Almost every type of food has its fans and haters, but some are more divisive than others. Cilantro. Cauliflower. Raisins. Marmite.
Another that inspires contempt, at least with some members of the Voraciously team (ahem), is the green bell pepper. I’ve always been such a believer in this vegetable that it never occurred to me that people wouldn’t like it!
I guess I appreciate an underdog. Where some people see a bitter, one-note pepper, I see something that’s bright, vegetal and crisp. Sure, red bell peppers — which are vine-ripened green peppers — are more of a crowd-pleaser with their sweeter flavor, but how cliché is that? I’m reminded of the “if you don’t love me at my … then you don’t deserve me at my” internet meme. You appreciate the bell pepper at all its stages, awkward or not.
Green peppers offer a sharper bite than their sweeter cousins. Their more bracing bitterness plays well in spicy foods, such as fajitas, or rich ones, such as pizza. They complement other acidic foods, including tomatoes and pickles. And, of course, green peppers mix very well with yellow, red and orange bell peppers for a medley of colors and flavors.
If you really, absolutely cannot get over your disdain for bell peppers, consider swapping in something like Anaheim, sweet banana or Cubanelle peppers, which strike me as less assertively “green.” Or try poblanos, if the added heat appeals to you. And you can always just use another color bell pepper if it comes down to it.
For fans who already embrace green bell peppers or those who are willing to give them another chance, here are some recipes from our archives to check out.