med grn bell pepper
Green bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and dietary fiber, with moderate amounts of folate and manganese. They are low in calories (approximately 30 per medium pepper) and contain beneficial antioxidants including chlorogenic acid and quercetin.
About
The bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a large, hollow fruit of the nightshade family native to Central and South America, now cultivated globally. Green bell peppers are the unripe fruit of plants that typically produce red peppers at full maturity; they have a firm, thick-walled structure with a glossy exterior and crisp, watery flesh. The flavor profile is distinctly grassy, vegetal, and slightly bitter—qualities that mellow and sweeten as the pepper matures. Medium specimens typically weigh 4–6 ounces and measure 3–4 inches in length. Unlike their hot chile cousins, bell peppers contain negligible to zero capsaicin, making them purely vegetable-like in their flavor without heat.
Bell peppers are available in multiple colors reflecting ripeness stage: green (unripe), yellow, orange, and red (fully ripe), with red peppers containing significantly higher sugar content and softer flesh than green. Green bell peppers maintain their structure better during cooking and are preferred when firmness is desired in raw applications.
Culinary Uses
Green bell peppers are a foundational ingredient across global cuisines, used both raw and cooked. They are essential to the "holy trinity" base of Creole and Cajun cooking (along with onions and celery), the Spanish soffritto, and the French mirepoix. Raw, they are sliced into salads, used as crudités with dips, and are central to salsas and pico de gallo. When cooked, they soften and lose their vegetal bitterness, becoming sweeter; they are sautéed for stir-fries, fajitas, and stuffed pepper dishes, roasted whole for char and tenderness, and incorporated into soups, stews, and curries. Their firm texture when raw and ability to accept various cooking methods make them highly versatile.