This creamy roasted red pepper dip recipe is so quick—it comes together in 5 minutes! The flavors are based on Romesco, a Spanish sauce made with red bell peppers, paprika, and almonds. It's a long-time reader favorite because it's easy to make and has unique ingredients!
It's a question for the ages: What are you gonna make for that party? The same old stuff? Aren't you getting bored? This roasted red pepper dip recipe is here to save you, with a creamy texture and Spanish-inspired flavors.
The roasted red bell peppers have a smoky flavor that complements the paprika in the dip, and sherry vinegar lifts the flavors adding brightness. You can literally make it in five minutes. I'm not kidding. Just give it all a whiz in the food processor and you. are. done.
Working in a tapas restaurant made me fall in love with the delicious flavors of Spanish food! Pan con tomate is a great twist on the same old garlic bread, everyone loves Gazpacho, or try Piperade sauce which is also made with bell peppers!
Jump to:
Roasted red pepper dip ingredients
Using just 6 store-bought ingredients, you'll have a roasted red pepper dip that's creamy and packed with bold flavors. So quick, it's a great last-minute appetizer recipe.
- One jar of roasted red bell peppers: Store-bought shortcuts to the rescue! Just drain the liquid from the red bell peppers and pop those suckers into the food processor.
- Whole roasted almonds: You could also buy raw almonds and roast them yourself in a skillet.
- Mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, or Greek yogurt: Mascarpone cheese is sometimes called Italian cream cheese, it is lighter, and less tangy than regular cream cheese. Whipped cream cheese will also work, but you may need a bit of liquid from the jar of red peppers to loosen it up.
- Sherry vinegar: Sherry is a characteristic flavor of Spain. I love sherry vinegar for it's nutty quality. If you can't find it, you can substitute red wine vinegar.
- Smoked paprika and cayenne pepper: More Spanish flavor, the paprika is sweet, smoky, spicy. You can substitute a pinch of red pepper flakes for the cayenne.
- Kosher salt
How to make roasted red pepper dip
Step 1: Blend red peppers, almonds, vinegar, and spices
Drain the peppers and pat dry with paper towels. Add all ingredients except mascarpone to a food processor and pulse until combined. I used my Cuisinart mini food processor.
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll be added to my email list!
Check that the spices and salt are to your liking, adjust if necessary.
Step 2: Add cheese or yogurt to the red pepper dip mixture
Then add mascarpone cheese, cream cheese or yogurt and process until smooth. Transfer the roasted red pepper dip to a serving bowl and enjoy!
Of course you'll want to serve it with potato chips, crackers or pita chips. These Seedy Oat Crackers would be a great non-traditional choice.
How to serve roasted red pepper dip
Roasted red pepper dip is more than just a dip! You can use it in so many ways, so make a double batch to have on hand as a flavor booster! Here are a few ideas.
- Serve it as a spread: Roasted red pepper dip is the perfect consistency to spread on turkey burgers, sandwiches, or grilled sausages like bratwurst.
- Enjoy with roasted vegetables: Try it with roasted veggies like Roasted Cauliflower or Crispy Roasted Potatoes.
- Jazz up your protein: Zuzsh up a simple Roast Chicken by serving red bell pepper dip on the side.
Make ahead and storage instructions
- Make ahead: You can make roasted red pepper dip up to two days ahead.
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Because it contains mascarpone cheese, roasted red bell pepper dip doesn't freeze well. The creamy texture will change.
More dip recipes
- I can eat Mango Avocado Salsa all summer long.
- Pimento Cheese Dip was a staple of my childhood and gives me all the nostalgia.
- Try this Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Dip for another great veggie option.
- These Spicy Black Beans with Cheddar and Chipotle are definitely dip, and also possibly dinner.
- Dill Pickle Dip is tangy, creamy, and bright, and you can make it in about 5 minutes!
This roasted red bell pepper dip recipe has some fun and flavorful twists!
- This dip is so easy to make. No fussy prep. Just dump everything into a food processor and zip it.
- It's quick: ready in 5 minutes. I'm not kidding!
- Inspired by Spanish romesco sauce, it's made with almonds, paprika, and sherry vinegar. (This is the fun, flavorful twist part!)
- Mascarpone cheese adds creaminess, or substitute whipped cream cheese or Greek yogurt.
- Not just for dipping! Great with roasted veggies or as a spread for burgers, sandwiches, or brats.
If you enjoy this recipe, please leave me a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card! It really helps others find my content and helps my business grow! Sign up for my newsletter for recipes delivered to your inbox and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest! Thank you!
Recipe
Roasted Red Pepper Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 jar roasted red bell peppers about 12 oz., drained
- ½ cup whole almonds roasted but unsalted
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese or whipped cream cheese or Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except mascarpone cheese to a food processor - a mini one works great. Pulse to combine ingredients. Adjust salt and spices to taste.
- Add mascarpone and process until smooth. Serve with veggies and crackers.
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll be added to my email list!
Notes
- If you can't find sherry vinegar you can substitute red wine vinegar.
- If using whipped cream cheese, reserve some liquid from the jar of bell peppers in case you need to loosen it up.
- You can easily make this in a mini-food processor. I have a Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus 4-cup food processor that I use to make this dip, as well as salad dressings, pesto, so many things. It's very handy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Catherine says
Absolutely delicious! Did not have smoked paprika so used regular Hungarian paprika and a dab of ground chipolte pepper for the smoky flavor and also used 5 oz of mascarpone instead of 8 to keep the fat content down and it turned out great!
Debra says
Hi Catherine!
I'm so glad you liked the recipe. Those spice substitutions sound delicious!
Thanks for reading and trying my recipes,
Debra