Ajvar is a vibrant red pepper spread you’ll often find in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the mountainous region in northern Italy. Although its origins are Balkan, it’s become a popular condiment across Friuli thanks to its sweet, smoky and savory profile. Made from charred red peppers, roasted eggplant and garlic, ajvar pairs beautifully with cured meats, cheeses, crusty bread and grilled sausages.
The cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia is shaped by its neighbors — Austria, Slovenia and Croatia — so dishes often blend Italian ingredients and techniques with Central European influences. Ajvar is a great example: simple, rustic and full of flavour.
To make ajvar, char the red peppers until the skins are blackened, roast an eggplant until soft, then combine both with garlic, a little sugar and white wine vinegar. Blitz to a smooth or slightly textured consistency, then gently cook the mixture in oil to deepen the flavors. The result is a versatile spread that’s smoky, slightly sweet and perfectly balanced.
See the full recipe below with ingredient notes and helpful tips. If you enjoy regional Friulian recipes, you might also like frico or scallops gratin.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Ways to use Ajvar
- Recipe Tips
- More dips and pestos to try
- Full Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Peppers – Pointed (Romano) peppers are traditional and their skins usually come off more easily than standard bell peppers.
- Eggplant (aubergine) – Use one large eggplant or two small ones. Choose firm, unbruised fruit.
- Sunflower oil – Use a neutral oil if you don’t have sunflower oil.
- Sugar and white wine vinegar – Follow the recipe amounts, then adjust to taste for sweetness and acidity.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Roast the eggplant – Halve the eggplant and score the flesh, drizzle with olive oil, reassemble and wrap in foil. Roast for 1–1¼ hours until very soft.
- Char the peppers – Hold the peppers over a naked flame on a stovetop and turn them with tongs until the skins are blackened and blistered.
- Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl or tray, cover with plastic wrap and let them steam for 30–60 minutes to loosen the skins.
- Remove the skins – Peel off the charred skin, remove tops and seeds. Use damp kitchen paper to remove any stubborn black bits.
- Blitz – Scoop the eggplant flesh into a food processor with the peeled peppers, garlic, sugar and white wine vinegar. Blitz until smooth or slightly textured, depending on preference.
- Cook the ajvar – Heat oil in a frying pan, add the pepper mixture and simmer for 5–10 minutes on medium-low to concentrate the flavors. Let cool and serve as a dip, spread or condiment.
Ways to use Ajvar
Three delicious ways to enjoy ajvar:
- As a condiment with grilled meats, chicken, steak or sausages.
- As a spread or dip with crostini, charcuterie and cheeses.
- On sandwiches topped with grilled vegetables and melted cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Extra smoky flavour – Char the eggplant over a flame instead of roasting for a more intense smokiness.
- Remove excess moisture – If the roasted eggplant is watery, place the flesh in a sieve and press out excess liquid before blitzing.
- Peppers – Bell peppers can be used if needed, but they may be harder to peel and require more charring time.
- Adjust consistency – Add a little more oil for a smoother finish or cook longer to thicken the ajvar.
Ajvar keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days and can be served warm or at room temperature.
More dips and pestos to try
Dips & Pestos
Pistachio Pesto (Pesto di Pistacchi)
Sauces & Dressings
Italian Salsa Verde (Green Sauce)
Dips & Pestos
Artichoke Pesto (Quick 5 minute Recipe)
Antipasti
Whipped Ricotta Dip with Roasted Tomatoes
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Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to make them successfully the first time.
Ajvar (Red Pepper Spread)
By Emily
Ingredients
- 4 pointed peppers
- 1 large eggplant (or 1.5 medium)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons sunflower oil
- olive oil
- salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Halve the eggplant, score the flesh, drizzle with olive oil, reassemble and wrap in foil. Roast for 1–1¼ hours until very soft.
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Char the pointed peppers over a gas flame until the skins are blackened. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and let steam for 30–60 minutes.
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Once cooled, remove as much charred skin as possible, then remove tops and seeds. Wipe away remaining black bits with damp kitchen paper.
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Scoop the eggplant flesh into a food processor. Add the peeled peppers, sugar, garlic and a pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth or slightly textured.
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Heat sunflower oil in a small frying pan. Add the pepper mixture and simmer for 5–10 minutes over medium-low heat to intensify the flavour.
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Let cool then serve as a dip, spread or condiment.
Notes
- Size of eggplant – If you don’t have a large eggplant, roast two medium ones and use the flesh from 1½ of them; the remainder can be added to other dishes.
- Moisture – If the roasted eggplant is very wet, place the flesh in a sieve and press out excess liquid before blitzing.
- Peppers – Bell peppers can replace pointed peppers but may take longer to char and peel.
- Consistency – Add more oil to loosen the texture or cook the mixture longer to thicken it.
- Smokiness – For extra smoky flavour, char the eggplant over a flame instead of roasting.
- Storage – Store ajvar in the fridge for up to 3 days; serve warm or at room temperature.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used unless stated otherwise.
- Vegetables are medium sized unless noted.
- All recipes are tested in a fan (convection) oven.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are approximate.