Sautéed Garlic-Herb Bell Peppers

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/5/24
Tested by Tara Omidvar
Garlic and herb sautéed bell pepper strips in a bowl

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Total: 16 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Colorful bell peppers are a wonderful ingredient for stews, salads, soups, rice, or pasta sauce, and are delicious on their own. Our recipe for sautéed bell peppers is an easy side dish for chicken, fish, pork, or beef, but also a great addition to an antipasto or a flavorful add-on to sandwiches, wraps, or even pizza. In this recipe, garlic and herbs add flavor to crispy strips of sautéed bell peppers. It's a quick preparation that accentuates their natural sweetness. A few herbs, seasonings, and good-quality olive oil make a fantastic dish in less than 20 minutes.

Bell peppers are a great low-calorie vegetable, filled with vitamins C and A, and fiber. Just a 3-ounce serving of peppers has 66 milligrams of vitamin C—close to the daily recommendation of 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men. Healthy bell peppers come in a wide variety of colors, and while there's not much difference in taste, a yellow or red bell pepper can add a splash of color to any recipe. Bell peppers are also labeled as "sweet peppers," and they do in fact have a natural sweetness that heightens once cooked. But if you like spicy foods, you can always add a dash of chile to this recipe.

Serve these peppers as an appetizer alongside crusty Italian bread, and make bigger batches to freeze if you have a surplus of this delicious summer crop.

What You'll Need to Make This Sautéed Bell Peppers Recipe
A Sharp Chef's Knife
A Sturdy Skillet
A Handy Dandy Garlic Press

"If you like bell peppers, I totally recommend making this recipe. It's a great appetizer/snack for summer days. Personally, I love fresh herbs, and the parsley and basil tasted great together. I also tried a splash of lemon juice at the end, and it really satisfied me." —Tara Omidvar

Garlic and herb sauteed bell peppers in a bowl next to crostini
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips

  • 2 large yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

  • 1 loaf Italian bread, sliced and toasted, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for making garlic and herb sautéed bell pepper strips gathered

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  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat.

    Oil heating in a skillet

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  3. Add the pepper strips, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until the peppers begin to soften.

    Sautéing red and yellow pepper strips in a skillet

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  4. Turn down the heat to low and add the garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2 more minutes, being careful the garlic doesn't brown as it will turn bitter.

    Pepper strips sautéing with garlic, salt, and pepper

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  5. Turn off the heat and add the vinegar, basil, and parsley. Toss to combine.

    Fresh herbs added to the sautéed bell pepper strips

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  6. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

    Garlic and herb sautéed bell pepper strips in a bowl

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  7. Toss again before serving. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve with toasted bread if desired.

    Ready to serve garlic and herb sautéed bell pepper strips

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Are All Bell Peppers Green?

Yes. All bell peppers start out green. The color changes depending on how long they're left to mature on the plant. So, they go from green to yellow to orange to red. For storage purposes, green peppers have a longer life because they're less ripe. Yellow, orange, and red peppers are already more mature and will go bad faster.

Choose, Prep, and Cut Bell Peppers

To enjoy the best texture and flavor from the peppers in any of your favorite recipes:

  • Choose bell peppers that have firm flesh and smooth skin.
  • Avoid purchasing bell peppers that have bruises, soft spots, or wrinkles, since they are past their prime.
  • Discard peppers if the stem seems loose and there is softness around it.


The easiest way to prep your peppers for strips or small pieces is to:

  • Rinse well all the peppers.
  • Pat them dry with paper towels.
  • Cut them in half and pull the halves apart.
  • Take out and discard the seeds, stem, and inner membranes.
  • Cut into strips by slicing them on the longer side, and then turn and slice them on the shorter end to make smaller pieces if needed.


For peppers that will be used for stuffed recipes:

  • Core peppers by halving them and scooping the seeds with a spoon or an ice-cream scooper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
63 Calories
5g Fat
4g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 41mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 90mg 452%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 107mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Bell Pepper, Raw. FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture.