Ajvar (Roasted Red Pepper and Aubergine Relish)

Name: Ajvar (Roasted Red Pepper and Aubergine Relish)
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Balkan
Ingredients: 6 large red peppers, pointed or bell; 2 aubergines; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 100ml sunflower oil; 2 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 tsp fine salt; 0.5 tsp chilli flakes, optional

Smoky roasted red peppers and aubergine slowly cooked down with garlic and oil into a thick, rich Balkan spread.

Time2 hr
LevelMedium
Costabout £0.65 a head
Oven230°C (210°C fan)

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

Estimated nutrition per serving

127kcal
8.5gcarbs
5.5gof which sugars
9.7gfat
2.8gsaturates
2.4gprotein
3.3gfibre
0.6gsalt

A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.

10 servings

Ingredients

Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.

6large red pepperspointed or bell
2aubergines
4garlic clovescrushed
100 mlsunflower oil
2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
1 tspfine salt
½ tspchilli flakesoptional

Method

1
Heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan). Put the whole peppers and aubergines on large baking trays. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, turning once, until the skins are blackened and blistered and the aubergines have collapsed.
47 min
2
Tip the peppers into a bowl and cover with a plate for 15 minutes. The steam loosens the skins.
15 min
3
Peel the peppers and remove the stalks and seeds. Scoop the aubergine flesh from the skins. Drain both in a sieve for 10 minutes.
10 min
4
Chop the vegetables finely, or pulse briefly in a food processor. Leave it a little chunky.
5
Heat half the oil in a wide pan. Add the vegetables and cook on a medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring often, until very thick and the oil begins to separate.
38 min
6
Stir in the garlic, remaining oil, vinegar, salt and chilli flakes and cook for 5 minutes more. Taste and add salt if it needs it.
5 min
7
Cool and keep in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 1 week, with a thin layer of oil on top.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.