Ajvar Roasted Red Pepper Relish

Ajvar is a Serbian roasted red pepper sauce.

5 from 12 votes

Ajvar is a delicious relish made with roasted red bell peppers and eggplants. It's perfect as a topping for meat and vegetables or as a spread on fresh bread.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Basic, condiments

Cuisine: Balkan

Servings:

Author: Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

3 red bell peppers
1 eggplant globe or Italian
3 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Turn on the gas stove or outdoor grill to medium high. Place the red bell peppers over the open flame. Pierce the eggplant a few times with a fork and place it on the open flame as well.
Grill and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating frequently. The peppers' skin will be completely charred and the eggplant will be tender. Remove from the stove and transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and leave the vegetable to sweat. This will help with the peeling.
Once the vegetable are cool enough to handle, peel them and discard the red bell peppers' seeds.
Place the vegetables in the bowl of a food processor and ad the olive oil, garlic, white vinegar and salt. blend until the ingredients are mixed and the mixture is smooth.
Transfer the ajvar to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. This is an optional step but I strongly recommend it for better texture and deeper flavor.
Remove ajvar from the heat and let it come to room temperature before serving. You can serve ajvar cold or at room temperature.

Video

Notes

You can serve ajvar with grilled meat such as chicken kebab or beef shish kabob. It's also common to serve it with bread such as pita.
It is essential to simmer and cook the ajvar mixture after blending and combining all the ingredients. This step ensures the right consistency and thickness while allowing the flavors to meld together. Do not skip this step.
The type of pepper plays a crucial role in achieving the traditional flavors of an ajvar recipe. You must choose a sweet red pepper, such as bullhorn, and ensure it is fully red.

Nutrition