Grilled bell peppers on the BBQ
Short answer: Halve bell peppers, brush with olive oil and a pinch of rub. Grill for 10–12 minutes over direct heat at 200°C, cut-side down. The skin can blacken — that's where the flavour comes from.
Grilled bell peppers are one of the most underrated BBQ side dishes. The heat caramelizes the sugars, the skin provides a light smoky flavour, and the result is soft, sweet, and deeply flavourful — very different from raw or roasted bell peppers.
Ready in 15 minutes and pairs with almost any BBQ dish.
What you'll need
For 4 people:
- 4 bell peppers (mix of red, yellow, and orange for colour)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Toscana Fire rub or Memphis BBQ rub
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Optional: basil, balsamic vinegar, feta
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are sweeter than green ones — they have ripened longer. For BBQ, red bell peppers are best: they caramelize the most beautifully and have the deepest flavour. Green bell peppers are more bitter and less suitable.
Preparation
- Halve the bell peppers and remove the seeds.
- Brush the cut-side and outside with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with rub, salt, and pepper.
- Place cut-side down on the grate over direct heat at 200°C.
- Grill for 8–10 minutes without moving until the cut-side is beautifully grilled.
- Flip and grill for another 3–4 minutes on the skin-side.
- Remove from the BBQ and let rest for 5 minutes. Optional: peel off the skin for a softer texture.
After grilling, you can easily remove the skin — place the bell peppers immediately after grilling in a sealed bag or covered bowl for 5 minutes. The steam will loosen the skin. Without the skin, they are softer; with the skin, slightly smokier.
Variations
Adjust the bell peppers to your main dish:
- With spareribs or pulled pork: Memphis rub + a drizzle of honey after grilling
- With shawarma: Toscana Fire rub + feta + fresh mint
- Italian style: olive oil + garlic + basil + balsamic
- As antipasto: let cool, marinate in olive oil and garlic
More BBQ Side Dishes
The rub makes the difference
Freshly mixed to order. No fillers. Free delivery via DHL.
View all rubs Starter Pack · 3 flavours