How to Cut a Bell Pepper with Step-by-Step Instructions

Fresh bell peppers are one of the most versatile vegetables and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. They make a fantastic addition to many dishes such as omelets, sandwiches, and salads. They can also take center stage in dishes such as shakshuka or stuffed bell peppers.

However, if you are not used to cooking with bell peppers, you might be unsure how to cut them properly. Bell peppers are mostly hollow inside, with the exception of hundreds of tiny seeds that can spread all over the place if you aren't careful. They also usually contain some pithy parts called ribs that, while edible, lack flavor and should be removed. Here's all you need to know about how to cut a bell pepper.

What you need to cut a bell pepper

Before you can cut your bell pepper, it is important to gather the required kitchen tools:

• A cutting board
• A sharp chef's knife
• A paring knife or spoon (for removing ribs)
• Water for rinsing
• Paper towel or kitchen cloth for drying

First and foremost, you'll need to pick your peppers! Choose bell peppers with firm flesh and no wrinkles. Also, check for any soft or mushy spots. Rinse your peppers and wipe them dry.

A standard chef's knife is ideal for cutting peppers. A serrated knife is fine for breaking down the pepper initially, but if you plan to chop or julienne your peppers, you'll want to use a straight-edge blade.

How to cut a bell pepper

Don't worry; learning how to cut a pepper is quite easy.  If in the past your first move has been to cut your pepper in half, erase that from your memory. The following five steps will ensure you cut the pepper into clean and manageable sections without creating a mess of seeds:

1. Slice the top off

Lay your bell pepper on its side with the stem end pointed toward your knife-wielding hand. Slice off the top part of the pepper, right where it starts to slope downwards. Look inside the pepper, and you should see that the cluster of seeds, called the placenta, is still intact and connected to the inside walls of the bell pepper by the ribs.

2. Pop out the stem

Put your knife down for a second, and with your thumb, gently push the stem out of the top of the pepper that you just cut off. Discard the stem and place the bell pepper top to the side.

3. Flip the pepper upside down

Now return to your bell pepper and place it onto your cutting board with the cut end down. Cutting the top off provides a flat, stable surface that will come in handy as you prepare to cut.

4. Slice into large sections

With the top end of the pepper on the cutting board, the bottom of the pepper (called the apex) should be pointing up towards the ceiling. You are now ready to cut. Carefully slice the bell pepper downward from the apex down to the cutting board. Do not slice down the middle; instead, cut around the placenta. You should end up with 3-4 large pieces of pepper, in addition to the top part you saved earlier. Discard the placenta and any pithy scraps that are still attached to it.

5. Remove the ribs

If you have any pieces of ribs still attached to your bell pepper sections, now is the time to remove them, You can carefully remove them with your paring knife or scrape them away with a spoon.

Viola! You now have successfully cut your bell pepper. From here, you can slice or dice or bell pepper depending on your needs.

An alternative method for slicing a bell pepper

The above method isn't the only effective way to break down a bell pepper. Here's a quick rundown of the next best method. Which one you prefer is a matter of personal choice:

1. Remove the top and bottom

Lay the pepper on its side and cut off the top of the pepper, as well as the bottom tip. Pop out the stem and save both the top and bottom for later.

2. Cut one side of the pepper

Don't cut the pepper in half. Instead, just cut through one side of the pepper from top to bottom.

3. Cut around the inside

With the bell pepper on its side, carefully cut along the inside wall of the pepper, moving around the cluster of seeds. Cut away as much of the ribs as you go around the inside of the pepper. Discard the seeds. You should be left with one big section of bell pepper.

4. Remove the ribs

Remove and remaining pith with a paring knife or spoon.

5. Cut into chunks

Before dicing or chopping, cut the big piece of pepper into 3-4 more manageable sections.

That's it! You've now officially mastered two techniques for how to chop a bell pepper. Now, let's learn how to further cut your pepper sections for cooking.

How to slice a bell pepper

Once you have broken your bell pepper down into sections, slicing it is no sweat. This method is also known as julienning, which is a French culinary term for thin strips. Lay your pepper section skin side down on your cutting board, and use your chef's knife to slice the piece of pepper long ways into strips, about 1/8-1/4in wide.

How to dice a bell pepper

For diced bell peppers, simply take your julienned slices from the previous step, lay them perpendicular to your blade, and chop them into smaller pieces. You can chop several strips at once instead of one at a time. Here's an even faster shortcut: pull out your trusty food processor, drop in your pepper sections, and pulse a couple of times until you get the desired size. Don't overdo it, though, or you will end up with pepper puree instead.

Perfectly cut bell peppers

Now you know how to perfectly cut bell peppers every time. Use your sliced peppers for cooking or eating immediately. Cut peppers can be refrigerated for 3-5 days or frozen for up to a year inside of a Ziploc bag.