34 Delicious Ways with Peppers

A great use for the sweet peppers piled up at the farmers’ market—all of them work in this juicy, tart pickle.

Recipe: Pickled Jicama, Ginger, and Summer Peppers

Red peppers lend a velvety texture, letting you "spend" your fat calories on heart-healthy nuts and a modest amount of oil.

Recipe: Red Pepper and Walnut Dip

Romesco is a classic Spanish sauce made of ground tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, and almonds. We turned it into a twist on cream of tomato soup, with lentils added for a nice protein boost.

Recipe: Romesco Soup

A sweet and salty sauce of roasted red peppers, nuts, and garlic tops this luscious chicken dish.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Romesco Sauce

The spicy poblano and the creamy avocado are a natural match in this grilled corn salad.

Recipe: Grilled Corn Poblano Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette

This is a great make-ahead sandwich, perfect for picnics or beach days. Add a few slices of fresh fruit and a couple of cookies to round out the meal.

Recipe: Radicchio, Roasted Pepper, and Provolone Ciabatta Sandwiches

A quick and spicy pepper sauce jazzes up these lamb-stuffed pita pockets. Serve with a cool cucumber salad and yogurt dressing.

Recipe: Lamb Burger Pitas with Two-Pepper Chutney

Stop at the farmer’s market or harvest from your garden for this peak-of-summer puréed soup. It’s delicious hot or cold.

Recipe: Corn Soup with Roasted Poblanos and Zucchini Blossoms

A play on skordalia, the Greek garlic-potato dip for fried fish. We add peppers for flavor and color, and serve with fresh vegetables.

Recipe: Red Pepper-Potato Dip with Crudites

Move over, boring pasta salad! This delicious alternative can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe: Orzo with Peppers and Asparagus

Puréed cauliflower serves as a creamy, hearty base for a soup, similar to potatoes but with a fraction of the calories.

Recipe: Red Pepper-Cauliflower Soup

The beauty of galettes is their no-fuss, free-form shape.

Recipe: Chorizo, Red Pepper, and Potato Galette with Arugula

Just slice and serve a few refined ingredients and you're ready to mingle at your soiree.

Recipe: Goat Cheese with Peppers and Almonds

Who needs the deep fryer when you can bake a flaky crust? Enjoy a lower-calorie version of the classic Mexican appetizer.

Recipe: Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas

Choose red bell peppers with glossy skin, deep color, and firm, thick walls. Roasting the peppers makes this soup sweet, smoky, and irresistible.

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

To create this bright-tasting but sultry salad, start with classic Moroccan roasted vegetables and then add fresh spinach and a sherry vinaigrette.

Recipe: Warm Chickpea, Red Pepper, and Spinach Salad with Harissa

Pair this hearty stew with a Syrah. The lamb echoes the gamey notes in the wine, while the sweet peppers meld with the fruit and the briny topping creates a buzz with the wine’s herbal side.

Recipe: Spanish-Style Lamb Stew with Roasted Red Peppers

Leyden is a Dutch cheese that's like gouda with cumin seeds mixed in. If you can't find it, use regular gouda and a few more toasted cumin seeds.

Recipe: Shrimp Jalapeño Poppers

Reader Caroline Lindley created this salad after buying a large carton of mini sweet peppers at a warehouse store. Regular-size peppers work too.

Recipe: Tri-Pepper Salad

Although not fried like the classic version, these easy chiles rellenos are still decadent.

Recipe: Roasted Shrimp-Stuffed Poblanos

A variety of peppers—fresh, jarred, and ground—makes this dish dance with flavor, though not with heat (it’s only mildly spicy). All of the peppers can be found at well-stocked grocery stores: Find piquillos with jarred peppers, Peppadews at the olive bar, and smoked paprika in the spice aisle.

Recipe: Five-Pepper Steak

The classic way to enjoy Padrón peppers, this appetizer is as good at room temperature as hot. You can also make this recipe with small sweet peppers, adding a sprinkle of red chile flakes.

Recipe: Pan-Roasted Padrón Peppers

Serve these peppers as snacks, toss into salads, or use as a topping for pizza. As for the flavorful oil, brush it on grilled bread, whisk it into salad dressings, or use it for scrambling eggs.

Recipe: Oil-Packed Padrón Peppers

For a dinner party, bring this pot of clams—rich with peppers and smoky sausage—to the table and serve with crusty bread to sop up the juices. If you can’t find small Padróns, which can be eaten stems and all, cut stems from larger ones before cooking—or sub in chopped green bell peppers.

Recipe: Steamed Clams with Chorizo and Padrón Peppers

An update on the stuffed peppers you grew up with. Couscous and fresh herbs make for a flavorful main dish.

Recipe: Mediterranean Lamb- and Couscous-Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers come together quickly for a colorful appetizer. Add a cup of chilled summer soup or salad for a light dinner.

Recipe: Mini Peppers Filled with Goat Cheese and Asparagus

Stuff New Mexico chiles with beef, dried fruit, nuts, and spices to bring down the heat on these Western favorites. Readers like it with ground turkey, too.

Recipe: Green Chiles Stuffed with Almonds and Raisins

Fill chiles with eggs when a special breakfast is in order. This colorful dish can easily be started the day before it’s served.

Recipe: Scrambled-Egg Chiles Rellenos

This chile relleno and egg extravaganza takes some time and attention, but with every bite you’ll be glad you made the effort. The salsa can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator until needed.

Recipe: Chiles Rellenos and Eggs with Tomato Jalapeño Salsa

Corn, peppers, green onions, and jalapeño lightly charred on the grill bring color, texture, and flavor to this chilled summer soup.

Recipe: Grilled Corn and Pepper Bisque

A colorful collection of peppers and vegetables comes off the grill for a satisfying salad that’s great with grilled beef, pork, or chicken.

Recipe: Grilled Eggplant and Pepper Salad

The Turkish tradition of juicy stuffed roasted vegetables inspired us to create this seasonal celebration of peppers and herbs. Look for smaller, squat peppers rather than tall ones. If you find them, large pimientos are excellent here too. Enjoy the dish hot or at room temperature.

Recipe: Stuffed Peppers with Lamb and Mint

Meet this season’s ace-in-the-fridge. The richly flavored combo plays as an appetizer to smear over bread with goat cheese; a topping for grilled fish, chicken, or steak; even a pasta sauce. Any kind of sweet pepper works, and you can change up the vinegar and herbs. But do chop the peppers by hand for a jewel-like texture; a food processor turns them to soup.

Recipe: Grilled Pepper and Herb Relish

A bright cumin-lemon dressing works well with any thin-skinned pepper. Try a rainbow of them, or focus on one palette, like yellow-orange. To turn the salad into dinner, add hard-cooked eggs and thin strips of salami.

Recipe: Pepper, Cucumber, and Chickpea Salad