Discover how to use bell peppers with nutrition tips, cooking ideas, and easy recipes. Learn the health benefits and best ways to enjoy this versatile veggie!
Ring in the summer season with sweet, colorful bell peppers! Bright, crisp, and packed with flavor, bell peppers are one of the most versatile vegetables in the kitchen. Whether you’re slicing them raw for a crunchy snack, roasting them for savory dishes, or blending them into sauces, there’s no shortage of ways to use these colorful powerhouses. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about how to use bell peppers—from their impressive nutritional benefits to practical cooking tips and a roundup of delicious, plant-based recipes that make the most of this antioxidant-rich veggie. Whether you’re new to bell peppers or looking for fresh inspiration, I’ve got you covered.
What Are Bell Peppers?
These crunchy, flavorful plant foods have been traced back over the millennia to their roots in South and Central America, where Columbus so delighted in them that he brought the flavorful vegetable back to Europe in 1493. Since then, they have traveled around the world and have been celebrated in many traditional cuisines, such as Italian, French, Asian, and Greek. Can you even imagine a Greek Salad or Asian stir-fry without the pizzazz of a pepper? Green, red, white, yellow, orange, purple, brown and even black—bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) come in a rainbow of shades, as well as sizes. I love these pictures of the colorful bell peppers I have found at my local farmers markets. I always grow bell peppers in my summer garden each year too.
Bell Pepper Nutrition
Powerful, disease-fighting phytochemicals give bell peppers their many vibrant colors. And that’s not all; these veggies are bursting with nutrition. Bell peppers are an excellent source of antioxidants that protect us from developing chronic disease, namely vitamins A, C, and E. A one-cup serving provides 317% of the Daily Value (DV) of antioxidant vitamin C, 93% DV of vitamin A, 22% DV of vitamin B6, and 12% DV of vitamin E.
Top 5 Ways to Use Bell Peppers in the Kitchen
Celebrate by ringing bell peppers in your diet, with these delicious healthy tips and recipes.
1. Add Peppers to your Appetizers
Bell peppers are a great way to add fiber and crunch to any dip or sauce. This Avocado Corn Salsa combines the art of traditional guacamole with veggies such as red bell pepper, sweet corn, and black olives for a nutrition-packed dip perfectly paired with corn tortilla chips or sprouted wheat crackers. And don’t forget to pair your artichoke dips, hummus, and ranch dip with mini bell peppers or bell pepper slices.
2. Blend ‘em Up
To cash in on that sweet, peppery taste and powerful nutrient profile, try tossing a bell pepper into your next smoothie. Match various colors to suit your blends: green bell peppers in a green smoothie, red bell peppers in a strawberry smoothie, and yellow bell peppers in a Turmeric Mango Carrot smoothie, which provides the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric with the antioxidants from mango, carrot, and bell peppers. Simply dice up some yellow bell peppers and blend all ingredients together until smooth, and enjoy!
3. Make them the Bell of the Bowl
The bell of this bowl is lovely red bell pepper, just one of the many pops of rich color in my favorite Moroccan Chickpea Sorghum Bowl. This grain bowl is high in fiber and packed with flavor. You can roast bell peppers to include in bowls, as well as side dishes, but they are also yummy fresh. See me in action on KTLA 5 discussing this bowl and the benefits of a plant-based diet here.
4. Create a Toss Up
Bell peppers are just so good tossed into a wide range of veggie-based salads, such as this Kiwi Bell Pepper Salad, Lima Bean Salad, and Gado Gado Indonesian Salad. Just slice into strips or chunks, and toss in with salad greens, pasta, grains, and veggies for added texture and flavor.
5. Stuff Them
Split open a bell pepper and realize its possibilities! That cavity is a great vessel for yummy fillings. These festive Stuffed Bell Peppers are a perfect, easy and filling meal solution, thanks to a mix of Southwestern spices, black bean and quinoa, with a creamy vegan dressing on top. It will satisfy the whole family!
Top 10 Healthy, Delicious Bell Pepper Recipes
Discover more ways to use bell peppers with some of my favorite recipes.
Colorful Vegan Confetti Potato Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Stuffed Avocado with Southwestern Black Beans
Orzo Salad with Grilled Vegetables
Sweet Potato Corn Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette
Soba Noodles Seaweed Salad
Vegan Summer Veggie Chili
Vegan Poke Bowl with Tofu, Watermelon, and Quinoa
Chipotle Spice Power Bowl with Rice
Hawaiian Tempeh Barbeque Skewers
Healthy Orange Peanut Tempeh Stir Fry with Brown Rice
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