How To Cut Bell Pepper

You want to know how to cut bell peppers so that you don’t waste any of the juice and make a mess with your seeds. This was a method that a professional chef shared with me. It’s easy!

Also, find out how to best dice or slice your pepper for salads.

Truthfully, my husband was the professional chef who showed me how to cut peppers. While I may be biased, I’ve wanted to write this post afor 5+years because it is so thrilling to me.

This method cuts a pepper with the core intact. You won’t have seeds sticking to your fingers or your cutting board.

You’ll only have to dispose of the seedy stem and core. This will result in the lowest amount of waste. The compost bin will contain less waste, so less money is wasted.

This method is quick and easy. You’ll be more efficient in the kitchen. In my book, any time saved is always a win.

What is Bell Peppers?

Bell peppers come from plants belonging to the Capsicum Annuum species. Bell peppers may be oval or round. The crisp skin curls down from the green stem and forms a slightly concave base. The branch connects directly to an inner bulb containing dozens of tiny, edible seed. They are versatile and can be used in stir-fry recipes, fajitas, soups, and stews.

Red, yellow or white bell peppers (orange, purple, or green) are very mild. They have no heat and are a great alternative to chili peppers.

Five Types of bell peppers

Bell peppers, made mainly of water, are notable sources of vitamin C. They also come in a variety of colors and types.

Green bell Peppers: Green bell peppers are the mildest, most flavorful of bell pepper varieties.

Red bell peppers: Ripened green peppers; red bell peppers are just that. They are crisp and sweet and will bring vibrant color to any dish thanks to their bright colors.

Orange bell peppers – This variety is sweeter than green and has a more fruity taste. The best bell peppers for grilling are yellow and red, while orange bell peppers make a great addition to salads.

Yellow bell peppers. The yellow bell pepper is rich in vitamin C, Niacin, and folate and makes a beautiful addition to chili or gumbo.

Long sweet bell peppers: Although bell peppers are generally rounder and squatter than long sweet, they can be longer and thinner. These peppers have thicker skins that contain fewer seeds. These peppers are easy to cut and fill with ingredients for a stuffed pepper recipe.

HOW TO SELECT BELL PEPPERS

Before we get into the cutting, let’s quickly review how to pick the best bell peppers and dispel a common myth regarding these versatile vegetables.

High-quality ingredients can make or break a dish. This is why it is essential to recognize and select quality produce.
It doesn’t matter where you get your peppers or if they are grown in the garden. The best peppers are:
They feel firm and heavy in your hand
Smooth and without any blemishes.
It has fully matured with vibrant, fully-developed color.
Soft spots, wrinkles, and other imperfections in peppers can signify that they are old and beginning to decay, were mishandled while transporting, or are infected by some mold or another disease.

According to some social media posts, choosing peppers based solely on how many ‘bumps’ they have is a myth.

WHAT WAY DO YOU CUT BELL PEPPERS?

CUTTING PEPPERS INTO RINGS

To start:

Place the pepper on its side on a cutting board.

Take a knife or a chef knife, and cut about 1/2″ off the stem.

Leave the bottom half of the pepper intact.

Use the lots for snacking and freeze them later in soups/stews, vegetable broths, or other dishes.

To remove the center of the flesh:

Use the knife to run it around.
Lay the pepper flat on its side.
Slice thinly into rings.

They can also be used to top sandwiches or crudite plates. They can be deep fried in an air-fryer or presented in bold chilis or ratatouilles.

HOW TO DICE BELL PEPPERS

Lay the bell pepper flat side down. Cut off the stem and top. You can remove and discard the stem if it is attached to any of the top portions.
Take the top off a bell pepper.
The stem of a bell pepper can be removed
Remove the bottom from a bell pepper
Standing the pepper up, cut one side off the pepper. Slide your knife down the pepper’s interior walls to remove the core.
Slice the bell pepper in half.
You can remove the core of a bell pepper by cutting around it
Cutting a bell pepper
You will need to lay the pepper flat on your cutting table. Then, cut into thick strips. Cut a few pieces of pepper into strips by combining them.
The bell pepper can be cut into strips
cutting bell pepper strips into a square dice cut
The pepper’s top and bottom can then be cut similarly to match the size of previous cuts.

HOW TO SLICE BELL PEPPER ROCKS

Place the bell pepper flat-side down and cut off the stem end. Keep the bottom end intact. This gives you something to hold on to and helps prevent the peppers from squishing together.

You can remove and discard the core by running your knife along both the inside and outside walls of the pepper.

Cut bell pepper rings off of a hollowed-up pepper.

With the pepper flat side down, use a sharp knife or a paring knife to remove the thin cross-sections. You’ll have perfect bell pepper rings.

Cut thin slices

These thinner slices are ideal for stir-fries where you don’t want to use large sticks. Instead of cutting pepper quarters into long strips, cut them horizontally.

The membrane is an excellent addition to this area. This creates double-arched slices, and they look great.

Remember that this pepper can be more complex than average to slice. Because it is slightly curvy, laying it flat may cause it to crack in the middle. My left-hand holds the pepper pieces together while my right-hand slices.

Although this sounds too simple for a pepper, it is. This is my brief explanation, so you don’t have to worry if this is your first attempt at cooking.

Some tips and tricks

The pepper skin can be harder to cut, especially with a less sharp knife. I prefer to start from the inside of the pepper before I begin slicing or dicing. This is because it’s much easier for me to cut through the skin this way.

Keep the top/bottom manageable. You want to trim them.

Cut the short strips as described above to make small dice for a recipe. Then, dice them in half.

Storage Tips

Fridge

Freshly cut bell Peppers can be kept in an airtight container (or in a zip-top bag). To absorb any moisture, you can place a paper towel on top. Keep the bag/container with your cut bell pepper in a crisp drawer for two to three days.

Freezer

Place the cut peppers in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets without touching them. Place your cut peppers in single layers on parchment-lined baking pans. Freeze until firm (about 1-2 hrs), then transfer to dated zip-top bags.