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Fried Italian Sweet Peppers are the perfect, delicious accompaniment to so many things–Italian sausage, scrambled eggs, bruschetta, pasta, or, quite honestly, any fork headed directly to my mouth. Seriously, though, it is not summer without them. If you see them at the market, buy them, fry them, enjoy them, repeat. Their beautiful colors are just the beginning!
I grew up eating Fried Italian Sweet Peppers and have so many special memories of my mom frying a big batch of them at the stove. During the summer, you could often find a bowl of them on the table adorned with nothing more than salt and a few basil leaves, Sometimes, they were seeded and sliced before frying. But, more often than not, my mom fried them whole and we were left to deseed them or not at the table ourselves.
We also regularly enjoyed spicy Long Hot Peppers both roasted and fried!
The Garden State . . .
I was lucky to grow up in New Jersey where we had access to lots of different varieties of these peppers throughout the mid-late summer (generally, August and September). They came in all colors; some were thicker than others; some were super-hot and others were sweet, like the ones I made here. They were always just referred to as “Italian frying peppers”, “Italian sweet peppers”, or “long sweet peppers”, plain and simple. These were my favorite! Their sweetness meant you could eat as many of them as you wanted, without having to worry about burning your mouth for hours upon end. Plus, their mild flavor are a bit easier to digest than regular bell peppers!
We added them to eggs for classic Italian-American peppers and eggs, put them on our sandwiches (or made them the main ingredient in the sandwich itself), ate them with crusty bread, dipping the bread into the residual oil at the bottom of the bowl, or just simply as is by holding the pepper by its stem. Seriously–they are the best and bring back so many memories! Ask any east coast Italian American and they will know these peppers very well.
So Easy To Make!
Frying Italian sweet peppers is easy, and only requires a large, deep pan or Dutch oven, oil and salt (ideally, coarse sea salt). As the peppers used for this recipe are generally thin and long, the easiest way to handle them is to just pan-fry them whole. But, they can absolutely be stemmed, sliced and seeded before frying if you have the time and are so inclined. Choose the red, orange or yellow varieties of the peppers if possible, as they are sweeter and more flavorful than the green variety, in my humble opinion. (Typically, the green peppers will eventually turn red if allowed to ripen on the vine.)
What is Pan-Frying?
Pan-frying is a dry heat method of cooking that relies on oil or fat as the heat transfer medium. The oil creates a little steam which helps cook the immersed part of the pepper, while the exposed topside allows any steam to escape. In practice, pan-frying is cooking technique that uses more fat or oil than sautéing and less than deep-frying (in which the product is fully immersed). The food also cooks at a lower temperature than both sautéing and deep-frying. As a guideline, about 25% of the food being pan-fried is generally immersed in the oil or fat.
Ingredients
To make Fried Italian Sweet Peppers, we will be using the following ingredients:
- Sweet Peppers: Use long, thin-skinned frying peppers for this recipe. They may be called “Italian frying peppers”, “Italian sweet peppers” or “long sweet peppers”. Jimmy Nardello peppers are a popular, specific variety of sweet, Italian frying peppers.
- This pan-frying technique can also be used for common bell peppers or cubanelle peppers, if they are stemmed, seeded and sliced first. As bell peppers have a thicker skin than frying peppers, they will take longer to cook and brown.
- Oil: Use an oil with a neutral taste and a high smoke point for this pan-frying technique. I used avocado oil. Canola oil, peanut oil and vegetable oil are also good options. Of course, olive oil is always wonderful, but may cause more smoke in your kitchen than you would like. If you use olive oil, I suggest using regular olive oil and not extra-virgin.
- Coarse Sea Salt: To sprinkle over and season the final, fried product.
- Basil: As an optional, flavorful garnish mixed into the finished fried peppers.
A complete and detailed list of ingredients with amounts and instructions is included in the recipe below.
Step-By-Step, Pro-Tips included!
Here are the main steps for how to make this fried peppers recipe:
- Gather all ingredients. Be sure to rinse in cold water and completely dry the peppers before frying.
More Italian Recipes with Peppers
If you love peppers, here are a few more to try out:
- Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers–a savory filling with both a gluten- and carb-friendly option!
- Stuffed Italian Peppers–stuffing with beef, sausage, orzo pasta and mozzarella
- Roasted Long Hot Peppers–an easy technique that could be used for all types of peppers
- Spicy Hot Pepper Oil–the condiment you didn’t know you were missing!
- Add enough oil to a large pan with high sides or a Dutch oven to about ¼” depth. Heat it over medium-high heat.
- Place the whole peppers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan and let them brown before turning. Brown on multiple sides and until tender.
- PRO-TIP: Do not crowd the pan! If you put too many peppers in the pan, the temperature of the oil will decrease and not allow moisture to dissipate, causing the peppers to steam, become extra-greasy, and/or not brown properly. Make the peppers in batches, if necessary.
- Transfer the fried peppers to a platter or bowl, then sprinkle them with coarse sea salt and (optional) fresh basil leaves. That’s it!
- PRO-TIP: Ground black pepper is actually not needed in this recipe, but you can always add some freshly ground black pepper to the finished product if you would like.
If you like this recipe, check out Eggplant Milanese, Roasted Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar, Marinated Mushrooms, Italian Green Beans with Potatoes and Stuffed Zucchini.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Italian Sweet Peppers:
Italian sweet peppers are also great roasted! And, roasting is very, very easy. Just rub the whole peppers lightly with oil, then place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast at 400°F for approximately 15 minutes on each side. Both frying and roasting create a super-dreamy and delicious product. You can even follow the recipe for Long Hot Peppers exactly for these sweet peppers.
