33 Bell Pepper and Hot Pepper Recipes from Mild to Super Spicy

Sweet, hot, burn-your-face-off fiery—we love peppers in their many and varied forms. These sweet and hot pepper recipes represent our best ways to use 'em all, from stuffed bell peppers to nicely-spicy Fresno chiles and jalapeños.
Alex Lau1/32Roasted Red Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes with Ricotta
This salad hits every note on the sweet (red pepper), sour (tomato), salty (ricotta and anchovy), and bitter (olive) scale.
Laura Murray2/32Bob Armstrong Chile con Queso
A legendary layered dip from Matt’s El Rancho in Austin, Texas, of taco meat, queso, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Styling by Chris Morocco3/32Stuffed Peppers
These peppers stuffed with beef and pork take a page from Italian American grandmothers. They are delightfully old-school—and we wouldn’t want them any other way.
Peden & Munk4/32Grilled Chicken Wings with Shishito Peppers and Herbs
Steady medium heat is best for grilling wings; they need time for the fat to render and the skin to crisp.
Alex Lau5/32Red Pepper Falafel
Like it hot? Sub a Fresno chile for the red bell pepper for some extra kick.
Ted Cavanaugh6/32Barbecue Pork with Blistered Chile–Pumpkin Seed Salsa
You can always ask your butcher to slice the pork shoulder on the electric slicer for you, which will ensure even pieces and save you time.
Marcus Nilsson7/32Sweet and Spicy Antipasto Salad
Once you get hooked on fresh chiles, you'll want to pack them into everything you cook—including your antipasto.
Alex Lau8/32Cheesesteaks
Look for short ribs with the most marbling possible for these cheesesteaks; if you really want to splash out, use boneless rib eye.
Marcus Nilsson9/32Braised Brisket with Hot Sauce and Mixed Chiles
How can you look at this and not crave brisket tacos?
Danny Kim10/32Corn-Jalapeño Fritters
Never met a corn fritter recipe we didn’t like, and we love this one.
Peden & Munk11/32Grilled Kielbasa Tacos
Make sure to cut the onions and peppers into big pieces so that they don’t fall through the grill grates.
Marcus Nilsson12/32Spicy Confit Chiles
Chop these Calabrian-style chiles into pasta sauce or sprinkle onto pizza.
Marcus Nilsson13/32Red Chile Hot Sauce
Splash liberally on fried eggs, toss with grilled veg, or spread on a sub.
Marcus Nilsson14/32Soba with Green Chile Pesto
The key to cooking with chiles is to think of their heat not as a dare but as another essential building block of flavor, right alongside salt, acid, and fat. Rather than overpowering a dish, a perfectly calibrated prickle of spice enhances the other elements and wakes up the palate.