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Bell pepper

Vegetables · Peppers & chillies

Bell pepper

Family of sweet, blocky capsicums in green, red, yellow and orange, eaten raw or cooked.

Also called: capsicum, sweet pepper, peppers, biber, pimiento, shimla mirch

158 recipes with it

Photo: Kham Tran - www.khamtran.com, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Bell peppers (capsicums, sweet peppers) are large, thick-walled peppers with three or four lobes and almost no heat. Green peppers are unripe and sharper; red, yellow and orange are ripe and sweeter. They are the same species as many chillies but lack capsaicin. Specific colours and jarred roasted peppers are listed separately.

Capsicum annuum

How it’s used

  • Sliced raw into salads and crudités
  • Stir-fried, fajitas and curries
  • Stuffed and baked
  • Roasted and peeled for antipasti and sauces

Characteristics

Taste
Sweet (ripe) to grassy and slightly bitter (green).
Texture
Crisp and juicy raw; soft and silky when roasted.
When cooked
Skins blister and lift when charred; flesh softens and sweetens.
Sold as
fresh, frozen, canned
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for grilling, Suitable for frying

Kinds in our pantry

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Related ingredients

Recipes with bell pepper

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