This easy pepper and caper salad makes a delicious addition to an antipasti spread: sweet and piquant and full of flavour, with just 5 ingredients.
Pepper and caper salad
In this colourful sunshine salad, peppers are slowly fried until tender and sweet, then dressed with capers and balsamic vinegar and olive oil for the most delicious antipasto.
See also
- This would pair well with an Italian rice salad
- Tartare sauce is a great way to use up the rest of the jar of capers.
- Love peppers? Try my roasted pepper and tomato soup
This pepper salad is best made the day before serving to allow the flavours to infuse. I enjoy it on homemade bruschetta made with sourdough bread – perfect for soaking up the juices.
This easy pepper salad has just 5 ingredients and really lets the flavours of the peppers shine through. Simply allow the peppers, capers, oil and balsamic to mingle so that their flavours grow together for an irresistible Mediterranean salad.
Did you know?
Peppers outstrip most fruit in terms of vitamin C, far exceeding oranges and kiwi fruit.
I make this easy, fuss free pepper salad every other week in summer. With just 5 ingredients, it is great for using up leftover peppers from the bottom of the fridge and the dressing makes itself as you cook.
It is easy to scale the recipe up for parties. Make it ahead of time for best results (I make it the night before).
Why make pepper and caper salad
- full of Mediterannean flavour
- easy to make and just 5 ingredients
- a great addition to picnics, buffets and barbecues
- a delicious way to eat your veg
Pepper and caper salad ingredients
- Peppers – I use a mix of colours. You definitely want some sweet, ripe red, yellow or orange peppers and I like some of the unripened green for a contrasting touch of astringency. You could go all red or yellow but not all green.
I used bell peppers but you could use the bull’s horn type instead or include some with a bit of heat.
- Capers – or chopped caper berries
- Olive oil – ordinary extra virgin salad oil with an olive flavour, nothing too fancy
- Balsamic vinegar – choose something thick and sweet. It doesn’t have to be the really fancy stuff!
- Garlic – I like to include a couple of cloves but if you don’t like it, you can make this pepper and caper salad without, and it will still be delicious.
How to make pepper and caper salad – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this 5 ingredient pepper salad perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Prepare the peppers. Remove the stalks, pith and seeds, and cut into strips of about a quarter inch (4 mm) thick.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
If you are feeling lazy, you can buy bags of prepared frozen peppers from the supermarket. If you do, you will need to increase the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
Step Two – Put the oil in the pan over a medium heat. Add the peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are soft and reduced in volume by about a third.
While the peppers are cooking, peel and roughly chop the garlic.
Step Three – Now add the garlic and capers to the pan. Cook for a further two minutes until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
If you use caper berries instead of capers, you will need to chop them before adding them.
Step Four – Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to bubble for a minute or so, becoming thick and syrupy. Then season with a little black pepper and salt.
Allow the pepper and caper salad to cool to room temperature before serving. I prefer to make it the night before and store in the fridge, allowing the flavours more time to combine.
Serving suggestion
Serve pepper and caper salad on bruschette or as part of an antipasti spread. This recipe will make lunch for four when served with another salad. You can even add it to a cheese toastie!
Variations
- Vary the peppers according to what you have. Add a hot pepper if you like a little heat.
- Add a spring onion or two with the garlic and capers.
- Mix in leftover antipasti from store bought jars.
- For a more substantial dish, add some cubed pecorino or feta and olives, and enjoy with fresh bread.
Storage
Fridge – Keep pepper and caper salad covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Hints and tips
- Use reasonable quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but not the really fancy stuff that you brought home from that holiday in Modena, as that would be a waste!
- If you use caper berries instead of capers, chop them.
FAQs
The best peppers are the ones you like, though I do recommend a mixture. You can use all sweet peppers if you like, but I wouldn’t recommend all green peppers, as you want a little of that ripe sweetness.
Capers are the preserved buds of the caper bush and caper berries are the immature seed pods. You can use either, though you need to cut the berries up.
You can also use preserved nasturtium buds or seeds.
No, I just drain them.
