Oil-Free Air Fried Sweet Peppers

Air-fried sweet peppers develop a beautifully caramelized, wrinkled exterior as their natural sugars concentrate during cooking, creating an intensely sweet and slightly smoky flavor without any added oil or seasonings.

This recipe uses no spices or herbs, the peppers are air fried plain to retain their delicious and sweet flavors. The natural sugars in the peppers caramelize well and add a nice smoky flavor to any dish.

Sweet peppers—especially red, orange, and yellow varieties are exceptionally high in vitamin C, containing about 190 mg of vitamin C per portion. I used BellaFina brand medium-sized sweet peppers for this recipe, but you can use any size or variety you like.

Serves 1 | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Step 1: Prepare the Peppers

1 pound of small-to-medium sweet peppers,* left whole (or 2 large bell peppers)

1. Wash and dry peppers, leaving them whole

2. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper.

3. Place peppers in the basket, being sure not to let the peppers overlap.

4. Preheat air fryer to 390°F (200°C).

Step 2: Air Fry the Peppers & Prep for Serving

Air fry for 12–14 minutes, shaking halfway through, until slightly charred and tender.

Remove from air fryer, place on a cooling rack. Cover with parchment paper or a kitchen cloth for about 10 minutes. This will allow the peppers to steam and make it easy to peel away the pepper skin.

Pull the stem off the pepper, and squeeze out any excess fluid. Peel away the skin.

With a knife, cut the pepper in half, and scale away any excess seeds.

With kitchen shears, cut the peppers in strips or quarters.

Serving Suggestions: Enjoy warm or chilled. Ideal in wraps, salads, appetizers, etc.

CHEF NOTE: Batch cook a pound of peppers to have on hand for any quick dinner. Store the peppers in an air-tight container. Have them at the ready for any kitchen adventure.

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