Charred Pepper Salad With Feta

Chef notes

This charred pepper salad with feta is smoky, tangy and perfect for summer. It's easy to prep, grill-friendly and bursting with flavor and herbs. I'm obsessed with this salad for so many reasons: It's simple, stunning and absolutely packed with flavor. The char from the grill gives the peppers that perfect smoky depth, and when you toss them with good olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and a little heat, it all just sings. Top it all off with creamy feta and loads of herbs, and you've got the ultimate warm-weather salad that works with everything from grilled meats to crusty bread and wine on the patio.

Tips:

Use high, direct heat — a good char is key to flavorful peppers! Most of the skin will come off when you peel/slice so not to worry if the outside becomes totally black.

Turn the peppers with a pair of tongs every 3ish minutes once the skin is charred until the entire pepper is uniformly charred.

Be patient when it comes to peeling. Once the peppers are charred, I like to put them in a plastic bag or bowl and cover with plastic wrap to let them steam. This makes the skin even easier to peel off.

Why we skip green bell peppers: Green bell peppers are more bitter and vegetal than their ripe red, yellow or orange counterparts. They don't caramelize as well on the grill, and their firmer texture can feel out of place in a dish that's all about softness, char and sweetness. They tend to overpower the more nuanced flavors in this charred pepper salad, so we leave them out.

Swap options: Get creative! We all love bell peppers on the grill, but try using padrons, shishitos, poblanos, Anaheims, etc. They are all super flavorful.