Roasted Red Pepper Triangles -- When the Garden Gives You More Than You Can Eat

The kitchen is in full summer mode. The oven at 375 (always 375), the crockpot on the counter, the pantry stocked with jars from last August's canning — the evidence of a woman who preserves summer against winter and loss against forgetting and food against everything.

The recipe this week: cherry tomato pasta. Standing at the stove, Marlene's wooden spoon in my hand (the cracked one, the one that will outlast us all), the recipe either from the card box or from my own expanding collection, both equally real, both equally mine. The kitchen holds all of it — the old recipes and the new ones, the teacher's food and the student's food, the grief and the joy and the cinnamon. All of it. Always.

The garden at peak production — tomatoes by the bushel, corn taller than Jack (which is saying something now, the boy is tall), peppers in every color, the zucchini in its annual attempt to conquer the neighborhood. I've left three on the neighbors' porch. They know. Everyone knows. The zucchini phase is endured, not discussed.

With the peppers coming in every color and the garden refusing to slow down, I needed a recipe that actually celebrated the harvest instead of just managing it — something that made the abundance feel like a gift rather than a chore. These Roasted Red Pepper Triangles are exactly that: simple enough to pull together on a busy summer evening, but warm and savory enough to feel intentional, the way Marlene’s kitchen always did. I’ve made a double batch twice this week already, and I’m not sorry about it.

Roasted Red Pepper Triangles

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 16 triangles

Ingredients

• 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (jarred or fresh-roasted), patted dry and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Stir in chopped roasted red peppers, garlic, Parmesan, basil, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix until well combined.
3. Prepare the dough. Unroll the crescent dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press the seams together to form one large rectangle, approximately 12x8 inches.
4. Spread and cut. Spread the red pepper filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Cut the rectangle into 16 triangles by first cutting into 8 squares, then cutting each square diagonally.
5. Roll and place. Starting at the wide end of each triangle, roll toward the point and place on the prepared baking sheet, point-side down. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg.
6. Bake. Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the triangles are deep golden brown and puffed. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 95 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 185mg