This is a simple roasted pepper and anchovy salad built on four bell peppers, a tin of good anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. It takes just over an hour start to finish, most of that hands-off oven time. The honest reason to make it: it gets better as it sits, so you can put it together hours before you need it and walk away.
Substitutions that actually work
- Sherry vinegar: Red wine vinegar is the listed backup and it works fine. Avoid balsamic — it’s too sweet and muddies the flavor.
- Anchovies: The recipe suggests capers or grilled artichoke hearts for a vegetarian version. Both work, but capers are the better call — they bring the same salty punch without adding bulk.
- Arbequina olive oil: Any good Spanish or Italian extra virgin olive oil does the job. Don’t use a light or blended oil — the dressing is simple enough that the oil’s flavor actually shows up.
- Yellow bell pepper: Listed as optional, and it genuinely is. Three red peppers alone give you plenty of volume and sweetness.
Why this recipe works
Two things matter here. First, steaming the peppers right after they come out of the oven — covering the bowl tightly while they’re still hot — loosens the charred skin so it slips off cleanly instead of tearing the flesh apart. Skip that step and you’ll spend twice as long peeling and lose half the pepper. Second, the resting time at the end isn’t optional. The sliced peppers absorb the vinaigrette and the oil from the anchovy fillets as they sit, which means the flavor in the finished dish is noticeably deeper than it is right after assembly. Ten minutes is the minimum; thirty is better.
Mistakes to avoid
- Peeling the peppers while they’re still hot: Wait until they’re cool enough to handle comfortably. Rushing this tears the flesh and burns your fingers.
- Rinsing the peppers after peeling: It’s tempting to rinse off stray bits of skin under the tap, but that washes away the concentrated juices that collect on the pepper. Wipe with a paper towel instead.
- Using anchovy paste instead of fillets: Paste dissolves into the dressing and disappears. Whole fillets stay visible, give you textural contrast, and let people adjust how much anchovy they get in each bite.
- Dressing the salad cold: If you’ve refrigerated the assembled salad, pull it out at least 20 minutes before serving. Cold mutes the olive oil and flattens the flavor — this dish is meant to be eaten at room temperature.
- Over-salting before tasting: The anchovies are already salty. Taste the finished salad before adding any extra salt — you may not need it at all.
Keeping and reheating
This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container — skip the garnish until you’re ready to serve, not worth the extra dish. The flavor actually improves on day two as the peppers continue to absorb the dressing. Do not freeze it; the pepper texture turns watery and soft after thawing. There’s no reheating needed or recommended — just bring it to room temperature before serving, which takes about 20 minutes on the counter.
Catalan Roasted Pepper and Anchovy Salad
Equipment
- Oven
- Tongs
- Glass bowl
- Sharp Knife
- Serving platter
Ingredients
- 3 medium red bell peppers fresh, firm, and ripe
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper optional, for color contrast
- 10 pieces anchovy fillets high-quality, packed in olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil preferably Spanish Arbequina variety
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar if unavailable
- ½ tsp fine sea salt adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley fresh for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the red and yellow bell peppers on a baking tray and roast them whole for about 35–40 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and beginning to blacken.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and immediately transfer them to a glass bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let them steam for 10–15 minutes. This loosens the skins for easy peeling.
- Once cooled, gently peel off the skins, remove the stems and seeds, and slice the roasted peppers into 1/2-inch wide strips. Arrange them neatly on a serving platter.
- Lay the anchovy fillets evenly over the peppers. Scatter the sliced garlic over the top.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, sea salt, and black pepper to create a vinaigrette. Drizzle it over the peppers and anchovies evenly.
- Finish with a generous sprinkle of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving at room temperature.
Notes
- For a vegetarian alternative, omit anchovies and replace with capers or grilled artichoke hearts.
- Use a grill or gas flame to char peppers for even smokier flavor if preferred.
- To intensify garlic flavor while taming raw sharpness, briefly warm garlic slices in olive oil before drizzling.
- Try adding halved cherry tomatoes or olives for variation.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make this the day before?
Yes, and it’s actually one of the best reasons to try this recipe. Assemble everything through the dressing step, cover, and refrigerate overnight — just hold the parsley garnish until serving.
Do I have to peel the peppers?
Yes. The charred skin is bitter and the texture is unpleasant in the finished dish. Steaming them right after roasting makes peeling quick and easy.
My family doesn’t like anchovies — can I leave them out?
You can, but the salad will taste noticeably flatter without them. Capers are the closest swap for that salty, briny hit — start with about two tablespoons.
How do I know when the peppers are done roasting?
The skins should be blistered and blackened in patches, not just softened. If they look pale or only lightly browned after 35 minutes, give them another 5 and check again.
Can I char the peppers on the stovetop instead of the oven?
Yes — directly over a gas flame or under the broiler works well and gives you more char. The trade-off is that you need to stay close and turn them frequently, whereas the oven is mostly hands-off.
What to cook next
- Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella
- Gourmet Avocado Toast with Mediterranean Flair
- Rustic Sourdough Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt
- Pistachio Baklava
