Pisto

Pisto is a classic Spanish dish. Made from freshly chopped veggies stewed in tomatoes, this vegetable stew is versatile and serves wonderfully with some crusty bread!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Spanish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings

Author Alba Luna Meyer

Ingredients

2 Italian green peppers, alternatively green bell peppers
1 large bell pepper, red
1 white onion
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups canned tomato puree, or fresh tomato puree
1-2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar, adjust depending on your needs

Instructions

Start by washing the zucchini, peppers, and eggplant since we are going to cook them with the skin on.
Cut the peppers lengthwise and remove the top and seeds. Dice finely.
Peel the onion and dice finely.
Cut the top off the eggplant, discard it, and dice the eggplant finely. Then also cut the top off the zucchini, discard it and dice the zucchini.
Heat the olive oil in a big pan. Over medium heat cook the diced onion and peppers until soft and fragrant, stirring regularly. Season with a bit of salt to help release their moisture.
Once the onion and peppers have gotten softer, add the zucchini and eggplant and add a bit more salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes until they become soft too. Stir regularly.
At this point, add the tomato puree and mix well. Let the pisto simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Taste to see if it needs more salt (probably) and sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Then let it simmer on low heat for 15 more minutes.
Serve the pisto with a fried egg and crusty bread. Enjoy!

Notes

It’s important every vegetable is cut into similar-sized cubes. Since this recipe calls for skin-on in the majority of veggies, it’s a wise choice to pay a visit to a local farmers market and buy organic veggies.
The key to a good Pisto is to slowly cook the veggies and simmer them with the tomato paste for a long time. This is a recipe that should not be rushed - it will be worth it.
Also, to get the real flavors developed I recommend using good-quality olive oil and avoid using any other vegetable oil if possible. An important part of the final flavor is thanks to the olive oil.
When it comes to spices, we keep it very simple. Some recipes add minced garlic and bay leaves to it. You can also add some black pepper.
Italian green peppers - often also called cubanelle peppers - have a more intense and peppery taste than green bell peppers. If you can't find Italian green peppers, you can use regular green bell peppers.
The tomato puree should be raw without any salt or spices added. Avoid using marinara sauce or any other tomato-based sauce. Alternatively, you can make your own tomato puree by blending fresh tomatoes without skin in a food processor. The sauce will not be as red as if using canned tomatoes, but the flavor for sure will still be amazing.
Pisto is usually eaten as a side dish to almost anything: from tortilla de patatas to pan-fried tuna. The fried egg on top is optional but the crunchy bread is mandatory! It can also be served alongside some rice, used for pie fillings (like Spanish empanadas or empanadillas), or even used as a delicious pasta sauce.
Pisto is very meal prep friendly, so you can make a big batch. Store it in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can be stored in the freezer in portioned containers for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.