More salad recipes
- Carrot salad – the perfect French bistro classic
- Easy beet salad with labneh – a delicious Mediterranean salad
- Miso potato salad – full of flavour with no mayo
- All my salad recipes
Pepper and Caper Salad
Ingredients
- 4 peppers
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp capers
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers. Remove the stalks, pith and seeds, and cut into strips of about a quarter inch (4 mm) thick.
- Put the oil in the pan over a medium heat. Add the peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until they are soft and reduced in volume by about a third.
- While the peppers are cooking, peel and roughly chop the garlic.
- Now add the garlic and capers to the pan. Cook for a further two minutes until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to bubble for a minute or so, becoming thick and syrupy. Then season with a little black pepper and salt.
- Allow the pepper and caper salad to cool to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Storage
Keep pepper and caper salad covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.Hints and tips
- Use reasonable quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but not the really fancy stuff that you brought home from that holiday in Modena, as that would be a waste!
- If you use caper berries instead of capers, chop them.
The Caked Crusader
I love capers! I don’t use capers enough in my recipes – so thanks for this one, it looks fab
Helen
I adore capers! So so good.
Stephanie
This looks so delicious and easy to make – thanks for sharing x
Helen
So delicious and easy to make Stephanie. It gets better after a day in the fridge too.
Rhian Westbury
This looks so yummy, although i’ve never tried capers so i’m not sure what that will taste like! x
Helen
Capers are tangy, salty and sharp. Completely addictive.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I really do love simple an delicious salads like this Helen. One to try for me for sure.
Helen
So easy and perfect for those peppers which are slightly past their best too.
Camilla
Lush salad and fabulous vibrant photos Helen:-)
Helen
Thanks Camilla, I am loving taking back lit photos – they look so different!
Elizabeth
This sounds amazing! I have all the ingredients for this dish in my fridge – must give it a try today!
Helen
It is infinitely better if you leave it for a day to infuse Elizabeth.
Jeanne Horak-Druiff
Oh I do love a slow-cooked pepper – the flavours they release are quite extraordinary (and I never met a savoury dish that was not improved by capers!).
Helen
I agree Jeanne, I think anchovies would be lovely in this too!
Dan Mccoy
Pepper salads are wonderful, but I’ve never tried capers. I’ll have to give them a go!
Helen
Capers are a pantry essential for me Dan!
laura@howtocookgoodfood
I cook so many peppers I just love them, yours look such a treat and capers are a top partner here.
Helen
Slowly cooked peppers are divine, and everything is better with capers.
Ruth Scott
What else can we add to this for an extra flavour? Would feta work?
Helen
Great idea – feta would be lovely. As would anchovies.
Patricia
Can this be served hot? Or maybe with some spice?
Helen
I think it is better having been in the fridge for a good few hours, but certainly have hot, and I love the idea of adding spice.
Rachel Anderson
Quiche and a pepper salad mean summer for me. Adding the capers sounds delicious!
Helen
It would go so well with quiche! Great idea.
the caked crusader
This is the sort of thing that I’m always drawn to if it’s on a ‘starter’ menu in a restaurant. Love capers!
Helen
I always add extra capers to pizzas too!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
Mmm my mouth is watering at the thought of these two flavours/textures together. So simple but effective!
Helen
It is my new favourite thing to eat, and add to pasta too.
Solange
Somehow, I have a mountain of peppers in the fridge. Some of them are a new variety, bi-colour: yellow and red. I will give this recipe a go at the week-end, just looks so gorgeous.
Helen
Not heard of the bi-colour ones. Does each side taste different?
Charlie @ The Kitchen Shed
I love capers but they are one of those ingredients that I have enjoyed in restaurants but never know what to do with at home. This recipe looks delicious and simple (the way I like it!) so I shall definitely give it a try! Thanks :)
Helen
I adore capers. In this salad, on a pizza, with fish, with pasta.
Sarah James
Looks delicious Helen, I love capers. Pinning to try soon :-)
Helen
You and me both loving capers Sarah!
Abbe @ This is How I Cook
Peppers, capers and balsamic vinegar are three of my faves! What a perfect bite!
Helen
Simple but so delicious!