Bell pepper
Capsicum annuum
Green: vegetal, slightly bitter; red/orange/yellow: sweet, fruity, mild; no heat across any color.
About Bell
The bell pepper is the sweet, mild-flavored Capsicum that lacks capsaicin (the heat compound) — making it the only Capsicum that's universally edible without heat tolerance. Green bell peppers are unripe (slightly bitter, more vegetal); red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are increasingly ripe stages of the same fruit (sweeter, fruitier). Italian cuisine features bell peppers prominently (peperonata, sausage and peppers), as does Hungarian (lecsó), Mexican (rajas, chiles rellenos with mild peppers), Chinese (stir-fry), Spanish (sofrito base), and American Cajun (the 'holy trinity' with onion and celery). Most US bell peppers come from California, Florida, and Mexico year-round.
Variety profile
Common uses
- Stuffed bell peppers
- Italian peperonata
- Sausage and peppers
- Roasted red pepper
- Raw in salads
Editorial notes
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are sweeter than green — they're the same fruit at different ripeness stages. Green is harvested earlier; the others stay on the vine longer.