Last Updated on 17th December 2021 by
Because there are lots of ways to use bell peppers, I’m going to show you a few different methods for how to cut a bell pepper. You will need to know different techniques depending on how you’re going to use your bell peppers in cooking.
How to Properly Cut a Bell Pepper
There are few important things you need to know about cutting about pepper no matter how you plan to do it. You always want to deseed it, as the seeds can lend a flavour to the pepper that isn’t very pleasant. You also want to cut the stem off and get rid of the core.
None of these are considered very edible or desirable parts. Most people will never use them in their cooking.
The first method I want to show you is how to cut a bell pepper Gordon Ramsay way. He has a really smooth and sophisticated way of cutting bell peppers that really outdoes most other methods and that gives you pepper strips that are very useful for a variety of dishes.
So, how to cut a bell pepper properly the way professional chefs do? Begin by cutting off the stem, and then flip the bell pepper upside down. Slice the outside off in large chunks, slicing downward and being sure not to include any seeds in your slices.
This should give you about three or four large slices of bell pepper, leaving the core and seeds behind. You can discard the core and seeds, and then take each individual slice of bell pepper and turn it with the flesh side facing down. This is the easiest way to cut the pepper.
How to cut up a bell pepper from there? Simply raise and lower your knife slightly as you push the pepper slices toward your knife. You’re making thin slices that are about 1/2 inch to 1/4 of an inch wide. Do this with each of the slices, and you will have strips of bell pepper that you can use for sauté, stir fry, salads, soup, and other dishes.
How to Cut a Bell Pepper into Strips
You can get bell pepper strips the way I showed you, but there is another way how to cut a green bell pepper that you may want to try and that may be a little easier for you.
You can start by cutting off the ends of the pepper- both the top and bottom. Then make one slice down the side of the pepper to open it up. Take out the core which includes the seeds, and then lay out your pepper flat. Remember to face the skin down just like how I showed you earlier on how to cut a red bell pepper.
Once the pepper is laid out flat, you can slice it easily from one end to the other, simply pushing the pepper toward your knife as you cut. You’ll be making long strips, and this is the perfect method for how to cut a bell pepper for fajitas. It gives you the longest possible strips, which is perfect for burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, and stir fry.
How to Cut a Bell Pepper for Stuffing
If you’re going to use bell pepper and stuffing, you probably want it diced small. You can simply use the strips you’ve made either of the two ways I’ve showed you and then cut those strips in the smaller pieces.
A very easy way to do that is to line up your strips and turn them to the side and then make a few cuts across all the strips at once with a long knife. You’ll have instant diced pepper pieces in a very short time.
This is the quickest method for how to cut up a green bell pepper into small pieces for a variety of uses. These small, diced pieces can be used to make salsa, dips, soups, and a variety of other dishes.
Tips for Cutting Bell Peppers
Before cutting bell peppers, be sure your peppers are cleaned properly. Wash them in running water and dry them off before cutting them. This makes them clean so that you don’t get debris and dirt in your food. It is also a good opportunity to check for signs of rotting.
Before cutting the peppers, look for bad spots on the peppers. You can cut these out if you like, but if there is significant rotting or bad spots, then you may want to toss the peppers completely.
Always cut the peppers with the skin side facing down. This makes them much easier to cut, as your knife will slip less. If you try cutting the peppers from the outside, the slippery skin can give you some trouble. The knife will cut through the inside of the pepper a lot easier than it will the outside.
How to Choose the Best Bell Peppers
There are certain things to look forward to bell pepper to determine that it’s good for eating. If you don’t want to waste your money on peppers that have already gone bad and you want your dishes to taste fresh and flavourful and have the right texture, then you need to look for certain attributes in your bell peppers when shopping.
I prefer to buy my bell peppers in the market, as these tend to be fresher, whereas the ones in the grocery have probably been sitting in storage for longer. The market peppers tend to have a longer shelf life. However, make sure you look for peppers that feel like they have some weight to them.
They should be firm and somewhat heavy. They should also be smooth on the outside. Stay away from peppers that are bumpy, spotty, or discoloured. A few little spots here and there are no big deal, but they should be mostly smooth and clean looking.
Look for peppers that have a very deep and vivid colour. They should be glossy or shiny. If they’re dull looking, they’re probably about to go bad.
It’s best to buy bell peppers when they are in season. When is that? The peak season for bell peppers is from July to September. However, certain regions of the country may have different peak seasons for bell peppers.
How to Store Your Bell Peppers
The best way to store sliced bell peppers or fresh bell peppers that have not been sliced is to put them into a plastic bag in their refrigerator’s crisper drawer. Peppers should be placed in the storage as soon as they are cut and as soon as they come home from the market or grocery.
Be sure to dry them properly before you store them, as water in the plastic bag can constantly degrade faster and become soggy. They can lose their crispiness if there’s any water in the bag.
How long should your peppers last in the fridge after you bring them home? They should last anywhere from four days to about 10 days, depending on how long they were sitting on the shelf before you brought them home.
I'm Pauline, a retired patisserie chef, mother of four and now a full time food blogger! When i'm not cooking i love long walks, reading thriller novels and spending time with my grandkids. Head to my about me page to learn more about the woman behind the food! You can find my Facebook here