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Red pepper, or bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), is a member of the nightshade family native to Mexico and Central America. The ingredient is the hollow, thick-walled fruit of the plant, typically picking up color at maturity. Red peppers represent fully ripe bell peppers that have been left on the plant longer than their green counterparts, developing a sweeter flavor profile with subtle fruity notes and greater natural sugars. The flesh ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 millimeters thick, and the interior contains a central seed cavity with numerous flat, cream-colored seeds attached to a white placenta. Red peppers are notably sweeter than green, yellow, or orange varieties, with a smooth, glossy skin that deepens from light scarlet to deep crimson depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

Red peppers are used extensively across Mediterranean, Latin American, and global cuisines, both raw and cooked. They are commonly roasted until charred to concentrate sweetness and soften the skin for removal, grilled for side dishes, stuffed with grains or meat preparations, or sliced for salads and salsas. In Spanish cooking, roasted red peppers are traditional in romesco and gazpacho; in Italian cuisine, they feature in peperonata. They can be sautéed as a mirepoix component, blended into soups and sauces, or preserved by roasting and storing in oil. The raw pepper provides textural crunch and sweetness to slaw, crudités, and composed salads, while the cooked version develops deeper caramelization and silky texture suitable for braises, stews, and purees.