Bell peppers are a kitchen staple that often gets overlooked for their versatility.
Sure, they make a great crunchy addition to salads and veggie trays, but these vibrant capsicums are so much more than just a simple snacking vegetable.
With their sweet, mild flavor and crisp texture, bell peppers can easily transform a ho-hum dish into something spectacular.
From sauces and stir-fries to stuffed peppers and pepper-laden pasta, these rainbow-colored veggies have an incredible range.
Whether you opt for the classic green bell, vibrant red, sunny yellow, or purple variety, bell peppers pack a nutritional punch too.
They’re an excellent source of vitamin C and provide a good amount of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin E, and vitamin K.
So open up your spice cabinet and fire up your stovetop, because these bell pepper-centric recipes are sure to become new family favorites.
10 Bell Pepper Cooking Recipes
Unstuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed bell peppers are a classic comfort food, but this unstuffed version puts a fresh spin on the dish. Simply roast thick slices of bell peppers until they’re crisp-tender, then top them with a flavorful beef and rice stuffing mixture. You get all the irresistible flavors with way less hassle.
Bell Pepper Frittata
This colorful frittata makes an easy meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A combination of green, red, and yellow bell peppers adds sweetness and crunch, complementing the creamy egg mixture. Feta or goat cheese lends a welcome tang. Serve it straight from the skillet for a rustic presentation.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
The smoky, sweet essence of roasted red peppers lends incredible depth to this velvety hummus. This zesty dip works well with veggie sticks, pita chips, or dolloped onto salads and grain bowls. For an extra flavor blast, stir in some chopped fresh parsley, garlic, or lemon zest.
Bell Pepper Tacos
These vegetarian tacos highlight the versatility of bell peppers most deliciously. Quickly stir-fry sliced bell peppers with spices like cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Serve them tucked into warm corn tortillas with your favorite taco toppings like shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole, etc.
Sausage and Bell Pepper Pasta
This one-dish pasta dinner is a true crowd-pleaser. Bell peppers of all colors mingle with salty Italian sausage and your choice of tomato, cream, or wine-based sauce. Parmesan and fresh basil make delightful accents. For an impressive twist, try slicing bell peppers into long strips and weaving through cooked pasta strands.
Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
All the zesty Tex-Mex flavors of chicken fajitas get packed into colorful bell pepper vessels for a fun mashup. After baking the stuffed peppers, spritz with fresh lime juice and garnish with avocado, cilantro, and sour cream if desired.
Bell Pepper Jam
Sweet, slightly tangy, and wonderfully vibrant—this bell pepper jam is sheer perfection. It’s excellent as a glaze for proteins, a zingy spread for burgers and sandwiches, or a schmear for crackers alongside creamy cheeses. Make a big batch of this versatile jam while peppers are in peak season.
Shrimp and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry
Stir-fries offer the ideal way to showcase juicy shrimp and crisp-tender bell peppers in one delectable dish. Customize this one with your favorite stir-fry sauce and aromatics like ginger, garlic, scallions, and chile peppers if you want some heat. For amazing char, blister the bell peppers first before stir-frying.
Grilled Bell Pepper and Halloumi Salad
Sweet bell peppers and salty halloumi cheese make an irresistible combination in this bright, flavorful salad. After charring the bell peppers and halloumi on the grill, let them cool slightly before tossing with a zippy lemon dressing, fresh mint, and toasted pine nuts.
Beef-stuffed bell peppers
No summer cookout is complete without these hearty stuffed bell peppers. A savory ground beef stuffing adds flair from marinara sauce, melty cheese, and Italian seasonings. Green bell peppers are traditional, but colorful assortments look especially vibrant on the plate.
Whatever recipe you choose for these delicious bell peppers, you can be sure that their vibrant, fresh flavors will enhance any dish.
Bell peppers are the gourmet hue that your cooking has longs for, whether for quick and easy recipes or spectacular centerpieces for dinner parties.
