It’s common (if time-consuming) to roast peppers in the oven, on the grill, and in a cast iron skillet. We’re so desperate to get that char-blistered skin that it’s even become normal to simply slap whole peppers on gas burners to cook over open flames. Thankfully, there’s an easier, cleaner, faster way to roast peppers: Toss them in the air fryer.
Frankly, I’m grateful I can stop blistering peppers on my gas burners—I always end up with bits of pepper skin stuck to the grate. Roasting peppers in the air fryer (I think I’ll call it air-roasting) is the simplest way to get a quick char and bring out all of their natural flavors without adding a darn thing.
To get the pepper party started, preheat your air fryer to 400°F on the “air fry” setting. Drop the peppers whole—stem, seeds and all—into the basket, no oil or seasoning necessary. You can put in as many as you can fit. Cook for five minutes, then open the air fryer and, using tongs, check on the peppers and lift and rotate each one to promote even cooking. Continue cooking, checking the peppers every two minutes and moving them around until they’re evenly cooked and charred.
For speedy pepper roasting, you’ll need one of these beauts:
I roasted a couple Anaheim chilis in my air fryer, and after a couple checkups they were sufficiently softened and charred. All told, it took about seven minutes to get evenly roasted peppers, a fraction of the time it usually takes in the oven, or even on the stove over an open flame. This roasting method works in both varieties of air fryer (door or basket models), but I think it’s a tad easier to rotate the peppers in the basket model.
Any pepper will roast well with this technique–bell peppers, hatch chilis, poblanos–just be sure to check on the peppers a couple minutes sooner if they are much smaller than a medium bell pepper, or particularly thin. Once cooked, let the peppers cool, then pull on the stem. Oftentimes the whole thing will pull right out in one piece along with the seeded rib. If it doesn’t, use a paring knife to easily cut that section out. Slice the soft, roasted peppers along with their charred skin, and use them in soups, salads, dips, and sauces.
