To cut a bell pepper efficiently and with minimal waste, follow these steps:
- Wash the bell pepper thoroughly and dry it.
- Trim the top and bottom : Lay the pepper on its side on a cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife to slice off about ½ inch from the stem end and ½ inch from the bottom. You can save these pieces for snacking or cooking later
- Remove the core : Stand the pepper upright on the trimmed bottom. Make two vertical cuts through the flesh to create large sections (usually four). Open these sections and use the knife to cut away the white membranes and seeds, discarding the core and stem
- Cut into desired shapes :
- Rings : Lay the pepper on its side and slice thinly into rings after removing the core
* **Strips** : Lay the pepper halves skin-side down and slice into thin strips lengthwise. For stir-fries, you can slice across the strips to make thinner slices
* **Dice** : After slicing into strips, rotate the strips 90 degrees and cut across to dice the pepper. You can also dice the trimmed top and bottom pieces to reduce waste
Additional tips :
- Use a sharp knife to avoid slipping on the pepper skin and to make clean cuts
- Store cut peppers in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb moisture; they keep fresh for 2-3 days in the fridge
- For freezing, flash freeze cut pieces on a baking sheet before transferring to freezer bags; they last up to 6 months
This method minimizes mess from seeds and maximizes usable pepper flesh, making it suitable for salads, sautés, stir-fries, and more
