, but it keeps the flavor balanced.
You can swap in Greek yogurt, but the texture will be tangier and less silky.
They work together: Worcestershire brings sweetness, fish sauce brings umami. You can omit one, but the synergy is chef’s kiss.
Warm ingredients, too much lemon, or over-blending mayo can thin it. Chill it for 1 hour; it will thicken.
If you’re the kind of kitchen weirdo who happily torches a red pepper just to make a sauce taste 2% more dramatic… you belong with us.
Join my newsletter to get cozy, clever recipes and the occasional excuse to buy another fun kitchen gadget. My people are sauce-makers, flame-wielders, and curious home cooks, pull up a chair.
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
- Kitchen Torch optional
Ingredients
- 1 roasted red pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons shallots minced
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon fish sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
Prep the Vegetables
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2-3 tablespoons shallots.
- Cook 5–7 minutes until softened. Cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Cut the red pepper in half, remove the seeds, and place on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet, skin side up.
- Rub with oil to encourage blistering on the skin. This is when I char the skin with the torch: gently torch the surface until it starts to bubble and blister.
- Bake for 15 minutes. If you don’t have a kitchen torch, broil at the end—place the sheet 6–8 inches from the broiler and broil 2–4 minutes until blistered.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into chunks that will fit into a food processor.
- Optional: Once the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off the loosened skin for an ultra-smooth, silky sauce. If a little stays on, don’t panic—those charred bits add flavor, not bitterness.
Make the Sauce
- Blend 1 roasted red pepper, softened shallots, 1 teaspoon capers, 3 garlic, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon horseradish, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire, and ¼ teaspoon fish sauce in a food processor or blender for 30 seconds.
- Add the 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, then blend for 30 more seconds, scraping down the sides.
- Add ½ cup mayonnaise and blend for 30 seconds.
- The final texture should be thick, creamy, and spoonable—similar to remoulade or chipotle mayo.
- Allow the sauce to sit in the fridge so the flavors can marry. Even 30 minutes helps; 4–24 hours is the sweet spot.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Blend longer than you think. A full minute creates a silky, restaurant-style texture. Chill before judging flavor. The horseradish will mellow slightly as it sits.
Taste and adjust. This sauce is wonderfully flexible—add more lemon for brightness, more horseradish for kick, or more mayo for a creamier profile. Make it ahead. It tastes even better after time in the fridge; 4–24 hours is the sweet spot.
Don’t fear the fish sauce. It won’t taste fishy, it’s your shortcut to depth and umami.
Store it right. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5–7 days. Do not freeze (mayo-based sauces can split).
This is restaurant level deliciousness. Pair it with crab cakes and enjoy!