Bell Pepper is widely used in food worldwide. The pepper seems spicy but it is not. Some Peppers are sweet as well as a little bit tangy in flavor. Are you cooking a recipe that calls Bell Pepper and you don’t find it anywhere in your refrigerator or kitchen? You don’t need to rush to the grocery store and purchase some Bell Peppers. There are some other kinds of Peppers that can be used as a Bell Pepper substitute in your recipe. You just need to know what kind of Pepper you want. First, you need to know more about Bell Pepper so that it would be easy for you to choose the Bell Pepper substitute accordingly. Let’s get to know about it.
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What is Bell Pepper?
Bell Pepper is also known as Capsicum, pepper, and sweet pepper. It is a fruit that belongs to the nightshade family. You can eat Bell Pepper raw or cooked from. Vitamin C is the rich nutrient found in Bell Pepper. It has many varieties in the market. You may find some Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red Bell Peppers around you. Yellow, Orange, and Red Bell Peppers are sweeter than the Green ones. Green Bell Pepper gives a bitter and little bit spicy taste but not sweet tastes as other varieties. There are lots of substitutes available so that you can use them in your recipe without ruining it.
Nutrient Profile of Bell Pepper:
- Calories: 31
- Water: 92%
- Protein: 1 gram
- Carbs: 6 grams
- Sugar: 4.2 grams
- Fiber: 2.1 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
Health Benefits of Bell Pepper:
- Bell Peppers are rich in vitamin A and C.
- It maintains eye health.
- Bell Peppers have anti-inflammatory properties.
- It is a good source of anti-oxidants.
What can You Substitute for Bell Pepper?
If you run out of Bell Pepper, you don’t need to run to purchase from the grocery store. Bell Pepper also has its substitutes. These substitutes are well experimented with and fully worth it to use when you don’t have Bell Peppers around. Here, we have listed some Bell Pepper substitutes so that you can choose accordingly for your delicious recipe/dish.
1. Poblano Peppers:
Poblano Pepper should be your first call when you are looking for a Bell Pepper substitute. It is a doppelganger of Bell Pepper. The large heart-shaped form makes it similar to Bell Pepper. It also has a thick wall like Bell Peppers. Poblano is mostly used in many Mexican cuisines because the abundance of growing Poblano is higher in this area. It is a little bit spicier than the yellow and red Bell Pepper. Poblano carries a mild heat that can be easily dealt with. The other name for the Poblano Pepper is “Ancho Pepper”.
2. Cubanelle Peppers:
Cubanelle Pepper is sweet and crunchy. This pepper is primarily grown in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. So, it is widely used for Cuban, Haitian, Dominican, and Puerto Rican cuisine. Sometimes, it makes an excellent replacement for casseroles, salads, or as a topping on pizza. It’s a good Bell Pepper alternative that can mimic a similar flavor to the bell pepper. You can make some recipes by stuffing them with meat, spices, and other vegetables. It has thinner walls than the Bell Pepper. The other name of Cubanelle Pepper is Cuban Pepper.
3. Anaheim Peppers:
Anaheim Pepper is also known as Chili Verde. It gives a slightly peppery and fruity flavor to the recipe. It is widely used in salsa in the southwest region of America. Anaheim Pepper has the same green color as Poblano Pepper. It turns to deep red color after a few days or you can say maturity. This Pepper is spicier than the Bell Pepper and has bearable heat for some people.
4. Pepperoncini:
It is another type of pepper that is mild, sweet, and tangy in taste. This Pepper is found in yellowish-green color with wrinkled skin and bulbous shape. Some people may be confused between Pepperoncini and Banana Pepper. Banana Pepper has the same yellowish color but it is shiny, long, and has a pointed end. Pepperoncini is not good for stuffing purposes. Poblano or Anaheim should be used for making stuffed recipes.
5. Jalapeno:
Jalapeno is another good substitute for Bell Pepper. It is harvested while it is green in color. You may ripen it or wait until it turns red. It is mostly used in salsas and sauces. There are two types of dried Jalapenos Meco and Moritas. It has the same ability to stuff when you have some large size of Jalapenos same as Bell Pepper.
6. Pimento Pepper:
Pimiento Peppers have a heart shape and sweet flavor same as the Red Bell Pepper. Pimiento Pepper has a shade of both ripe and Red Belle Pepper, but the texture is crunchy. You can’t make stuffed recipes with this pepper. It is less peppery and best for those who don’t like the spicy aroma of Bell Peppers.
7. Zucchini:
Lots of people mistake Zucchini for cucumber. The fact is that both are different from each other. Zucchini has lighter green color and has a smooth and shiny upper layer with a woody stem. The texture of Zucchini is watery which makes it spongy which is missing in cucumber. It tastes bitter when you bite at first. It works really well in boiling, grilling, frying, and stewing too. You can add it to your recipe for a more subtle flavor.
8. Banana Pepper:
Banana Pepper looks similar to the Pepperoncini but it’s not. It has shiny yellowish skin with a pointed end. Banana Pepper is widely used for pickles and raw sandwiches. It changes its color to red, green, and orange when it rips. The flavor of ripe Banana Pepper is sweeter than Bell Pepper and contains more heat than the mature one. The amount of heat present in Banana peppers is 500 Scoville.
9. Habanero Pepper:
Habanero pepper is one of the hottest peppers. It is most popular in Mexico and the Caribbean region. It has the same green color when it is unripe, it turns red after maturity. Its most common variant is red and orange. You should have to use Habanero Pepper with some precaution because it contains heat around 100,000-350,000 Scoville. Take only half the amount of Habanero Pepper instead of Bell Pepper.
10. Bok Choy:
You might be wondering “How can it work well as a substitute for Bell Pepper.” It gives a different taste as compared to Bell Pepper. The green one is not spicy but sweet whereas Bell Pepper is half sweet and half peppery. Both have a thick outer layer and almost similar textures. Bok Choy is used in boiling, steaming, or stewing recipes. It works well when garlic and onions are added to a recipe/dish.
11. Sichuan Pepper:
Sichuan Pepper is mostly used in Chinese cuisines. It is considered the top spice in the culinary world. It adds a unique spicy taste to the food. If you run out of Bell Peppers, you can try some Sichuan Peppers instead. This unique pepper is different from the other peppers recommended in this article.
FAQ:-
Can I use Paprika instead of Bell Pepper?
Yes, you can use Paprika instead of Bell Pepper. There is some difference between Parika and Bell Pepper. Paprika is a powdered form of Bell Pepper. The flavor and heat may also vary for both Paprika and Bell Pepper. The stronger variety of Paprika is very flavorful.
Is Bell Pepper hard to digest?
The skin of Bell Pepper is hard to break down. Some people face stomach pain and gas problems after eating Bell Pepper. Remove the skin of Bell Pepper before eating at mealtime.
Which Bell Pepper is lowest in carbs?
Green Bell Pepper is the lowest in carbs while red, orange, and yellow Bell Peppers have a little more carbs. Green Bell Pepper contains 8g of carbs.
Now, you know the best Bell Pepper alternative. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
