Roasted Jalapenos

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Roasted Jalapeños are simple to make with a spicy, smoky flavor. They’re charred to perfection and make a delicious addition to dips, sauces and salsas!

If you haven’t tried grilling or roasting jalapeños yet, I’m here to tell you that you’re missing out!

While raw jalapeños bring a lot of heat, roasting them tames some of the heat. They still have a spicy kick, but it’s a little milder. This makes them perfect for serving as appetizers or adding to all sorts of recipes!

They would be delicious added to this homemade marinara sauce or blended into this avocado dip.

And, if you love some jalapeño heat like us, you’ll also want to try these air fryer jalapeño poppers and these jalapeño hush puppies!

Why this recipe works

1. If you find jalapeños a little too spicy for your taste buds, you’ll appreciate the slightly milder flavor of roasted jalapeños.
2. Since we’re roasting the jalapenos whole, there’s very little prep work for this recipe! You just need to remember to soak your skewers in water.
3. This is a one ingredient recipe, so it couldn’t be easier to make!
4. The grill adds incredible charred flavor, and you still get all the roasted flavor without turning on your oven.
5. They keep well in the fridge or freezer so you can make them ahead for easy additions to salsas, dips and sauces.

Ingredients

You only need 8-10 fresh jalapeños for this recipe. Plus, some wooden skewers. That’s it!

When buying jalapeños, those with bright green and smooth skin are normally younger and tend to be milder.

If you want jalapeños with more of a kick, look for ones that have white lines or wrinkles. This indicates that they're mature and likely spicier. Read this article for details on how to pick spicy jalapeños.

Step by step instructions

Soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes while your grill heats up.

Skewer both ends of the jalapeños so they can be held straight on the grill (see photos below).

Heat a grill over medium heat and cook the jalapeños for 5-10 minutes per side, until blistered and browned on the outside.

Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then place in a ziplock bag to steam so the skins peel off easily.

Remove the seeds and serve or use in cooking.

Expert tips

1. Since wooden skewers can burn on the grill, you’ll want to soak them in water for 30 minutes before using them.
2. If you don’t have skewers, you can just place the jalapeños directly on the grill and use tongs to turn them over. The skewers just make it easier to flip the jalapeños over, especially if you’re roasting a lot.
3. Roasted jalapeños will still have some heat, so make sure you wear gloves when peeling off the skin and removing the seeds.
4. If you don’t have a grill, you can broil the jalapeños in the oven. Just use a sheet pan and forget about the skewers.
5. Keep an eye on the jalapeños. You want the skin charred but you don’t want the flesh to burn.
6. The recipe calls for 8-10 jalapeños, but feel free to roast as many as you like.
7. Instead of steaming the jalapeños in a ziplock bag, you can place them in a covered bowl to steam.

Common questions

Serving options for roasted jalapeños

You can use roasted jalapeños almost any way you would use raw jalapeños. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy them:

• Use them as a topping on salads, pizza, tacos or burgers. (They would be delicious on top of these sous vide hamburgers).
• Blend them into hummus, guacamole, pasta sauces or soups.
• We really enjoy them in this green salsa, fresh tomato salsa and cranberry jalapeño dip!

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!