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Quick sauteed peppers and onions make a tasty addition to burgers and sandwiches, rice, chicken, and steak dishes, fajitas, quesadillas, and more! Learn How to Saute Peppers and Onions in less than 30 minutes using simple ingredients and a few easy steps.
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Sautéed Peppers and Onions
One of my favorite combinations to serve with all kinds of meals is sautéed peppers and onions. Sweet onions softened and browned together with bell peppers – it’s a perfect match!
Adding sauteed onions and peppers to a dish introduces so much flavor, and it’s as easy as it gets! My family loves it when I saute peppers and onions for quesadillas, sandwiches (especially Philly cheesesteaks!), burgers, or simply as a side dish for steak, chicken, or pork.
Sauteing peppers and onions is so simple, and the possibilities for what you can pair them with are endless. Let me know what you pair yours with in the comments below!
Sautéing Onions and Peppers Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Bell peppers of your choice, sliced; we used green peppers
- Medium white or yellow onions, sliced
- Garlic powder
- Kosher Salt and black pepper
I like to vary which peppers I use depending on the recipe I’m making. If I’m preparing peppers and onions for a steak sandwich or quesadillas, I tend to only use green peppers. However, for fajitas, for example, I always do a mix of peppers!
How to Sauté Peppers and Onions
- Heat a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add in olive oil and wait for the pan to heat (the oil will begin to shimmer). When the pan is hot, add peppers, onions, and garlic powder. Stir for about 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to sauté onions and peppers until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Sautéing Onions and Peppers
- Cook until nicely soft and golden brown – whatever your desired softness for the peppers and onions is. When they begin to caramelize, they are truly their most delicious.
- Let the peppers and onions cook a little bit in the pan before seasoning with salt and pepper. At this point, move everything around in the pan and taste one of the veggies to adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- You can use any variety of seasoning or fresh herbs you like! Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are my favorite simple seasoning for sauteed peppers and onions, but they are not the only option. Sometimes I like adding red pepper flakes.
- If you want to mix up flavors a bit, add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. It really brings out the flavors of the onions.
Onions and Peppers FAQs
It is generally better to saute peppers in oil rather than butter as there is a chance of butter burning more easily than oil when cooking over high heat or for a prolonged time. However, you can combine butter and oil to saute peppers. If you want to use butter for the flavor, don’t omit the oil – add about 1 Tablespoon butter to the pan along with the oil.
Sauteed peppers and onions can be frozen. Follow instructions on how to saute peppers and onions in the recipe card. Allow the sauteed peppers and onions to cool to room temperature. Divide into portions if desired, or package in one large portion in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Label with the date and freeze. When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat over low-medium heat on the stove.
How long it takes to saute peppers and onions depends on how soft you want them to be. If you want them only a little soft, it will take about 10 minutes or so over medium heat. If you want them to be extra soft and for the flavors to develop more deeply, allow them to saute for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
How to Store Peppers and Onions
Sauteed peppers and onions last about 5 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
They can also be frozen in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 4 months. Make sure to label with the freezing date.
What to Serve with Sauteed Peppers and Onions
- Steak Quesadillas
- Philly Pork Sandwich
- Hot Roast Beef Sandwich
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
- Add peppers and onions to this BBQ Chicken Pizza
Easy Vegetable Side Dishes
- Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions
- Perfect Caramelized Onions
- Pickled Onions
- Air Fryer Mushrooms
- Blistered Shishito Peppers
Try my low carb Stuffed Peppers Recipe next!
📋 Recipe
How to Saute Peppers and Onions
Equipment
- 1 Pan
- 1 Spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bell peppers your choice of color – we used green peppers
- 2 medium onions sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Heat a pan on the stove over medium-heat. Add in olive oil and wait for the pan to heat (the oil will begin to shimmer). When the pan is hot, add peppers, onions, and garlic powder. Saute for about 5 minutes.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to saute until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.Salt, Pepper
- Serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cook until nicely soft and golden brown – whatever your desired softness for the peppers and onions is. When they begin to caramelize, they are truly their most delicious.
- Let the peppers and onions cook a little bit in the pan before seasoning with salt and pepper. At this point, move everything around in the pan and taste one of the veggies to adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- You can use any variety of seasoning or fresh herbs you like! Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are my favorite simple seasoning for sauteed peppers and onions, but they are not the only option.
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