You can also add some whole garlic cloves to the sheet pan to roast alongside of the peppers and add a different flavor to the finished batch. Or, sprinkle the roasted peppers with a Pecorino-breadcrumb mixture after turning them on the sheet pan to give them a tasty crunch.
I also love to thinly slice these peppers, sauté them with chopped garlic and parsley in olive oil, then toss this mixture with pasta for a twist to a classic aglio e olio pasta. Pickled peppers are also very popular. The options are as endless as with all peppers-experiment and enjoy!
You can definitely eat these peppers raw. Although, frying them really brings out their natural sweetness and makes them even more delicious!
No. There are both sweet and hot Italian frying peppers. Long hots are an example of a hot Italian frying pepper.
Yes, pan-frying and deep-frying are different.
Pan-frying is a dry heat method of cooking that relies on oil or fat as the heat transfer medium. The oil creates a little steam which helps cook the immersed part of the pepper, while the exposed topside allows any steam to escape. In practice, pan-frying is cooking technique that uses more fat or oil than sautéing and less than deep-frying (in which the product is fully immersed). The food also cooks at a lower temperature than both sautéing and deep-frying. As a guideline, about 25% of the food being pan-fried is generally immersed in the oil or fat.
Deep frying means cooking food in oil deep enough to cover it to allow the food to float in the oil.
Recipe Variations for Fried Italian Sweet Peppers
A couple of different variations on this basic Fried Italian Sweet Peppers recipe include:
- Anchovy: Dissolve some anchovy in the frying oil prior to adding the peppers for a briny punch.
- Add Vinegar: Red or white wine vinegar makes a great addition to the finished fried peppers and results in a more salad-like dish. Balsamic vinegar would add additional sweetness.
- Add Garlic: Mix some sautéed garlic, roasted garlic or garlic confit into the final fried peppers for extra flavor! (NOTE: do not fry the garlic along with the peppers as it will surely burn. Sauté it separately, then fold it in to the finished product.)
My Favorite Ways To Eat Fried Italian Sweet Peppers
My all-time favorite way to eat these Sweet Italian Fried Peppers is by holding their stem and placing them directly into my mouth while they are still warm! Having said this, here are a few other great ways to enjoy them:
- Mixed into scrambled eggs for the popular Italian-American recipe Peppers and Eggs;
- On grilled or toasted bread with additional extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, for a quick bruschetta or crostini;
- With sautéed Italian sausage in sausage and peppers or a few fried eggplant cutlets;
- Mixed with sautéed potatoes as a side dish;
- As a condiment on almost any sandwich, or as the main ingredient in a sandwich with some in-season tomatoes, eggplant Milanese, and fresh basil;
- With pasta–just add some olive oil, lots of grated Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh basil; and
- As a side dish with a simple grilled steak, pork chop or chicken breast.
Kitchen Tools & Cookware for Fried Italian Sweet Peppers
To make this Fried Italian Sweet Peppers recipe, you will need the following:
More Great Recipes to Try
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Fried Italian Sweet Peppers
Ingredients
- Oil for frying, enough to cover bottom of pan + ¼” (See NOTE below.)
- 2 pounds whole frying peppers (See NOTE below.)
- Coarse sea salt
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients. Rinse the whole peppers in cold water and completely dry them with a paper towel before frying.
- Add enough oil to a large pan with high sides or a Dutch oven to about ¼” depth. Heat it over medium-high heat.
- Place the whole peppers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan and let them brown before turning. Brown on multiple sides and until tender. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Work in batches if necessary and do not overcrowd the pan! If you put too many peppers in the pan, the temperature of the oil will decrease and not allow moisture to dissipate, causing the peppers to steam, become extra-greasy, and/or not brown properly.
- Transfer the fried peppers to a platter or bowl, then sprinkle them with coarse sea salt and (optional) fresh basil leaves. That’s it! Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Use an oil with a neutral taste and a high smoke point for this pan-frying technique. I used avocado oil. Canola oil, peanut oil and vegetable oil are also good options. Of course, olive oil is always wonderful, but may cause more smoke in your kitchen than you would like. If you use olive oil, I suggest using regular olive oil and not extra-virgin.
- If you prefer, remove the stems and all seeds and thinly slice the peppers prior to frying. Rinse the peppers in cold water after deseeding to remove any remaining seeds. Be sure to completely dry the peppers before adding them to the hot oil.
- Do not overcrowd the pan! If you put too many peppers in the pan, the temperature of the oil will decrease and not allow moisture to dissipate, causing the peppers to steam, become extra-greasy, and/or not brown properly. Make the peppers in batches, if necessary.
- The pepper skins may crack during the frying process and this is normal. In fact, many people prefer to peel off the skin before eating.
- Leftover fried peppers should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. They will keep for about 1 week if stored properly.
recipe link
Here in NE Ohio they’re in the farm market and Italian grocers now (September.) That’s what I am having for dinner on fresh Italian bread.
mmmm great idea! I may have the same!
When is the actual season? Haven’t seen them in years.
Hi Lee, They are about to start now here in New Jersey. It’s a later in summer veggie, so, generally 2nd week in August or so through mid-late September. I usually find these peppers at the farm stands. I can find cubanelle peppers at the grocery store, which are very similar.
Gonna cook with my daughter and make some memories
Hope you enjoy the memories (and the recipe), Edward!
So delicious when in season. Thank you for this delicious recipe!