Piperade Basquaise is a rustic, hearty dish that brings the taste of the Basque country right to your kitchen! With a blend of colourful peppers, ripe tomatoes, smoky piment d’espelette and aromatic herbs, this easy-to-make, traditional recipe is delicious any time of year.
Call it a stew or a condiment, Piperade Basquaise is a comforting but light side or sauce that’s full of flavour and just a hint of spice. And while you can make it all year long, it’s at its best in late summer, when the peppers / capsicums and tomatoes are ripe, juicy and flavourful.
It’s versatile, too. Spoon it over shellfish or chicken, use it as a simmer sauce for fish, chicken and cheese, or toss it through scrambled eggs or pasta.
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Why you’ll Love this Classic Piperade Basquaise Recipe
- Easy to make. Some chopping, some herbs and spices, some stirring and some time, and you’ll soon have a pan full of piperade to enjoy.
- Versatile. It really can be used in so many different ways and added to a variety of other dishes as a condiment.
- Flavourful. The piment d’espelette adds an unexpected and rich fruity/smoky spice, making Piperade Basquaise a truly tasty dish.
- Make-ahead friendly. It’s ideal for meal prepping as it tastes even better the next day!
But what is Piperade?
Pronounced pip-er-rahd, Piperade Basquaise is a dish from the Basque region, made with peppers, onions and tomatoes, and flavoured with spicy piment d’espelette, the powdered form of a popular Basque pepper. Traditionally made with the bright green Espelette or d’Anglet peppers, the colours of the dish are said to represent the Basque flag.
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It can be difficult to get fresh Espelette or d’Anglet peppers outside of the Basque region, so capsicums (bell peppers) are often used instead. While the green capsicum would be closest to the original, I’m not fond of them, and like to use a mix of red and yellow capsicums, which meld more readily and nicely with the jammy tomato flavour in the dish.
Depending on how long the vegetables are cooked for, Piperade Basquaise can be served in a variety of ways, from a stew to a sauce to a side or even as a garnish.
Piperade Basquaise Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this spicy and saucy recipe:
- Olive oil. Use your favourite olive oil for this dish, extra virgin or not. Try to avoid using vegetable or seed oils for this dish as it does leave quite a different taste.
- Onion. Traditionally, white onions are used so that the colours of the Piperade Basquaise represent the colours of the Basque flag. I only had a red onion on hand, and you can use whatever onion you have available or prefer.
- Capsicums (bell peppers). If you can get your hands on Espelette or d’Anglet peppers to make piperade, do so! If you can’t, simply substitute with capsicums. Usually, green capsicums are used but I find a mix of red and yellow taste better when mixed with the tomatoes. The choice is up to your tastebuds.
- Tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes will make a lighter sauce, whereas using a mix of fresh and canned tomatoes will make a thicker, stew-like sauce. For this Piperade Basquaise recipe, I only used fresh tomatoes. No need to peel them!
- Garlic. Every savoury dish needs a little garlic.
- Piment d’Espelette. The unequivocal star of the dish! Powdered Espelette infuses piperade with a mild heat that’s a little fruity and a little smoky. It’s not always easy to find though, so good substitutes are Aleppo pepper or Spanish paprika.
- Herbs. Fresh thyme and bay leaves, fresh or dried, are used to compliment the Piment d’Espelette.
- Garnish. You don’t have to garnish a piperade, but I like to add a sprinkle of parsley and feta, untraditional, I’ll grant you that, but tasty when smooshed into a piece of buttered toast with a couple of eggs.
Find the exact quantities in the recipe card below.
How to Make this Piperade Basquaise Recipe
You can serve this Piperade Basquaise, hot or at room temperature, as a side, as a braise, as a stew or a garnish! Fold it into an omelette, stir it through pasta, use it as a toast topper or serve it with fish, chicken or ham.
Here’s the quick rundown on how to make the recipe:
- Cook the onion and capsicums. Cook the onions in a little bit of olive oil. Let them soften and become translucent before adding the sliced capsicums. Continue to cook the capsicum until starting to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and flavourings. Add the tomato, garlic, piment d’Espelette, thyme and bay leaves.
- Simmer. Piperade becomes saucier the longer it cooks. So depending on what consistency you’re after, simmer the piperade from as little as 10 minutes to as long as 30 minutes. For a really saucy and cooked down preparation, simmer the piperade with the lid on.
- Serve!
Love fresh and vibrant nightshade dishes? Try these recipes too:
Have you made this Piperade Basquaise yet? Be sure to leave a comment and let me know. What did you serve it with? Or take a pic and tag me over on Instagram, I love seeing what you guys are making from the blog!
Recipe
Piperade Basquaise
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely sliced into half-moon rounds
- 2 red capsicums, finely sliced into strips
- 2 yellow capsicums, finely sliced into strips
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced or crushed
- 1 tablespoon piment d’Espelette, or substitute Aleppo pepper or Spanish paprika
- 2 sprigs thyme, picked
- 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley to serve
- Feta to serve, optional and unconventional but good!
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it turns translucent and starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the capsicum strips and continue sautéing until they start to soften, around 5-7 minutes.1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 red onion, 2 red capsicums, 2 yellow capsicums
- Add the tomato, garlic, piment d’Espelette, thyme and bay leaves and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste.3 tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon piment d’Espelette, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, Salt and pepper to taste
- Reduce the heat to medium low and gently simmer the piperade until it reaches the consistency you’d like: 10 minutes for a chunkier topper or garnish, or up to 30 minutes – simmered with the lid on – for a saucier sauce or braise.
- Serve with fish, chicken, ham or cheese, or top with fresh parsley and crumbled feta (untraditional, I know!) for a toast topper or side!Fresh parsley to serve, Feta to serve
