Are Bell Peppers a Fruit or Vegetable?

Although we tend to treat it as a vegetable in cooking, bell peppers are a type of fruit. From flowering plants in the genus Capsicum, bell peppers are closely related to the other types of peppers known as chili peppers. In comparison, bell peppers are considered sweet as opposed to piquant.

The definition of a fruit is the seed-bearing structure of a flowering plant. Bell peppers are this very structure. We can see this when we cook a bell pepper, since the seeds can be seen on the white part of the inner structure. This part is known botanically as the placenta.

Bell peppers are classified as vegetables in cooking. This has more to do with flavor and culinary use than its true botanical classification. Whether roasted, stir-fried or raw, these peppers have a flavor which is best suited to savory dishes. This also applies to many other types of nightshade plants such as tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.

While you might consider the question of whether bell peppers are fruits or vegetables to be purely academic, the classifications of plants have had important ramifications. Since customs charges differ for fruits and vegetables, the 1893 Supreme Court decision in the Nix v. Hedden case confirmed that the tomato can be considered a vegetable^[1]. This shows that the use of terms ‘vegetables’ and ‘fruits’ differ in common usage compared to botanical usage.

Regardless of usage, it is vitally important we maintain hygiene when cooking with plants. Learn more in our related article as we explain how to disinfect fruits and vegetables before eating.

In botany, foods are classified according to their plant origin, not their flavor or culinary use. Botanically, the bell pepper is a fruit. This also applies to other types of peppers such as chili peppers.

According to botany, a fruit is the part of a plant that develops from the ovary of a flower and contains seeds inside. The bell pepper fulfills both conditions. It grows from the flower of the pepper plant and produces a hollow fruit with seeds inside when ripe. The fruit is the medium the plant uses to reproduce since the seeds can give rise to new plants. Although commercially grown peppers may have their seeds removed, natural bell peppers give rise to the new plant.

Examples of other botanical fruits disguised as vegetables include:

• Tomato
• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Eggplant

As with the bell pepper, the above are fruits from a botanical point of view, although they are used as vegetables in a culinary context.

In cooking, foods are not always classified by their botanical origins or how they grow. More important in the culinary context is the flavor, texture, preparation method and the type of dish in which they are used. Although botanically a fruit, the bell pepper is considered a vegetable in cooking for the following reasons:

• Mild to no sweetness: unlike most fruits, bell peppers aren't eaten as desserts ir sweets. Even though bell peppers are sometimes known as sweet peppers, this is a relative term and they are still used in savory dishes.
• Typical use in savory dishes: used in stews, stir-fries, salads, sauces, fillings, omelets and other savory recipes. Although they can be enjoyed raw, bell peppers are cooked like other vegetables. Like onions, garlic or zucchini, peppers are often sautéed, roasted, stewed or fried. It's part of the vegetable signifier, a term used in gastronomy to generally refer to the edible parts of plants.

You can learn more about how plants are categorized in the culinary arts with our article asking is mushroom a vegetable or protein?

As we now know, bell peppers are considered a vegetable when used in cooking. Some ideas of how to use bell peppers in a culinary context include the following:

• Raw (in salads or snacks): cut it into strips or cubes. Ideal for fresh salads with lettuce, tomato and onion. You can also use it as a healthy snack or crudité with hummus or guacamole.
• Sautéed or grilled: pairs well with onions, mushrooms, chicken, beef or tofu. Use it in fajitas, tortillas, scrambled eggs or as a side dish.
• Stews and casseroles: add chopped bell peppers to lentils, chickpeas or meaty stews. They add flavor, color and nutrients.
• Stir fries: used in stir fries where the bell pepper is mixed with other vegetables such as onions, sugar snap peas, bok choy or various other ingredients. Usually a protein is added and then it is covered in a sauce before being added to rice or noodles.
• Stuffed: large bell peppers can be stuffed with rice, meat, vegetables, cheese or even tuna. They are then baked until delicious.
• Oven-roasted: usually peeled before roasting, the resulting pepper has a sweet and smoky flavor to be used them in salads, sandwiches, snacks or as a side dish. You can also preserve roasted peppers in oil.
• Sandwiches and appetizers: roasted or sautéed peppers go great in sandwiches with almost any savory ingredient.
• Pizzas: add strips of pepper as a topping. It adds flavor and color without needing much else.
• Pasta and rice dishes: bell pepper is great in paellas, baked rice, curries, pasta sauces or almost any dish which requires sautéed vegetables.
• Soups: you can make red pepper soup with aromatics such as onion and garlic. We can also add other vegetables to make variations of soups, either leaving the vegetables in strips or blending to a creamy consistency.

Now that you know whether peppers are fruits or vegetables, you can learn more about capsicums with our article asking how hot is a Serrano pepper compared to a Jalapeño?

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