Red Bell Pepper
Red bell peppers are fully ripened, sweet, crunchy peppers with no heat, used both raw for crunch and cooked down for their deep, roasted sweetness.
How to buy
Choose peppers that are firm, glossy, and heavy for their size, with taut, unwrinkled skin. They should feel solid when squeezed, with no soft spots, and the stem should look fresh and green, not shriveled.
How to store
Keep whole peppers in the crisper drawer, unwashed and loose, where they'll stay crisp for 1-2 weeks -- longer than most vegetables. Cut peppers should be refrigerated in a sealed container and used within about 4-5 days.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sweet and fruity, since red bell peppers are simply ripened further than green ones, which makes them noticeably sweeter and less grassy. Roasting or charring concentrates that sweetness further and adds a smoky depth.
- Texture
- Crisp and juicy raw, with thick, crunchy walls. Cooking softens it into a silky, almost jammy texture, especially when roasted or stewed for a long time.
- Aroma
- A sweet, fruity, slightly grassy smell raw; roasting adds a smoky, caramelized aroma.
How to prepare
- Roasted and peeled — Charred until the skin blisters, then peeled for a smoky, silky-textured pepper used in sauces and salads.
- Sliced raw — Cut into strips or rings for salads, crudité, or sandwich toppings.
- Sautéed — Cooked quickly in oil until just softened, often alongside onions.
- Stuffed and baked — Hollowed and filled with a savory mixture of rice, meat, or grains before baking.
- Grilled — Charred whole or in strips directly over flame for a smoky, sweet result.
Classic dishes
American
- Stuffed bell peppers — Peppers hollowed and filled with a mixture of rice, ground meat, and tomato sauce, then baked.
- Sausage and pepper sandwich — Grilled sausage served on a roll with sautéed bell peppers and onions.
Italian
- Peperonata — Sweet stewed peppers cooked down with onion, vinegar, and olive oil.
- Antipasto roasted red peppers — Charred, peeled peppers marinated in olive oil and garlic as part of an antipasto spread.
Mexican
- Chicken or beef fajitas — Sizzling strips of meat served with sautéed red and green bell peppers and onion.
- Stir-fried peppers and onions for fajitas — Quickly cooked peppers forming the aromatic base of a fajita platter.
Chinese
- Pepper steak — Sliced beef stir-fried with bell peppers in a glossy soy-based sauce.
- Kung pao chicken — A spicy stir-fry where bell pepper adds sweetness and crunch alongside peanuts and dried chiles.
French
- Ratatouille — A stewed Provençal vegetable dish where red peppers add sweetness alongside eggplant and zucchini.
- Piperade — A Basque dish of stewed peppers, tomato, and onion, often served with eggs or ham.
Thai
- Pad see ew — Stir-fried wide rice noodles often rounded out with bell pepper for color and sweetness.
Korean
- Bibimbap — A rice bowl topped with seasoned vegetables, including julienned red bell pepper.
- Japchae — Stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables, including thin strips of red bell pepper.
Spanish
- Romesco sauce — A roasted red pepper, tomato, and almond sauce traditionally served with seafood or grilled meats.
- Gazpacho — A chilled raw tomato and pepper soup, often including red bell pepper for sweetness.
- Paella — A saffron rice dish often topped or garnished with roasted red pepper strips.
Middle Eastern
- Shakshuka — Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, often simmered until the sauce is thick and sweet.