25 Bell Pepper Recipes That Make the Most of This Colorful Veg

Sprinkle bell pepper halves with slivers of garlic and dried oregano, then pop them in the oven until charred and sweet. Serve alongside London broil, lamb burgers, or grilled chicken.

This hearty country dish from the Provence region of France is an easy mix of summer vegetables -- bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes -- gently simmered with garlic and olive oil. Enjoy a bowl of it with crusty bread, or use it as a jumping-off point for breakfast, appetizers, or pasta dishes.

The secret behind this soup's complex flavor? A generous dose of saffron, cumin, and cayenne. Serve hot or chilled with a little sour cream swirled in.

Store-bought dough and a hot grill means you can get pizza on the dinner table in just 35 minutes. Top each with creamy goat cheese, charred bell peppers and red onions, and lemony arugula.

Anchovies, capers, onions, and red-wine vinegar transform simple spaghetti into a briny, umami-packed filling for a rainbow of roasted peppers. Top with fresh oregano leaves just before serving.

We lightened up the classic egg-in-a-hole by swapping out the usual fried bread slices for fresh bell peppers and serving the whole thing on multigrain toast.

Kalamata olives, capers, and red-pepper flakes add zing to the yellow bell pepper-and-tomato sauce that accompanies this quick and tasty pork dish.

We love our greens, but in this salad, they're more of an accent to the tender white beans and sweet, meaty roasted red peppers.

A flavor-packed relish made with roasted yellow bell peppers, toasted almonds, garlic, smoked paprika, white-wine vinegar, and olive oil is the perfect partner for succulent scallops in this summery dish.

Browning Italian sausage, bell peppers, and onions before stewing them with tomato paste and chicken broth gives the resulting ragu tons of flavor. Serve atop creamy polenta and finish with Parmesan and fresh parsley.

You can make this quick condiment up to four days in advance. It goes great in chicken or tuna salad, grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta, and so much more.

Smoky charred bell peppers get the Mediterranean treatment with a lemony, caper-kissed vinaigrette and a scattering of Kalamata olives and fresh basil leaves.

This delectable dip blends roasted red peppers, walnuts, and balsamic vinegar. Paprika and cumin add smoky back notes.

Sweet yellow bell peppers, yellow cherry tomatoes, and crookneck squash make for a striking golden pasta dish.

All you need to make this no-cook cold soup is a refrigerator, a blender, and 15 minutes. The secret to the surprisingly complex flavor is pairing the mellow produce with creamy dairy and a shot of spice.

For a fast, flavorful side, try this saute of summer staples and fragrant store-bought curry paste.

Garlic, lemon, and oregano mingle in an olive-oil marinade for sweet roasted bell peppers. Serve these as part of an appetizer platter with hummus or salumi or pile them on your favorite sandwich.

Bite-size peppers take a turn for the spicy, meaty, sweet, and smoky.

This tangy chilled puree gets its striking color from earthy beets and red bell peppers. They're cooked with shallots and then blended into a silken soup. Goat cheese, a traditional accompaniment for beets, lends creaminess. A squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of sea salt heighten the flavors.

Flavored with fennel seeds, these pork burgers are reminiscent of sweet Italian sausage. Grill sliced onion and red and yellow bell peppers in a foil packet and serve on the mozzarella-topped burgers.

In Spain, tortilla refers to a hearty egg-and-potato dish that's eaten warm or cold any time of day. Red bell pepper gives this version another layer of flavor.

Vinegar, sugar, salt, and a bevy of spices -- black peppercorns, coriander seeds, allspice berries, and bay leaves -- make a spectacular brine for bell peppers, red onions, and jalapeno. These irresistible pickles will last up to three months in the fridge.

Roasted red peppers, raisins, and capers bring a complex, smoky-sweet flavor to this easy dip.

Sear pork chops in a cast-iron skillet for a beautifully browned crust, then heap on a platter with Soft, Cheesy Polenta and Shredded, Sauteed Collard Greens.

Watch Lucinda Scala Quinn prepare this recipe.

This mixture of red and green bell peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro -- called sofrito -- is used in many Latin American recipes as a seasoning base; it can even replace salsa as a dip for chips. Make a big batch and keep it in the freezer for delicious dinners to come.