Caramelized Peppers & Onions
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Say goodbye to ho-hum sides. These simple caramelized peppers and onions are slightly sweet, deeply savory, and packed with flavor!
There’s something almost magical about sautéing peppers and onions. The peppers go from crisp and fresh to soft, silky, and lightly charred, while the onions mellow out and caramelize, losing their sharp bite. It’s a simple combination, but so satisfying. This dish is the perfect side for steak, spicy Italian sausage, or a bowl of warm, creamy polenta.
“This was sooo good! I have made the classic peppers and onions over the years and it was nothing special. This recipe nails it!”
What You’ll Need To Make Caramelized Onions And Peppers
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Provides a rich base for sautéing, enhancing the natural sweetness of the onions and peppers.
- Yellow Onion: Caramelizes as it cooks, adding deep, sweet, and savory flavor to the dish.
- Bell Peppers: Bring a vibrant pop of color, natural sweetness, and a tender bite.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Introduces a touch of acidity and sweetness, brightening the whole dish.
- Fresh Thyme: Adds an earthy, aromatic note that complements the sweetness of the vegetables. Dried thyme will work here as well.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high, then toss in the onions and peppers, sprinkling on the salt and pepper as you go. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let them cook, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized and the peppers are soft and slightly browned—this should take 15 to 20 minutes. If you notice a brown layer forming on the bottom of the pan, just add a splash of water and stir it in, repeating as needed. Once everything looks beautifully golden, add the balsamic vinegar and thyme.
Turn the heat down to low, give everything a good stir, and let it cook for a few more minutes. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature—either way, it’s delicious!
You May Also Like
Caramelized Peppers & Onions
Turn ordinary dinners into something special with this easy sautéed peppers and onions recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch strips
- 4 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into ¼-inch strips
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and the peppers are tender and slightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. If a brown coating forms on the bottom of the pan during the cooking process, add a few tablespoons of water and stir; repeat as necessary.
- Add balsamic vinegar and thyme and turn the heat down to low. Cook for a few more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 108
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 298 mg
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Had high hopes for the recipe but although it was okay, it didn’t excite me. Only change to the recipe was I added mushrooms. Adding chopped macadamia nuts to leftovers tomorrow.
Can I use sweet Vidalia onions instead of yellow onions? The yellow onions bring too much water to my eyes.
Sure, Mindy, that’s fine. Enjoy!
Really easy to make and tastes great
Excellent recipe, simple yet super delicious!
Thank you Chef Jen😉
I used them to make philly steaks. They tasted delicious! The aroma filled my house and poured through the neighborhood. My kids came in for dinner being proud. Mmmwwwah, Perfecto!!!
This was sooo good! I have made the classic peppers and onions over the years and it was nothing special. This recipe nails it!
Very simple recipe for inexperienced cooks! It worked great. My recommendation for anyone else looking to use this recipe is to consider using some sort of stock or broth — I used chicken broth — instead of water when it comes to lifting the brown coating on the pan. I feel like only using water is a wasted opportunity for flavor, but that’s just me!
Additionally, if you are someone who is currently pursuing a caloric deficit for weight loss, the recipe will still work with 1/2 of the recommended oil (I actually use little to none). It won’t crisp up as well nor have that subtle, delicious fat that professional cooking relies on, but I think it’s pretty great even with less oil than prescribed!
Great recipe! I added thinly sliced carrots along with the pepper and onion. We had left over cooked steak, that I thinly sliced as well and added right before adding the balsamic and thyme. Delish! My husband raved about the flavor. We served it over left over roasted potatoes.
Thanks so much for your recipe! Definitely a keeper!!
I made this this evening and I really liked it! I didn’t get the browning i was looking for on my onions and bell peppers but I think that’s on me. Anyways I loved this recipe and will make it again
These are excellent! I’ve been looking for a recipe for bell peppers for a long time – this is it!