This smoked bell peppers and onions recipe comes together in about an hour with just a splash of olive oil and a handful of pantry spices. They're lightly charred, perfectly tender, and packed with sweet, smoky flavor. This is the kind of easy side dish you'll end up making on repeat, because it goes with everything.
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Love cooking with sweet peppers? Then try my Smoked Stuffed Peppers, Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers, Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Peppers, and Baked Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef next!
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Smoked Bell Peppers on Pellet Grill
- Low effort, big flavor. All you need to do is slice, season, and let your pellet grill do its thing.
- Smoky and tender. Bell peppers and red onions soak up that wood-fired flavor and come out soft, sweet, and a little caramelized. You'll want to pile them on everything; just like my smoked mushrooms.
Ingredients for Smoked Bell Peppers and Onions
- Bell Peppers: Use whatever colors you like. I used red bell peppers, along with yellow and orange ones.
- Red Onions: These turn sweet and mellow in the smoker. You can also use yellow onions or white onions.
- Oil: Just enough to help the spices stick. I used olive oil, but you can also use avocado oil.
- Seasoning: I used dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
How to Smoke Bell Peppers and Onions
Prep the veggies. Wash the peppers, slice them in quarters, and remove the seeds and membranes. Then quarter the onions. If you want smaller pieces, go ahead and cut everything thinner, but they'll cook a little faster.
Season. In a large bowl, stir together the oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Add the sliced peppers and onions and toss to coat. I like to use my hands; it's quicker and gets the job done better than a spoon.
Smoke the veggies. Place the veggies in a grill basket, foil pan, or on a sheet of heavy-duty foil (whatever makes cleanup easiest for you). Place it on the smoker at 250°F and close the lid.
Let the pellet grill do the work. Smoke for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how tender you like them. I usually go closer to 45 minutes; they soften up nicely and get just enough char on the edges.
Serve and enjoy. Pull them off the smoker and garnish with fresh basil or parsley if you like. They're great warm, but also hold up really well for meal prep.
Variations
- Add more veggies: Zucchini, mushrooms, or halved cherry tomatoes work really well too. Cut whichever ones you use into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Make it hot: My husband loves it when I add sliced jalapeños, and you can even add a pinch of red pepper flakes to add some heat.
- Use different seasonings: Use taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, or Greek seasoning instead.
- Add protein: Add sliced smoked Italian sausage, smoked boneless chicken breast, or leftover smoked steak.
Smoking Bell Peppers Tips
- Cut evenly. Try to keep the vegetables close in size so everything cooks evenly and doesn't fall apart on the smoker.
- Use a grill basket or foil pan. It's the easiest way to keep your veggies from falling through the grates (especially when they soften up).
- Smoke longer for softer peppers. I like mine at about 45-50 minutes. They're still firm yet tender. If you like them more crisp, pull them sooner.
- Garnish just before serving. A little chopped basil or parsley on top really brings it all together and makes it look like you put in way more effort than you did.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can slice and season everything up to a day ahead. Just store the seasoned veggies in an airtight container in the fridge. When you're ready to cook, dump them into your grill basket or foil pan and throw them on the smoker.
After smoking, leftovers keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge. I often use them cold in wraps or bowls throughout the week.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover peppers and onions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They reheat well in a skillet or microwave, or just eat them cold; honestly, they're just as good.
Note: I don't recommend freezing them. Smoked veggies lose their texture when thawed and tend to go mushy.
Serving Suggestions
Smoked bell peppers and onions are one of those sides that quietly make everything better. Try them with:
- Smoked whole chicken, reverse-seared steak, smoked pulled pork loin, or smoked pork chops.
- Tucked into wraps, burritos, or fajitas
- On top of grain bowls, smoked baked potatoes, smoked chicken tacos, or grilled chicken tacos.
- Stirred into pasta, eggs, or a breakfast casserole.
- Layered into sandwiches or smoked burgers.
- Served alongside grilled halloumi or tofu for a meatless main.
They're also a meal-prepper's dream - make a batch and use them all week long.
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Printable Recipe
Smoked Bell Peppers and Onions
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers, quartered (any color)
- 2 medium red onions, quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- fresh basil leaves, optional ( for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F. If using a pellet grill, fill the hopper with your favorite wood pellets. I like to use either apple, cherry, pecan, or hickory for this recipe.
- Wash the bell peppers well, then slice them into quarters from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and white membranes. If the peppers are large, you can cut them into smaller pieces. Peel the red onions and cut them into quarters.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil with the dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add the sliced peppers and onions to the bowl. Toss lightly until the veggies are evenly coated on all sides. You can even use your hands to toss everything together.
- Transfer the seasoned peppers and onions to a grill basket, foil pan, or a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread them out into an even layer.
- Place the basket or pan directly onto the smoker grates and close the lid. Smoke for 30 minutes for crisp-tender peppers or up to 1 hour for softer, more caramelized veggies. I like to pull mine off at about 45-50 minutes. Don't open the lid too often to maintain consistent heat and smoke.
- Once the peppers and onions are tender and lightly charred around the edges, remove them from the smoker. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with freshly chopped basil or parsley, if using.
- Serve immediately while warm, or let them cool and use in wraps, grain bowls, sandwiches, or salads throughout the week. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Red onions are perfect for this recipe - they turn sweet and tender in the smoker- but yellow or sweet onions can be used if that's what you have.
- A grill basket works best to prevent the veggies from slipping through the grates, but a foil pan or heavy-duty aluminum foil will also get the job done.
- If your peppers finish cooking before your main dish is ready, just tent them with foil and keep them in a warm oven (around 200°F) until serving.
- For stronger smoke flavor, use mesquite or hickory. For something milder and sweeter, go with cherry, apple, or pecan wood.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheated in a skillet, microwave, or even served cold in wraps and bowls. This recipe isn't freezer-friendly - the texture of the peppers breaks down too much after thawing.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Joseph Tomko says
yes this is a good idea, thanks
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Joseph - your welcome! 😊