Sautéed Peppers and Onions (With or Without Oil)
We do A Lot of veggies in our home, and sautéed peppers and onions are regular addition to many of our meals. What a tasty go-to for adding a really quick and easy punch of flavor and nutrients to a great meal.
And they’re also great as a make-ahead and then serve later as part of busy weeknight meals.
Want a Few Suggestions?
We almost always make these to top our beef tacos, but sautéed peppers and onions also go great in power bowls, on top of grilled chicken with sliced avocados, and hamburger stacks.
Okay! I’m stopping there.
You’ll probably mostly see green bell peppers at your local grocery store, but watch for red and yellow too. There is a slightly different flavor (sweeter), but sautéed peppers and onions are delicious using any of them or a combo if you ask me!
I personally tend to prefer the white onions for this recipe, but yellow are great too. Using Vidalia will usually give you a slightly sweeter taste.
Add flavor and nutrients with these easy sauteed peppers and onions.
- 1 Onion (Peeled, ends chopped off, sliced or diced to your preference)
- 1-2 Red, yellow, and/or green peppers (Stem, seeds and white insides removed; sliced or diced to your preference)
- 2 cloves Garlic (Skinned and minced)
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil (Refined or expeller-pressed)
- Salt & Pepper (To taste)
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Broth or water
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Melt and spread oil in the skillet over medium heat.
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Add sliced or diced onion, and saute on medium heat.
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Add sliced or diced peppers next and stir., garlic, salt, and pepper and cook to the texture you prefer.
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Add remaining ingredients and saute until you reach your preferred consistency. Remove from heat and serve.
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Heat the skillet while preparing onion. Add the onion to the heated skillet and saute on medium heat, stirring periodically.
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Prepare the peppers and add to onions and stir.
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Add vegetable broth (or water) and stir to pick up the carmelization off the skillet.
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Add remaining ingredients and saute until you reach your preferred consistency.
- If using garlic powder instead of garlic cloves, add roughly 1/2 tablespoon.
- You can replace the coconut oil with extra virgin olive oil if preferred for a slightly different flavor, but be sure to keep on low to medium heat only.
Nutritional Benefits
Aside from the beautiful smell that fills the kitchen as you prepare this delicious dish, there are a few health benefits to enjoy too.
Even though bell peppers are a pepper, they actually contain no capsaicin, so don’t worry about these being spicy. They come in a variety of colors, as well as varying balances of vitamins and minerals…particularly vitamin A and C. Reported to support heart and vision health while strengthening immunity.
Onions are reported to support heart, circulation, and cell health while fighting cancer, inflammation, and even diabetes, so peel off only the absolute outer skin to access as much of this beneficial ingredient as possible.
Garlic is also a great health-benefiting ingredient. Helping to also support heart health while also fighting cancer, inflammation, and diabetes, garlic also helps as an antimicrobial and antibacterial.
With or Without Oil
Something we’ve noticed as we’ve shifted our meals to include more and more nutritious fruits and vegetables is the flavor. Additionally after recently watching the movie, Forks Over Knives and learning about Dr. Caldwell Esselstyns’ research linking oil to atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), my husband and I decided to experiment.
Wow did flavors come alive!
We are surrounded by family with heart disease and want to do whatever we can to avoid those struggles and expenses if possible.
Whatever you decide to do, I wanted to make sure you have an easy go-to resource with both cooking options available.
Interested in Trying Your Own Sautéed Peppers and Onions?
There are so many possibilities with this recipe, I hope you decide to try it out. It’s such an easy and quick way to add color and flavor, and bump up the nutrients on any meal…and such a quick addition to those weeknight dinners too!
For ideas to get you started check out my other posts:
We’ve even sliced up and dropped in some Thai red chili peppers near the end of the sauté to add some spicy heat to our power bowls and grilled chicken…so far.
Summing it up
Sautéed peppers and onions are a yummy addition to most meals whether as a stand alone side or a topper (like grilled chicken paired with avocado slices) without much fuss. They really add a mildly sweet and savory-ish punch of flavor.
I know we regularly enjoy sautéed peppers and onions in our power bowls, tacos, hamburger stacks, and more. So many nutrients coming from this colorful collection, it’s definitely worth adding to your next meal.
