Asadillo Manchego Recipe: Roasted Pepper and Tomato Starter 2026

Asadillo manchego is a traditional dish from La Mancha that brings together roasted red peppers and tomatoes dressed with garlic and cumin. It is full of flavor and tradition, and it makes a genuinely delicious start to any meal.

The peppers are roasted until their skins char slightly, which makes them easy to peel and gives them a lovely smoky taste. The tomatoes go into cold olive oil so the oil absorbs all of their flavor, and the garlic and cumin are crushed together in a mortar for an authentic texture.

It works beautifully as an accompaniment or an appetizer, and it is often served with hard-boiled eggs, tuna or even cod to turn it into a more complete plate. While it cooks, the whole kitchen fills with the irresistible aroma of roasted peppers and cumin.

Ingredients for Asadillo Manchego

This recipe makes 4 servings as a starter.

• 4 large red peppers (about 1 kg)
• Salt
• 500 g plum tomatoes
• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 eggs (optional)

How to Make Asadillo Manchego Step by Step

1. Prepare the Peppers on a Tray

Wash the 4 large red peppers and place them on a baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle a little salt over the top of each one.

2. Roast the Peppers

Roast the peppers for 45 minutes at 220 °C with the fan setting. Turn them from time to time so the skin browns lightly on all sides, then take them out of the oven.

3. Cover with Film and Reserve the Juices

Place the roasted peppers in a bowl, taking care not to break them, and cover them with sturdy plastic wrap so that once they are warm you can peel them easily. Reserve the roasting juices left on the baking tray.

4. Peel the Peppers

Remove the skin from the peppers and discard the seeds so they do not make the dish bitter.

5. Cut into Strips

Cut the flesh of the roasted peppers into strips and set them aside together with the pepper juices.

6. Cook the Tomatoes

Meanwhile, peel the 500 g of plum tomatoes and cut them into even little cubes. Pour 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil into a skillet and add the tomatoes without heating the oil beforehand. Bring the skillet to low heat, add a little salt and cook the tomatoes for 10 minutes.

7. Add the Roasted Pepper Strips

After this time, add the roasted pepper strips and adjust the salt. Mix everything together and cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat.

8. Crush the Cumin and Garlic

While the peppers and tomatoes cook, make a majada. In a mortar, place 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds and 4 peeled, chopped garlic cloves along with a little salt to help you crush them.

9. Add the Majada and Pepper Juices

Add the majada to the skillet and stir well. Stir in the reserved pepper juices as well and let the mixture cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Taste the asadillo to adjust the seasoning and, if necessary, add a couple of tablespoons of water if it tastes too strong.

10. Cook the Eggs

To serve the asadillo manchego with hard-boiled eggs, boil 2 eggs for 10 minutes in boiling water. Then cool them in cold water, peel them and cut them into quarters.

11. Serve the Asadillo Manchego

Serve the asadillo manchego divided among plates, or in a central dish so everyone can help themselves. Optionally, accompany the asadillo with the hard-boiled eggs.

Tips for the Best Asadillo Manchego

Roast Until the Skin Charms

The peppers should be roasted until their skin is lightly burned. This makes peeling easier and gives the peppers a delicious smoky flavor that defines the dish.

Add the Tomatoes to Cold Oil

Add the tomatoes to the oil while it is still cold so the oil absorbs their flavor as it heats. Use cumin seeds rather than powder, crushed in a mortar, for an authentic texture and taste.

Never Skip the Roasting Juices

When you add the roasted peppers, be sure to add the juices they released during roasting too. Those juices concentrate the smoky flavor and enrich the whole mixture.

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Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a balanced lineup ready to go: simple comfort dishes, well-known international plates, and desserts that make everyone happy.

On nights when I want something rich and indulgent, my picks tend to be this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this elegant Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And whenever something fruity and soothing sounds good, this classic French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I keep coming back to.

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For filling lunches and cozy dinners, these are the ones I always point people toward: this comforting Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, traditional Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, rich Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and creamy Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. And if I'm after something even heartier, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a rustic Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the ultra-comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

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After years of testing and fine-tuning recipes in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the strongest dishes rely on three things: simplicity, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

The recipes gathered here are the ones I genuinely keep coming back to—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something a little more special for friends and family.

On the dessert side, the rich and silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I reach for when I want something elegant without much effort. Another sweet favorite is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, inspired by the famous Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

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And for those steering clear of wheat, my comforting Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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