Last Updated on March 30, 2023 by Toya
Check out the top 10 sweet pepper substitutes that can work for every recipe. Whether you’re trying to make stuffed peppers, a green salad, or sauteed veggies, there is an option below for you!
Sweet peppers are pod vegetables that are either mild-tasting or sweet. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and flavors.
If you’re looking for a good sweet pepper substitute, you’ll find 10 good ideas. Keep reading to see just how easy it is to find good substitutes for sweet peppers in a pinch.
What are the best substitutes for sweet pepper?
The short answer:
- Green bell peppers
- Yellow bell peppers
- Orange bell peppers
- Purple bell peppers
- Red bell peppers
- Italian frying peppers
- Mini sweet peppers
- Banana peppers
- Bull’s horn peppers
- Pimento peppers
Common sweet pepper substitutes
Red bell peppers
One of the sweetest types of peppers, red bell peppers is an excellent alternative to any type of sweet pepper (1).
Red bell peppers can be used to stir-fry, make roasted veggies, and fajitas, add body to soups and stews, and they’re great for making stuffed peppers.
If you’re making a recipe that calls for sweet peppers, red bell peppers are a great choice.
1 cup of red bell peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.
Yellow bell peppers
Yellow bell peppers are a sweet, fruity type of pepper than can be used to substitute other sweet peppers.
Yellow bell peppers can be used in salads, soup, stews, casseroles, to make stuffed peppers and so much more.
1 cup of yellow bell peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.
Orange bell peppers
Orange bell peppers are more tangy and fruity. They’re not as sweet as red and yellow bell peppers, but they’re great for most of the same recipes and food applications.
If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sweet peppers, 1 cup of orange bell peppers is a good alternative.
Purple bell peppers
Looking for another sweet pepper alternative? Purple bell peppers are a great choice. These peppers are sweet, with a green, grassy flavor. Nonetheless, they can easily be used to replace any sweet pepper in a pinch.
Purple bell peppers are great for stir-frying, grilling, and making roasted veggies, and they’re an excellent add-on to salads and fajitas.
1 cup of purple bell peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.
Green bell peppers
Green bell peppers are a tad bit bitter and grassy tasting, but they’re a great substitute for sweet peppers too. Use them in pretty much the same way you’d use any other type of sweet pepper.
1 cup of green bell peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.
Italian frying peppers
Italian frying peppers are skinny, mild-tasting sweet peppers great for making a side dish. You can also sauté, grill, or char these.
If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sweet peppers, you’re okay to replace that with 1 cup of Italian frying peppers.
Mini sweet peppers
Mini sweet peppers can come in a variety of colors ranging from red, orange, and yellow and are a great alternative to sweet peppers.
Mini sweet peppers are minuscule peppers that are sweeter than bell peppers with a crunchy bite. You can roast them, stuff them, add them to salads, sauté them, grill them and so much more.
I cup of mini sweet peppers is a good replacement for 1 cup of any other type of sweet pepper.
Banana peppers
Banana peppers are another easy sweet pepper substitute. They’re slightly tangy, sweet, mild-tasting peppers with 500 Scoville units. They’re very versatile and can be used for pickling, for garnishing, roasting, stuffing, etc.
1 cup of banana peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.
Bull’s horn peppers
A mild-tasting sweet pepper variety with a 0-500 Scoville unit and a super thick, crunchy skin. Bull’s horn peppers are large, long peppers that are great for stuffing, roasting, salads, on top of pizza, and more. They’re not as juicy as bell peppers though so keep this in mind.
1 cup of bull’s horn peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.
Cubanelle peppers
These are mild, sweet, long, banana-shaped peppers with a bit of a complex flavor. They’re great for topping pizza, stuffing, adding to stews and sauces, and eating raw.
1 cup of cubanelle peppers is enough to replace 1 cup of sweet peppers.