By Nicola Fairbrother
Source: Olympian Kitchen
Photo Source: Unsplash,
Here’s how to use piquillo peppers to make a healthy Romesco and spicy roast cauliflower.
Piquillo Pepper – the Chef’s Secret
Ah, Piquillo peppers! These bright red, sweet, and slightly tangy peppers have been a well-kept secret of Basque chefs for years. Each pepper is hand-picked and roasted over coals, giving them a smoky and slightly caramelised taste.
I’m a great believer in that eating healthier starts with buying healthy ingredients. Not only a treat for the taste buds but a piquillo peppers are also packed with nutrients. Adding Piquillo peppers to our diets not only adds taste but also provides a bundle of health benefits.
Buying Piquillo Peppers – Lodosa
My advice is to buy piquillo peppers from brands that source their peppers directly from Lodosa, as they are far tastier, processed completely by hand, and in my opinion well worth paying the extra for. Fear not, for Piquillo peppers from Lodosa are becoming more widely available outside of Spain. Specialty food stores and online retailers are excellent sources for finding high-quality Piquillo peppers.
Four Fast Piquillo Pepper Recipes
I like to have a few jars of piquillo peppers ready to use, as they are easy to use to add to dishes like a romesco, a simple pintxo or salad, or stuffed with different fillings.
1. Piquillo Romesco – Easy and Versatile
Take your jar of smoky, delicious piquillo peppers. Combine with roasted tomatoes, nuts, garlic, sherry vinegar and olive oil. Blend and in a few minutes you have a nutritious sauce to go with roasted cauliflower, or grilled leeks, or even as a dip for crusty bread.
2. Piquillo Pinxto – Healthy Snack
Pintxos are small bite-sized snacks, that are typically enjoyed in bars throughout the Basque region. Walk through the Old Town of San Sebastian and you’ll see plates loaded full of pintxos, many are topped with bright red piquillo peppers. To create a simple Piquillo Pintxos try topping a slice of crusty bread with a layer of creamy goats, add a roasted piquillo pepper, and top with a slice of jamón ibérico.
3. Stuffed Piquillo Peppers – Flavours and Combinations
Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos or Stuffed Piquillo Peppers is a Spanish classic, and you can play with combinations. One combination that works well is to stuff one of the whole piquillo peppers with a mix of cooked onion, garlic and canned tuna. Bake in a medium oven, until warm and delicious. Alternatively stuff with morcilla, or goats cheese, or any number of fillings. Make sure you buy the whole piquillo peppers to make this dish.
4. Piquillo Pepper Salad – Just add sunshine!
Looking for an easy salad? Look no further! Combine sliced Piquillo peppers with juicy tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives. Dress it with a zesty vinaigrette made of olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. A taste of summer on your plate!
Piquillo Peppers: Health Benefits
Piquillo peppers contain almost as much vitamin C as an orange, and their beta carotene content is similar to that of carrots.
In terms of minerals, Piquillo peppers are rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure, and magnesium, which is essential for proper muscle and nerve function. They also contain a good amount of dietary fibre, aiding in digestion and promoting a healthy gut.
And a big plus – no need to hold back! They are very low in fat and calories; each piquillo pepper has 15-20 calories.
How can you introduce other fruits and vegetables from your garden into your diet? Why? How could that improve your health? How could that improve the environment?
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