31/08/2026
ROMANO PEPPERS
Long, glossy and beautifully sweet, Romano peppers, also known as sweet pointed peppers are a late-summer favourite with chefs. Their elongated shape, thin skin and juicy, crisp flesh make them fantastic for roasting, grilling, stuffing or simply eating raw. As they ripen from green through to red, yellow and orange, their flavour becomes sweeter and more aromatic. Unlike hot chillies, sweet peppers contain little to no capsaicin, so there’s none of the fiery heat.
Fun Facts
Same Family: Romano peppers belong to the Capsicum annuum species, the same species that includes many chillies and sweet peppers.
Sweeter as They Ripen: Green peppers are immature fruits; as they mature and change colour, they generally become sweeter.
No Fire Required: Sweet pepper varieties lack the capsaicin that gives chillies their heat.
More Than Red: Romano-style peppers can be found in beautiful shades of green, yellow, orange and red.
Summer Crop: UK-grown sweet peppers are primarily a summer and early-autumn crop, with many cultivars harvested from July into October.
Chef’s Favourite: Their long shape and thin, tender skin make them particularly good for roasting whole, grilling over a flame or stuffing.
ROASTED ROMANO PEPPERS WITH FETA, GARLIC & HERBS
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients
4 Romano peppers
100g feta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Fresh oregano or thyme
½ lemon
Cracked black pepper
Toasted almonds or pine nuts, optional
Instructions
Prep: Halve the Romano peppers lengthways and remove the seeds.
Roast: Place cut-side up on a baking tray. Drizzle generously with olive oil and scatter over the garlic and herbs.
Cook: Roast at 200°C (180°C fan) for 18–20 minutes until soft, blistered and caramelised around the edges.
Finish: Crumble over the feta, squeeze with fresh lemon and finish with cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Serve: Gorgeous warm with crusty bread, alongside grilled meat or fish, or folded through a summer