Name: Slow-Simmered Sweet Peppers with Chickpeas and Herbs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1/3 cup premium extra virgin olive oil (divided); 8 medium cloves garlic (thinly sliced); 2 medium yellow onions (about 1 lb, sliced 1/4-inch thick); 3 lbs mixed red (yellow, and orange bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips); 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 2 large sprigs fresh basil; 1 large sprig fresh oregano; 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest; Freshly ground black pepper

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This Mediterranean sweet pepper stew has a slow-simmered base that turns three pounds of bell peppers into something thick, sweet, and almost jammy. Smoked paprika, chickpeas, and fire-roasted tomatoes fill out the pot — and the whole thing only gets better overnight.

Building It Layer by Layer

Start with the garlic in a generous pour of olive oil — medium heat, constant stirring. You want fragrant and pale gold, not brown. The moment it smells nutty, add the smoked paprika and let it bloom for 30 seconds. That sets the smoky, earthy foundation the whole dish builds on.

Then add the onions and pepper strips. This is where patience matters. The peppers release a surprising amount of liquid as they cook, and if the tomatoes go in too soon, that liquid never cooks off — the stew stays thin and sharp instead of thick and sweet. Cook them for the full 15 to 20 minutes, until the Dutch oven bottom looks nearly dry and the strips have wilted to roughly half their volume. Then you’re ready.

Pulse the fire-roasted tomatoes briefly — a few seconds, still chunky. Pour them in, tuck the basil and oregano sprigs into the mix, and bring everything to a low simmer. Cover the pot and leave it alone for 45 minutes. Somewhere around the halfway mark, the sharp tomato note fades. The pot starts to smell almost caramelized — that’s the natural sugars in the peppers concentrating into the sauce.

Uncover, stir in the drained chickpeas, and cook another 10 to 15 minutes. The sauce tightens. Finish with a splash of red wine vinegar, a little lemon zest, and the remaining olive oil. Both bring the pot back into focus after the long simmer — don’t skip either.

A Few Notes Before You Serve

Pepper color: A mix of red, yellow, and orange looks vivid in the bowl. Using all red peppers gives you a sweeter, deeper final sauce — either works.
Herb sprigs: Fish them out before serving. The leaves have already dissolved into the stew; what’s left is just woody stem.
Chickpeas: Add them only for the last 10 to 15 minutes. Any longer and they start to get mealy.
To store: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container. The flavors deepen overnight.
To reheat: Warm it over low heat on the stovetop, adding a small splash of water if the sauce has tightened up in the fridge.

What to Serve Alongside It

Thick crusty bread is the obvious move — something for dragging through the sauce. For a lighter side, a quick Mediterranean salad adds crunch and brightness that plays well against the warm, saucy stew. The contrast in texture is worth it.

For more vegetables on the table, Mediterranean roasted cauliflower works well alongside — the char and slight bitterness balance out the sweetness in the peppers.

If you want protein in the mix, this stew pairs naturally with one-skillet Mediterranean chicken. Or skip the meat entirely, serve it over farro or quinoa, and you have a full vegetarian dinner.

Kristina

Kristina Hanson is an independent wellness researcher and the founder of DailyZests. She specializes in translating nutritional science into simple, delicious recipes that fit into real life. When she isn’t in the kitchen, you’ll find her hiking the trails or enjoying a slow morning coffee with her Golden Retriever, Barnaby. Read her full story.