Name: Turkish Red Pepper Paste
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 h
Total time: 12 h 30 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 3kg (6 lbs.) red bell peppers; 4 red spur chillies, more or less to taste

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Turkish red pepper paste or biber salcasi can be used in so many delicious ways.

What is Turkish red pepper paste?

Turkish red pepper paste or Biber salçası is a popular Turkish condiment made from red peppers that dried in the sun and ground to create a thick, flavourful paste. There are two main types of biber salçası:

1. Acı biber salçası: (hot pepper paste) made from hot red peppers.
2. Tatlı biber salçası: (sweet pepper paste) made from sweet red peppers.

This version is a bit of a mix of the two as you will use both red bell peppers and spicier red chillies too. You can adjust the amount of both peppers to your own personal spice preference.

Biber salçası is a staple in Turkish cuisine, used to add depth, colour, and a rich, peppery flavour to various dishes such as stews, soup and spreads. It’s often used in meze, marinades, and as a base for sauces, making it a versatile ingredient in both traditional and modern recipes.

Do you have to sun dry the paste?

No. That is the traditional way of making it. I have tried sun drying my Turkish red pepper paste but it’s a bit difficult to do so in rainy England.

You just need to dehydrate the blended peppers until they become thick like a paste. The appearance is very much like thick tomato paste. To do so, you could dehydrate the blended peppers in your oven, on your stove or in and air fryer or dehydrator. All of these options work well with little to no taste difference.

What is the fastest way to dehydrate the blended peppers into a paste?

The quickest way to do this is in a pan on your stove but you really need to watch it so that it doesn’t reduce too much and burn.

My preferred way to make Turkish red pepper paste is in a low oven. This will take about 10 to 12 hours but it’s easy and fuss free.

What does Turkish red pepper paste taste like?

The shop bought versions are quite mild and taste like concentrated red bell peppers. So it’s quite strong in flavour but not spicy.

This is what you will get in my recipe as I add very few spicy chillies. The more spicy chillies you add, the spicier it will be but spicy Turkish red pepper paste is used far less than the mild version.

How long can your store Biber salçası in the fridge?

You should be able to store your Turkish red pepper paste in the fridge for months.

This recipe only makes about 250ml (1 cup) so the following information should be good enough for most home cooks:

To store biber salçası and keep it fresh for an extended period, follow these steps:

1. Use a Clean, Dry Jar: Transfer the biber salçası into a clean, airtight glass jar. Make sure the jar is dry to prevent any mold growth.

2. Cover with Olive Oil: After filling the jar with the paste, pour a thin layer of olive oil on top. This helps seal the paste from air exposure, which can cause it to spoil. Each time you use the paste, make sure to replace the oil layer before sealing the jar again.

3. Refrigerate: Store the jar in the refrigerator. Biber salçası can last for several months when refrigerated, especially if the olive oil layer is maintained.

4. Keep it Clean: Always use a clean spoon when scooping out the paste to avoid contamination.

5. Check Regularly: If you notice any signs of mold or spoilage, discard the paste. The mold can seep into the paste even if you can’t see it.

Can you freeze Turkish red pepper paste?

Yes and you might prefer doing so for longer storage without having to check on your paste often.

I recommend freezing the paste in ice cube trays. Let the paste freeze and then transfer the frozen cubes to an air-tight freezer bag. Be sure to label and date the bag.

Doing this, you can easily bring out the amount of Turkish red pepper paste you need for a recipe as and when required. Just let the cubed paste defrost and use it in your recipes.

How can you up or downscale this Biber salçası recipe?

Yes, you can make as much or as little as you like. The Turkish red pepper paste recipe I’m sharing with you here will make about 300ml (1 1/4 cups) of pepper paste. That’s a good place to start as it keeps for so long.

Just downscale it or upscale it if you like. The red peppers are the only ingredients so you really can’t go wrong.

Step by step photographs.

Bell peppers and spur chillies ready to prepare the recipe.

Weigh out your ingredients. This recipe can easily be up or downscaled.

Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the, core, light coloured membranes and seeds.

Removing the seeds and membranes from the spicy red chillies.

Do the same with the chillies. It’s a good idea to wear gloves when doing this.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and pour the peppers in it. Let them boil in the water for 25 minutes.

Transfer the peppers to a bowl with a slotted spoon. The skins should now be easy to remove.

Letting the peppers cool under plastic wrap to make it easier to peel off the skins.

Cover the peppers with clingfilm and allow to cool. This will make peeling easier as the steam will loosen the skins.

Removing the skins from the chillies and bell peppers.

Peel off the skins of the bell peppers and chillies. You should easily get about 90% of it off. It is not important to remove it all is difficult.

Blending the peppers into a smooth but wet paste.

Blend the peppers until smooth like a creamy soup. Do not add water unless you need to to blend and then only as much as you need.

The smooth pepper sauce in two baking trays.

Pour the blended peppers into one or two baking trays.

Place in your oven, set to its lowest setting for 10 to 12 hours, stirring from time to time.

The finished paste taken out of the oven.

After 10 hours, mine was thick and ready.

Spoon it into a clean jar and cover with a little olive oil for longer storage. I was using all of mine so I put it in a bowl.

Use as required in your Turkish recipes.

If you like these Turkish bell pepper paste, you might like to try some of these other Turkish recipes!

Have you tried this recipe for Turkish chicken kebabs?

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Yield: 1 cup