Simple and easy to make - this homemade Nando's Red Pepper Dip recipe, served with warm pitta bread, has to be the perfect fakeaway healthy snack!
I created this recipe because I was craving the original Nando's Red Pepper Dip, which I ate by the bucket load as a teenager. Although they offer a roasted red pepper and feta option now, this definitely is the healthier (and tastier!) alternative.
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It's a great option if you're offering a variety of dips at a party. Plus because it doesn't use any tahini, so it's nut/seed free AND dairy free.
And if you're looking for other tasty dip options, why not try my Eggplant Saksuka or authentic Greek Cucumber Tzatziki.
Foodie Nostalgia
To quote The Mirror: "Nando's fans have been told to 'stop asking' the popular restaurant chain to bring back some iconic menu items, as they've been told it'll never happen - and some are devastated".
It was me, *I* was "Nando's fans". So I'm here to resolve that devastation on behalf of myself and the rest of you out there who I KNOW stand alongside me! And I'm here to tell you that you can recreate this fan favourite at home.
It is so easy to make - especially if you're using jarred roasted red peppers (which we are).
It's ideal as a appetiser, party food or starter for your Nandos fakeaway at home.
Ingredients
Roasted Red Peppers: I used this jar of roasted red peppers. Total weight of 420g, drained weight of 320g.
Tomatoes: I use large vine tomatoes, but salad tomatoes would work as well, albeit wouldn't be as tasty. I have not tested the recipe using smaller tomatoes (cherry, plum etc.) so I couldn't confirm if the taste would be similar. I use fresh large vine tomatoes, as roasting them yourself in the oven gives additional flavour.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic: roasting fresh garlic works wonders for flavour, so I would recommend you do this. But if you're in a pinch, then you could use approx. 2 teaspoons of garlic paste.
Honey + Vinegar: I have made this recipe a few times and whether I add these or not is variable. It's sometimes dependant on the flavour of the jarred roasted red peppers, hence why tasting it before adding is my suggestion.
Salt + White Pepper
How To Make Nando's Red Pepper Dip
Pre heat oven to 180C fan/200C conventional/400F or Gas Mark 6. Chop large vine tomatoes into quarters and add to a tin foil lined baking tray.
Cut the top off the garlic bulb, place on a square of tinfoil and drizzle over a little olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Wrap the tinfoil around it and place in the centre of the baking tray within the quartered tomatoes.
Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes / Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast the tomatoes, olive oil and garlic in oven for 45 minutes / Drain excess liquid from red peppers
Add roasted tomatoes to a blender, unwrap the garlic and squeeze out individual garlic cloves from the roasted bulb and blitz up with drained red peppers.
Taste and determine if you think it matches what you remember from the authentic Nando’s dip (i.e. you like it as it is) or if you want to - add the honey and vinegar to intensify the flavour if desired.
The Perfect Red Pepper Dip Consistency
When blitzing up the mixture, don't over-blend in the food processor. If you use the 'chop' function instead of 'blend' on the Ninja 3 in 1 Food Processor it will allow you to control the chunkiness of the texture of the red pepper dip.
If you do not have a chop function, then blend in short bursts, stir and then check. This will allow you to control the texture.
The dip should be textured (i.e. little chunks) and not totally smooth if you want to emulate the original. But if you prefer it smooth, then blitz until smooth if desired.
FAQs
Yes you can - cut the peppers in half (removing the seeds) and roast with your tomatoes and garlic. Add the peppers to a bowl with lid once removed from the oven and allow them to 'steam' for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and peel the skin from the peppers before adding to blender. Steaming the peppers will enable you to remove the skin easier.
Yes - add 2 teaspoons of garlic paste to the blender when mixing it all up. The fresh, roasted garlic adds more flavour but it's not essential.
Firstly, drain all the juices into a separate bowl and add all the vegetables onto a large chopping board. Using a large vegetable knife (chopper) - start chopping the roasted tomato and garlic mixture with the roasted red peppers. Once you've reached desired consistency then add to bowl with juices, mixing to combine.
If you are following a low allium diet (i.e FODMAP diet) then remove the garlic. It will impact the flavour slightly but better than not eating it at all!
Storage + Freezing
Nando's Red Pepper Dip, once made, will store in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days.
Or it can be frozen for up to 3 months as well!
And finally ...
If you have any questions, or want to tell me what you think of my recipe, then leave a comment below!
If you like this recipe and are looking for more Fakeaway recipes, then why not try my Garlic Chilli Curry (South Indian style) or Glasgow Chicken Tikka Chasni Curry?
Nandos Red Pepper Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tomatoes
- 1 garlic whole bulb
- 30 ml olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 320 g roasted red peppers drained weight
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar optional
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 180C fan/200C conventional/400F or Gas Mark 6
- Chop large tomatoes into quarters and add to a foil lined baking tray
- Cut the top off the garlic bulb, place on a square of tinfoil and drizzle over a little olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Wrap the tinfoil around it and place in the centre of the baking tray within the quartered tomatoes.
- Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Roast the tomatoes, olive oil and garlic in oven for 45 minutes
- Drain excess liquid from jarred red peppers
- Remove from oven, add tomatoes to a blender, unwrap the garlic and squeeze out individual garlic cloves from the roasted bulb and blitz up with drained red peppers.
- Taste and determine if you think it matches what you remember from the authentic Nando’s dip (i.e. you like it as it is) or if you want to - add the honey and vinegar to intensify the flavour
Carla Gordon says
Made this recipe tonight tastes exactly the same love it thanks Lauren x
Lauren says
Buzzing 😁😁
Kay says
I was also that Nandos pepper dip fan but so happy it was discontinued too make way for this recipe!
Love love love this dip. The recipe makes a decent amount too and it freezes well.
Great for dipping your toasties in or a perfect addition to a mezze board.