Pepper and carrot purée might be the best side dish you haven't made yet: red bell peppers roasted until blackened, blended with soft-boiled carrots, butter, balsamic vinegar, and sweet paprika into a silky, vibrant purée. The roasted pepper's smokiness lifts the sweet carrots into something genuinely special. Serve it with braised short ribs or a good filet and watch it disappear first.
SERVES 4
My husband thinks this is the best side dish that I have ever made and I think I agree! Serve with my Sun-Dried-Tomato-and-Fennel-Braised Short Ribs or my Panfried Filet with Shallot Sauce.
INGREDIENTS
2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 ½ lbs/680 g carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp/30 ml balsamic vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup/60 g butter
½ tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp/5 g cilantro
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Place peppers on a baking sheet, cut-side down. Bake for 45 minutes or until peppers are blackened. Remove the skins. While the peppers are baking, place carrots in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil until carrots are soft, about 30–45 minutes. Drain carrots. Using an immersion blender purée the peppers, carrots, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, butter, paprika and cilantro.
Pro Tips
- Roast the peppers until the skins are genuinely blackened — that char is the smoky backbone of the purée and pale peppers make a flat dish.
- Boil the carrots until completely soft (30 to 45 minutes); any firmness left will leave the purée grainy no matter how long you blend.
- The balsamic vinegar is essential — its acidity cuts the carrots' sweetness and keeps the purée from tasting baby-food sweet.
- Blend with an immersion blender directly in the pot for the silkiest, most even texture with minimal cleanup.
- Sweet paprika, not hot, is the right choice — it deepens the color and rounds out the roasted pepper flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this purée ahead?
Yes — it keeps four days refrigerated and reheats beautifully with a splash of broth. The flavors actually deepen overnight.
Can I use jarred roasted peppers?
In a pinch, yes — use two jars' worth and drain them well. Home-roasted peppers have a smokiness the jarred ones can't quite match.
What can I use instead of butter?
Ghee keeps it paleo and adds the same rich finish. Olive oil works too, though the purée will taste lighter and less luxurious.
What should I serve this with?
Sun-dried-tomato-and-fennel-braised short ribs or panfried filet with shallot sauce — this purée loves rich, savory mains with a sauce.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
- Place peppers on a baking sheet, cut-side down.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until peppers are blackened.
- Remove the skins.
- While the peppers are baking, place carrots in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Boil until carrots are soft, about 30–45 minutes.
- Drain carrots.
- Using an immersion blender purée the peppers, carrots, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, butter, paprika and cilantro.
