The Bluster and the Burrow
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
This roasted red pepper sauce is smoky, tangy, a little sassy from horseradish, and blends into a silky, restaurant-style condiment in just minutes. Perfect for crab cakes, seafood, sandwiches, and roasted vegetables, it’s the kind of sauce that instantly makes dinner feel special.
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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
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).
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).
Nutrition
Calories: 820kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 85g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 50g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 3270mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1211IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg
