How to Roast Jalapenos {Oven, Air Fryer, Grill, Stove}
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If you’re lucky enough to have an excess of fresh jalapenos on hand, roast them for later! Roasted jalapenos store incredibly well in the freezer and are a great way to add a smoky, spicy flavor to any dish.
Before I went to college in New Mexico in 2006, I’d never bothered roasting a pepper in my life. We just didn’t eat them! Once I was introduced to green chiles, my whole life changed. I now can’t make it through the year without at least one batch of green chile chicken stew!
Even though we live in Washington now, we still buy at least 20 pounds of green chiles to roast and peel each year to save for green chile egg casserole, soups, stews, and more.
We use the same exact technique with jalapeno peppers, too! I like to buy a bunch of them at the farmer’s market towards the end of the summer, then roast and peel them for later. When you roast the peppers, the heat mellows out and the meaty pepper flavor starts to shine. You’ll want to add them to scrambled eggs, homemade salsa, hot sauce, and a variety of other recipes!
Why do you roast jalapenos?
Roasting your jalapenos is the best way to infuse extra flavor into your recipes at no extra cost. Fresh jalapenos are delicious, but they have a bright heat that can take over. Roasting is a very simple process that not only enriches the flavor of the peppers but it also mellows out the heat. Once they’re roasted, they’re ready to be added to any recipe you’d like!
Why you’ll love these oven-roasted jalapeños
Equipment
For these roasted jalapenos, you will need:
- Food-safe disposable gloves (it’s worth it)
- Paring knife (optional)
- Cutting board (optional)
- Medium-sized bowl (or large bowl, depending on the quantity)
- Large dinner plate
- Paring knife (optional)
- Storage containers
Other tools & supplies
- Oven-roasted jalapeno peppers – half sheet pan, parchment paper or a silicone liner, tongs
- Stove method – tongs and a gas stove
- Air fryer method – your favorite air fryer and a set of tongs
- Grill method – gas or charcoal grill and tongs
Ingredients
- Fresh jalapenos – Get the firmest and freshest peppers you can find for the best results. Avoid any pepper with signs of dark spots or mold.
- Olive oil – Only for the oven method. You can also substitute with avocado oil.
How to Roast Jalapenos in the Oven: Step-By-Step Directions
Oven-roasted jalapeños are the easiest method and you’ll be able to roast a lot of spicy peppers at once.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner.
- Spread the raw jalapeños around the plan in a single layer.
- Drizzle with olive oil and roll the jalapenos to coat them in a thin layer of oil.
- Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the outer skin is blistered and beginning to separate from the flesh. Roll the tray or turn the peppers over halfway through.
- Remove the jalapenos from the oven and place them into a medium-sized bowl. Cover it with a dinner plate or aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes to steam.
- After steaming, remove the plate and remove the peel, seeds, and stems from each pepper following the instructions below.
How to Roast Jalapenos in an Air Fryer
Just want to roast a small batch? Put your air fryer to good use with this super easy method.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Spread the jalapenos in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Drizzle with a thin layer of olive oil or cooking spray.
- Roast for 12-15 minutes or until the skin darkens and begins to pull away from the flesh.
- Remove from the air fryer and place the jalapenos in a bowl. Cover with a plate and let them steam for 10-15 minutes before peeling.
How to Grill Jalapenos
This is the most traditional way to roast raw jalapenos. Get your gas grill up to a high heat, and roast. Fire-roasted jalapenos have a wonderful smoky flavor that tastes amazing in salsa or other dishes.
- Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F.
- Spread the jalapenos in a single layer.
- Close the grill and let them roast for 5-10 minutes. The skin will begin to turn black, and you will see the thin skin separating from the flesh.
- Remove from the grill and place in a medium bowl. Cover with foil or a dinner plate and let them steal before peeling.
How to Roast Jalapenos on the Stove
This method is best for roasting one pepper at a time. It only works with a gas stove, as you need an open flame. It’s perfect for adding a little kick to your recipes quickly!
- Using metal tongs, hold the jalapeno directly over the open flame of your gas stove.
- Turn and move the pepper until it is fully roasted and likely black on the outside.
- Place the pepper in a small bowl or paper bag to let it steam before peeling, deseeding, and removing the stem.
How to Peel Roasted Jalapenos
After you roast your peppers, you need to go through the steaming process to remove the skin. Although this step isn’t required, it will remove the papery skin and make your peppers more pleasant to eat.
- Place your freshly roasted peppers in a medium-sized bowl. They should still be hot.
- Cover with foil or a dinner plate.
- Let the peppers steam for 15-20 minutes.
- While wearing gloves, gently peel the skin off the roasted peppers. It should come off easily. Discard.
- Then, twist the stem off and gently slice open the roasted pepper with a paring knife or your thumb.
- Rub the seeds away with your thumb or a spoon.
- Place the peeled jalapenos in a container to either freeze whole like this or you can chop or blend them into small pieces.
In New Mexico, we often saw people steam peppers in a plastic bag. This method works, but we aren’t a big fan of using plastic, and we definitely don’t like heating plastic. The bowl method is pretty low waste and really effective.
Storing Suggestions
Fridge: Allow the oven-roasted jalapenos to cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze: After peeling and deseeding, let the roasted jalapeño peppers cool to room temperature or chill them in the fridge. Then, pack them into a freezer-safe container or bag to freeze for later. Consider spacing them out or pre-proportioning them so you won’t have to thaw a whole block later. I prefer to use a vacuum sealer, which keeps the roasted peppers fresh for well over a year.
Tips & Variations
- Please wear gloves! Whether you have sensitive skin or not, the juices from the jalapeno can cause a burning sensation and it’s very unpleasant. You will only need the gloves while you’re peeling the peppers so you just need one pair.
- Use this method to roast other types of hot peppers! We like to follow these same simple steps when we roast sweet Italian peppers or green chile each year. Red peppers are a great option for those who like a little extra heat.
- Leave in the seeds. This will make your jalapenos spicier!
How to Use Roasted Jalapenos
Once your peppers are roasted and peeled, it’s time to add a spicy kick to your dishes. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate this unique flavor:
- Try this Roasted Jalapeno Salsa with tortilla chips
- Make your own hot sauce, like this Roasted Red Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce
- Blend into a Roasted Jalapeno Cream Cheese
- Add some heat to your burgers or sandwiches, like this Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Try this Roasted Jalapeno Queso with Bagel Dippers
- Add them to my Roasted Green Tomato Salsa for extra smoky flavor
FAQs
There are several different methods. You could roast a larger batch on a hot grill, a smaller batch in the air fryer, one at a time on a gas stove, or in the oven with some oil. I prefer to roast a whole bunch in the oven on sheet pans because it’s easier to control them!
Roasting jalapenos actually reduces the heat. The cooking process releases some of the capsaicin (the chemical that makes peppers hot), resulting in a milder flavor.
You don’t have to, but it’s a good idea. The skin doesn’t break down well, so you would get tough, stringy, and slightly bitter pieces if you left it on. The skin is extremely easy to peel off once your jalapenos have steamed.
Absolutely! Just preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and add a thin coat of olive or avocado oil to the jalapenos. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until the outer skin begins to separate from the flesh. You’ll be able to see it happening. Just be sure to let the peppers steam in a large bowl covered with a plate or sheet pan before removing the skins.
Related Recipes
Need some more heat in your life? Try these jalapeno recipes for more ways to use and preserve your harvest.
- Dehydrated Jalapenos
- Jalapeño Salt
- Jalapeño Simple Syrup
- How to Freeze Jalapenos
- Sweet Pickled Jalapenos
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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How to Roast Jalapenos in the Oven
Equipment
- tons
- Mixing bowl
- dinner plate or bowl cover
- small bowl
- food-safe gloves very important!
Ingredients
- fresh jalapenos, any amount
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil, just enough to drizzle lightly over the peppers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner.
- Spread the raw jalapeños around the plan in a single layer.
- Drizzle with olive oil and roll the jalapenos to coat them in a thin layer of oil.
- Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the outer skin is blistered and beginning to separate from the flesh. Roll the tray or turn the peppers over halfway through.
- Remove the jalapenos from the oven and place them into a medium-sized bowl. Cover it with a dinner plate or aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes to steam.
- After steaming, remove the plate. While wearing gloves, peel off the skin, pop off the stem, slice open the side of the pepper, and brush out the seeds into the small bowl.
- Either use the roasted jalapenos immediately, refrigerate them for 3-4 days, or chill and freeze for approximately 1 year.
