Fresh peppers are available year-round at most stores, which is probably why you have at least a few in your fridge’s crisper drawer at all times. Plus, they’re so versatile! They can go into everything from sheet-pan dinners to stir-fry recipes, adding color, flavor, and lots of vitamins. And when they’re in season, why not take full advantage? These fresh pepper recipes put them front and center, so you can enjoy every crunchy bite.
Bell peppers are particularly popular, but there are so many sweet and hot pepper varieties to consider. Better yet, why not mix them for a medley all in one recipe? Take Ree Drummond’s six-pepper pasta, for instance. “All the different peppers in the dish give it layers of flavor and lots of great texture,” she says. Plus, it’s a flexible recipe you can adjust to your preferred spiciness level.
You can even simply mix different colors of bell peppers. Green bell peppers have a crunchier snap and a sharper, herbal flavor, while red, orange, and yellow bell peppers are a bit sweeter and softer. Combined, they create a nicely balanced flavor profile. Plus, that rainbow is so much fun to eat! So go ahead and make your dinner more colorful tonight with these easy, fresh pepper recipes.
Cast-Iron Pizza
Try this cheesy skillet pie for your next pizza night at home. It’s topped with spicy Italian sausage and slices of colorful mini bell peppers and pickled banana peppers for a contrast in flavors and textures.
Get the Cast-Iron Pizza recipe.
Spicy Shrimp Stir-Fry with Zucchini Noodles
Zoodles are great if you want a lighter dinner that’s more veggie-forward. With tender shrimp, crunchy bell pepper, and a kick of jalapeño, you won’t even miss the pasta or rice.
Get Ree's Spicy Shrimp Stir-Fry with Zucchini Noodles recipe.
Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers
There are endless ways to make stuffed peppers, and this one has a spicy kick! Sweet bell peppers (any color you like!) are stuffed with chicken, andouille sausage, and a spicy rice blend featuring jalapeño.
Get the Jambalaya-Stuffed Peppers recipe.
Six Pepper Pasta
Ree mixes baby and regular bell peppers, poblanos, jalapeños, and some adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers to layer a ton of flavor. But you can also adjust the amounts of each to customize your own spice level.
Get Ree’s Six Pepper Pasta recipe.
Sonoran Hot Dogs
These dogs are wrapped in bacon and loaded with toppings like pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, and lots of saucy condiments. They also have jalapeños plus your choice of yellow güero chiles, Hungarian wax peppers, banana peppers, or Cubanelle peppers.
Get Ree’s Sonoran Hot Dogs recipe.
Stuffed Banana Peppers
Here’s another twist on stuffed peppers. Instead of using classic bell peppers, use banana peppers. They’re stuffed with a cheesy, spicy Italian sausage mixture, nestled in marinara sauce, and topped with crunchy panko.
Get the Stuffed Banana Peppers recipe.
Veggie Fajitas
Fajita recipes are an excellent way to use any kind of pepper you have on hand. Ree’s veggie version takes it to the next level with bell and poblano peppers, plus squash, mushrooms, and onions. Top with a jalapeño-spiced pico de gallo.
Get Ree’s Veggie Fajitas recipe.
Spicy Veggie Pasta Salad
Let that bag of multicolored mini bell peppers shine for your next cookout. This pasta salad has a spicy kick thanks to some pickled jalapeños, but it’s balanced by a creamy dressing to cool things down.
Get Ree's Spicy Veggie Pasta Salad recipe.
Sausage and Peppers Pizza
Transform store-bought dough into a pizza shop-worthy meal. Top with sweet Italian sausage, mozzarella, bell peppers, and pickled banana peppers for a little zing. A simple green salad (maybe with some more peppers?) is a perfect side.
Get the Sausage and Peppers Pizza recipe.
Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Spicy Sausage and Peppers
The best thing about sheet-pan dinners is you can just toss everything on one tray and let your oven do the work. Have fun with a mix of bell peppers here. Any color you’ve got on hand will work.
Get the Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Spicy Sausage and Peppers recipe.
Beef Kebabs
Another way to add a variety of bell peppers (red, yellow, green) to one meal is with steak kebabs. They add a nice crunchy texture, and their sweetness is enhanced when they’re on the grill.
Get the Beef Kebabs recipe.
Grilled Sausage and Peppers
It’s a cookout classic for a reason! You can mix up a variety of bell peppers here, too, for different flavors and textures. Serve on a big platter or stuff them into rolls for the ultimate summer sandwich.
Get the Grilled Sausage and Peppers recipe.
Veggie Stir-Fry
Ree’s stir-fry proves you don’t need meat to feel satisfied. Here, she uses bell peppers, zucchini, baby corn, and broccoli with a spicy sauce. But feel free to mix up the veggies, including a variety of different peppers.
Get Ree's Veggie Stir-Fry recipe.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
This recipe calls for red and green bell peppers for that classic stuffed pepper flavor, but the casserole version is way easier to assemble. Just toss everything in a dish instead of stuffing individual peppers.
Get Ree’s Stuffed Pepper Casserole recipe.
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