Ingredient Focus: Red Peppers | Bell Peppers

Sweet flame — sunshine softened into edible lanterns.

Pantry Zone

Fresh vegetables and fruits (seasonal)

Storage whisper: Keep unwashed in the veg drawer. Use within 3–5 days for best sweetness — they wrinkle and soften with time, but still work well roasted or in sauces.

In Season (UK)

August to October (UK-grown), otherwise imported year-round.

What Red Peppers Bring to the Table

Red peppers are the ripest, sweetest form of bell pepper — mellow and juicy, with almost no bitterness. They roast beautifully, turn silky in sauces, and add both colour and calm to a dish. Raw or cooked, they’re a crowd-pleaser.

How To Use

• Roast whole and peel for dips, sauces or sandwich fillings
• Dice and sauté with onion and garlic as a base
• Blend into soups or romesco-style sauces
• Stuff and bake with rice, lentils, or vegetables
• Use raw in slaws, wraps, or salads for crunch and colour

Flavour Pairings

Olive Oil — Garlic — Lemon — Aubergine — Cumin — Chickpeas — Fresh Herbs — Tomatoes

Waste Less

Roast softening peppers with oil and salt, then freeze in jars. Great added to pasta, stew, or layered in sandwiches.

What next?

• Find Recipes with Red Peppers
• Or wander the shelves of the Golden Ingredient Index for more ideas.
• If you like learning ingredients this way, get my weekly kitchen letter.