Here’s a colorful, tasty and healthy side dish that pairs with just about any main: bell pepper salad! Sweet bell peppers need only a few ingredients to make them shine. Combine them with a tangy vinaigrette of white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil, then throw in a few handfuls of chopped herbs like parsley and chives. It’s a true rainbow of flavors and it’s quick and simple to whip up! This is a fun idea for using up bell peppers or whenever you need an easy side dish idea.
Ingredients in bell pepper salad
This pepper salad is a celebration of one ingredient: bell peppers! You’ll need just one other vegetable and a handful of herbs to play a supporting role here. It’s straightforward to throw together: you’ll simply chop the vegetables and pour over a quick dressing. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
Multi-colored bell peppers (you’ll need 3!) Red onion Fresh chives Fresh parsley White wine vinegar Dijon mustard Sugar or maple syrup Garlic powder Olive oil Salt and pepper
Best way to slice peppers
Bell peppers are notoriously tricky to try to slice: often the seeds spill out and get all over the cutting board! We’ve got a quick and easy trick for how to cut a bell pepper:
Using a large chef’s knife, slice straight down on each side to form 4 straight pieces of the pepper (see this video of how to cut a bell pepper). This keeps the seeds and ribs intact in the center. Slice off the bottom and top of the pepper, and pull out the stem. Place the skin side of the pepper down, and cut it into thin slices.
Ingredient variations
There are so many different ways to mix up this bell pepper salad! It’s a great summer salad idea you can use for other fresh ingredients you have on hand, but it works any time of the year. You can add or swap out ingredients depending on your tastes. Here are a few ideas:
Use different fresh herbs! Basil tastes great here, though keep in mind it turns dark during storage (parsley stays bright green). Cilantro or dill would taste great as well. Use shallot or white onion. Swap out the red onion for milder shallot, or use a white onion instead! Add cucumber. Cucumber works well here too! Swap out 1 bell pepper for 1 to 2 cups sliced English cucumber. (This variety tastes better and has a brighter green color than a standard cucumber; if using a standard cucumber, peel it and thinly slice it.) Add feta cheese. If you love cheese, everything tastes better with a sprinkle of feta!
Bell pepper salad storage
This bell pepper salad tastes best the day it’s made. But leftovers taste great too! Store the salad refrigerated for up to 3 days. You’ll notice that the peppers become softer over time and their color dulls slightly, but it tastes just as good. You may find you need to add a few pinches salt to revive the flavors. Again, using fresh parsley is nice if you’re looking to keep the colors vibrant, since it stays green over time. (Fresh basil tends to dull in flavor as well.)
Nutritional benefits of bell peppers
Another reason to eat this pepper salad? Bell peppers are loaded with vitamins, especially Vitamin C. In fact, one medium bell pepper provides 169% of the daily Vitamin C. Bell peppers are:
A low calorie food. One medium bell pepper has only 40 calories! Loaded with Vitamin C. A medium red bell pepper provides a whopping 169% of your daily vitamin C! (Source) A potential preventer of anemia. Some studies indicate peppers could prevent low iron (Source).
More pepper recipes
Love cooking with bell peppers? Here are a few more bell pepper recipes to try:
Go for Classic Stuffed Peppers or Stuffed Green Peppers Fire up the oven for Roasted Bell Peppers Try Easy Pickled Peppers Whiz up Roasted Red Pepper Sauce or make a Red Pepper & Feta Pizza
This pepper salad recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. No reviews
