Basque Piperade Recipe

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 04/12/22
Piperade bayonne

florianleroy / Moment Open / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
48 Calories
3g Fat
6g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 48
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 156mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 39mg 197%
Calcium 25mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 168mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Piperade, a spicy tomato-pepper sauce from the Basque region of France can be used as a stewing ingredient or a garnish to a finished dish. There are a number of variations when it comes to making piperade recipes and this is just one. The colors of the Basque flag—red, white, and green—are represented in piperade. This recipe has both bell peppers and Anaheim peppers and uses a small amount of granulated sugar mellow out the sharp tang of the tomatoes and peppers.

Make this recipe ahead of time in preparation for any dishes you want to make during the week, or if you're having a special gathering with guests. Get a jump start on making it by chopping and seeding the peppers, chopping the onion, and crushing and chopping the garlic. This can be done a day or so before and put in separate zip-top bags or airtight containers and placed in the refrigerator.

This piperade sauce is great with lamb, pork, or a mild fish such as tuna or cod. It can be served as an appetizer with crackers and in the Basque region, you will typically find it served with eggs.  A common variation to piperade is an addition of ham to the sauce.

Delicious, flavorful, and fairly quick to prepare, this is a sauce you want to keep in your recipe repertoire. 

While this makes one jar, you can easily scale the recipe and double or triple it. Put the sauce in decorative glass jars and give it as an edible gift during the holiday season or for special occasions. Your giftee is sure to enjoy it!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 large Spanish onion, chopped

  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

  • 2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

  3. Sauté the onion, peppers, garlic, salt, paprika, black pepper, and sugar, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through.

  4. Add the tomatoes to the cooked vegetables and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.

Tip

Prep the veggies ahead of time by chopping, crushing and deseeding, as needed. Store in the fridge in plastic bags for up to two days until ready to use to make the recipe.

How to Store

Once cooled, put the relish sauce into a glass jar with a lid and keep stored in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 10 days.

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