
As side dishes go, this blend of peppers, onions, and mushrooms is about as colorful (and tasty) as you can get.
Seasoned with nothing but garlic, salt, pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar this easy skillet medley is cooked slowly and evenly over medium heat to allow the natural, sweet flavors of the vegetables to develop.
Serving suggestions
Because its flavors are so simple, this side dish can be served alongside a wide variety of entrées. Here are a few you might want to try.
- Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Barbecue Chicken Meatloaf
- Garlic Crumb Topped Chicken
- Italian Steak with Garlic Butter and Peppers
- Pan-Seared Rib-Eye Steaks
- Oven-Fried Parmesan Pork Chops
- Pan-Seared Pork Rib Chops
- Grilled Swordfish with Lemon-Basil Butter
- Oven-Baked Fish with Caesar Topping
Or, make it a main dish:
It’s also easy to turn our bell pepper, mushroom, and onion medley into a main dish. Here are a couple of easy ideas:
- Make a one-dish pasta dinner: Once cooked, toss the veggies together with pasta (rotini is a good choice) and crumbled Italian sausage, top with grated Parmesan, and serve.
- Make a flatbread: Buy some naan (we love Stonefire roasted garlic flavor) or other ready-made flatbreads and top with the cooked veggies and a blend of shredded Italian cheeses.
- Make a low-carb “rice” bowl: Serve the vegetable medley along with shredded rotisserie chicken over steamed riced cauliflower, and drizzle with balsamic glaze for some added flavor.

Sweet Pepper, Mushroom and Onion Medley
This easy side dish medley of sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions is flavored with sautéed garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
- 3 large, sweet bell peppers (red, orange, and/or yellow)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Remove the stem, core, and seeds from the peppers and slice them lengthwise into thin strips. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until they are very soft and golden in color, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring from time to time, until any moisture given off by the mushrooms has evaporated and they’ve turned a rich golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the peppers, season again with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the peppers have softened, 6 minutes.
- Add the balsamic, cover the pan, and cook for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
- Remove the cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring often. The peppers should be sweet and very tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve family-style.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Sweet Pepper, Mushroom and Onion Medley
Amount per Serving
Calories
150
% Daily Value*
Fat
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
9
g
Sodium
271
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
13
g
4
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
6
g
7
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
Sue Coughlin says
Have you roasted this in the oven. I’m having a party and don’t want to stand by the stove.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Sue,
I have not roasted this in the oven, but I do think you could. I would preheat to 400°F and start the peppers first for about 5 minutes, then toss them with the onions and mushrooms. I’d also keep a close eye on it to be sure they don’t get overly brown. You may also want to consider simply making the whole dish ahead of time instead. Hope this helps.
Stephen Smith says
I was very skeptical about this recipe but it matched the ingredients I had so why not?
It’s brilliant!
Tried a couple of variations using Worcestershire sauce or Soy sauce + a splash of ordinary vinegar instead of the Balsamic, works equally well.
Saradoodles says
I just wing it. I used small peppers which were tough and cooked them with the onions before to soften before I added the shrooms which I prefer less cooked than most – just softened for me. depending on how much I use of each, I have to estimate how much olive oil and butter (yes I use about 1/2 butter and evoo). That said this recipe is a great start!
Penny Smith says
Tried out this recipe and added a bit of butter too. Turned out well and so delicious too
Sayed Ajimudin says
Easy and amazing
Tricia says
Absolutely! I make this every chance I get. The only problem is that it’s so delicious I keep eating it before I even have dinner. This is one of my favorite recipes, even as leftovers so thank you! Keep them coming.
Janna says
I mixed this with spaghetti squash! It was delicious.
Lynne Webb says
What a great idea! Thank you, Janna.
James says
Love this side dish easy to make delicious to eat thank you for sharing this recipe….
Kris says
Delicious! I used this recipe as the backbone of my main course of angel hair pasta and lots of parmesan. I used King mushrooms from my farmer’s market. Yum!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Kris,
The angel hair, Parmesan, and mushrooms are a great way to turn this side dish into an easy meal. Thanks for taking the time to share the recipe!
Lucy says
Can you freeze this?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lucy,
I have not done it myself, but once the mixture is cooked I see no reason why you can’t freeze it. Like all frozen veggies, you can expect it to give off some liquid when defrosted, so I would reheat it in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Scotty says
Nutrition values, please?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Scotty,
I’ve updated the recipe with the nutrition values and added some serving suggestions to the post.
Sue says
Excellent! Thanks for sharing this!
Devon says
With these cook times my onion wound up mush. Great flavors though! The next time I will cook the onions and mushroom together and see how that works.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Devon,
Sorry to hear your onions were overcooked, but glad that you enjoyed the flavors.
Chris says
How many calories is in a portion ???
Eleanor says
Thanks for the information. Can I put beef or another meat with this and then do I delete any ingredients you mentioned?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Eleanor,
You can add any meat you like to this without deleting any of the other ingredients. Beef, pork, and chicken would all be good.
Rick says
Tripled the recipe and made it with baby portobellos of course the cook times were much longer and served over brown rice ramen with tofu cubes. Awesome!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Rick,
Thanks for your comment! That’s a great way to make this dish into a healthy vegetarian meal.
Lisa says
Perfect with grilled pork loin
Sandfan says
Add some basil and red pepper flakes, pour it over some penne pasta, serve with garlic bread and a good red wine, and you have a great meal.
Lynne Webb says
Great idea – thanks for sharing!