Roasted Red Pepper and Curd Cheese Spread Recipe
Roasted red pepper and curd cheese spread is a homemade sandwich topping in Polish style, with a hint of Mediterranean roasted pepper. Sweet, deeply roasted peppers are mixed with slightly grainy curd cheese, garlic and lemon, giving a creamy yet springy texture. This version is stable on bread and smooth enough to serve as a dip as well.
This is a homemade twist on Mediterranean vegetable spreads, but with very Polish curd cheese as the base. It fits well into the tradition of sandwich spreads typical for Polish breakfasts and suppers.
This homemade spread combines the flavour of grilled peppers familiar from summer barbecues with very Polish, grainy curd cheese. It tastes both homely and slightly Mediterranean at the same time. It’s also a great way to use up extra peppers from grilling or roasting vegetables.
Why this version works
- The peppers are roasted until well charred, giving natural sweetness and softness without added sugar.
- The curd cheese is only partially blended, so the spread doesn’t slide off the bread.
- Yogurt and lemon brighten the flavour, making the spread lighter than typical cheese‑based toppings.
Chef's tips
The most common mistake is under‑roasting the peppers – if the skin only softens slightly, it’s hard to peel and you end up with tough, rubbery bits in the spread. Properly roasted peppers are clearly collapsed and as soft as butter under a spoon., If the spread turns out too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon of yogurt or roasting juices instead of adding more oil.
How to serve
Serve on rye or wholemeal bread sprinkled with fresh chives, or as a dip for carrot, cucumber and celery sticks., It also works well as a filling for tortillas, ham rolls or as a topping for crostini at an evening get‑together., For breakfast it pairs nicely with a mug of kefir or buttermilk.
Watch out for
- Peppers that are too lightly roasted will be firm and watery, and the spread less sweet and aromatic.
- Do not add all the roasting juices at once – too much will thin the spread to a sauce‑like consistency.
- Over‑blending will turn it into a thin, uniform purée without the pleasant curd cheese texture.
Substitutions
- Replace part of the curd cheese with cream cheese for a silkier texture.
- Swap natural yogurt for 12–18% sour cream for a richer flavour.
- Instead of chives, use parsley or coriander for a stronger herbal note.
- You can replace rapeseed oil with a mild extra‑virgin olive oil.
Ingredients
- red bell pepper red - 2 piece
- semi‑fat curd cheese - 200 g
- yogurt thick natural - 2 tablespoons
- oil rapeseed or olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- garlic - 1 clove
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- chives or parsley - 2 tablespoons
- salt
- pepper ground black
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top and bottom heat). Wash and dry the peppers, then place them whole on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in a single layer without overlapping.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the skin wrinkles, darkens and is almost blackened in spots – the peppers should look collapsed and very soft.
- Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate or foil and leave for 10 minutes to steam and cool slightly. The skin should then peel off easily with your fingers.
- Peel the peppers, remove the cores and stems. Cut the flesh into pieces, collecting the juices from the tray into a separate small bowl – they will help adjust the spread’s consistency.
- Crumble the curd cheese with a fork in a bowl. Add the yogurt and oil, mash together until the mixture is creamy but with small curd cheese grains that hold on the fork.
- Very finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Add to the cheese along with the lemon juice and mix until the garlic aroma is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Add the pepper pieces, 1–2 tablespoons of roasting juices, chopped chives or parsley, and season with salt and pepper. The mixture should be moist and soft but not run off the spoon.
- Pulse with a hand blender until smooth or slightly chunky, controlling the texture – stop when the spread is easy to smear but does not slide off.
- If needed, add a little more roasting juice or a tablespoon of yogurt to loosen it, or a bit of curd cheese to thicken. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper or lemon.
- Chill the spread in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving – the finished spread should be creamy and easy to spread thinly, without dry curd cheese lumps.
Storage
In the fridge the spread thickens slightly and a little pepper juice may separate – just stir it before serving. It’s best within 2–3 days; later the garlic becomes sharper and the lemon less noticeable.
I most like making this spread after a weekend barbecue – I throw a few extra peppers on the grill and blend them with curd cheese the next day. It tastes best to me on still‑warm homemade bread, sliced straight from the tin.
