Name: Salata od pečenih paprika sa belim lukom
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Serbian
Ingredients: 1000 g large red bell peppers, washed and dried; 12 g garlic, finely chopped; 40 ml sunflower oil; 25 ml wine vinegar; 6 g fine salt; 10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Salata od pečenih paprika sa belim lukom

Yield 6 servings

Preparation time 25 minutes

Cooking time 25 minutes

Passive time 50 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Salata od pečenih paprika sa belim lukom — roasted red peppers with garlic dressing

Salata od pečenih paprika sa belim lukom begins with a transformation rather than a dressing. Raw red peppers are firm and grassy; roasting at 240 °C blisters the skins, softens the flesh and concentrates sweetness. Once peeled, the peppers are substantial enough to carry garlic, vinegar and oil without losing their identity. The finished salad should still feel like roasted pepper, not a chopped relish or creamy composed salad.

The most important visual cue in the oven is blistered skin. A pepper that has merely softened but stayed pale is harder to peel and lacks the slightly smoky roasted aroma the salad needs. Turning once or twice exposes several sides to the hot oven. As soon as the peppers leave the tray, covering them traps their own steam. Twenty minutes is enough to loosen the skins so they can be pulled away with a small knife and fingers.

Peeling without rinsing preserves flavour. Running water removes clinging char quickly, but it also washes away roasted juices that can be cleanly collected and returned to the dressing. Stems and seeds are removed, then the peppers can remain whole or be divided into broad strips. They should not be minced: the pleasure of the salad is the silky, fleshy piece of pepper against the sharper garlic dressing.

Garlic, salt and wine vinegar provide the sharp side of the balance; sunflower oil rounds the acidity and carries the roasted aroma. Parsley is a small fresh accent. The dressing is spooned over the peppers together with any clean roasted juices, then the dish is refrigerated for 30 minutes. That cold rest gives the thick pepper flesh time to take up the seasoning and also firms it slightly for serving.

Cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise appear in other layered or filled pepper salads, but they are intentionally absent here. This is the direct belolučene-paprika style: pepper, garlic, acid and oil. It can be made earlier in the day, but it should stay covered and chilled at 5 °C or below once the brief room-temperature preparation is finished.

Practical

ControlRoast until the skin blisters on several sides; pale, barely softened peppers are difficult to peel and lack roasted depth.
ControlDo not rinse peeled peppers under running water because it washes away useful roasted juices.
ControlUse a short chill after dressing rather than a long acidic soak, which can flatten the pepper texture.

Ingredients

1000 g large red bell peppers, washed and dried
12 g garlic, finely chopped
40 ml sunflower oil
25 ml wine vinegar
6 g fine salt
10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat and arrange the peppersHeat the oven to 240 °C for about 5 minutes and arrange the whole dry peppers in a single layer on a rimmed tray, leaving space between them.
Roast until blisteredRoast at 240 °C for 25 minutes, turning the peppers once or twice. They are ready for steaming when the skins are blistered and blackened in patches and the flesh has softened.
Steam, peel and trimTransfer the hot peppers to a covered bowl and leave them to steam for 20 minutes. Then spend about 10 minutes peeling them, removing stems and seeds, and saving only clean pepper juices. The skins should come away readily while the flesh remains substantial rather than mushy.
Dress with garlic and vinegarArrange the peeled peppers whole or in broad strips in a serving dish. Over about 10 minutes, spoon over the garlic, salt, vinegar, sunflower oil, parsley and reserved clean pepper juices. The dressing should lightly coat the peppers and the garlic and parsley should be evenly distributed.
Chill before servingCover the dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve when the peppers are thoroughly chilled and have absorbed some of the dressing; keep the salad refrigerated until service.

Practical

Serving

Spoon some garlic dressing and roasted pepper juice over each portion rather than draining the peppers dry.

Make-ahead

Roast and peel earlier the same day, refrigerate, then dress at least 30 minutes before service.

Storage

Keep covered at 5 °C or below and use within 3–4 days. Serve cold; do not reheat.

Substitutions

Replace wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar of comparable acidity only when needed. Gives a slightly fruitier finish while keeping the same acid balance

Control points

Peppers are hard to peelGuidance: Skins were not sufficiently blistered or the peppers did not steam after roasting.Adjustment: Roast until visibly blistered and give the hot peppers the full covered rest.
Salad tastes wateryGuidance: Peppers were rinsed or dressed while carrying excess plain water.Adjustment: Peel without rinsing and use only their clean roasted juices.

Nutrition

Serving sizeabout 140 g
Calories95 kcal
Carbohydrates8 g
Protein1 g
Fat7 g
Fibre3 g
Sodium400 mg

Figures are approximate and will vary with ingredient brands, trimming, absorption and exact portioning.

Allergens and food safety

No major allergen is inherent in the recipe; verify packaged vinegar if a specific sensitivity requires it. Cool and refrigerate dressed peppers at 5 °C or below if not serving promptly. Do not leave the prepared salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Result: Silky roasted peppers with a sharp garlic-vinegar dressing.

Key: Roast until the skins blister, steam before peeling, and never rinse away the roasted juices.