Bell peppers

A variety of sweet peppers referred to as bell peppers because of their bell shape.  Bell peppers are sold in their green, unripe form and provided the strongest flavor.  As the bell peppers ripen then turn various shades of yellow, orange and red and they develop more sugar and become quite sweet. 

Bell peppers can be eaten fresh, sliced or chopped added to salads or can be cooked or stuffed.  This is a common grocery store item and can be found year round.  You may also see miniature red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.  These are used in the same way you'd use the larger peppers.

Substitute For Bell Peppers

What to do if you don't have bell peppers, but your recipe calls for them.

• You can use the red, yellow, or orange bell peppers interchangeably. They are comparable in flavor. Depending on the recipe, you might want to consider mixing different colors. An excellent example of this is our Tri-Color Pasta Salad.
• OR - If you happen to have a jar or can of pimentos, you could use these as an alternative in specific recipes (not for stuffing).
• OR - Substitute 1/2 cup of dried bell peppers for 1 cup fresh chopped green bell pepper.
• OR - Use one of the sweeter fresh chile peppers such as the Anaheim or Poblano pepper. These have a very mild heat. Use either of these as a replacement for green bell peppers.  Both of these are terrific for stuffing.
• OR - Depending on the recipe (such as some casseroles), you can substitute green bell peppers for red, yellow, or orange. However, keep in mind the strong flavor of green bell peppers.