First, there were zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice and sweet potato toast. Now, we have a hot new paleo food trend – the bell pepper sandwich! Here is how it works.
What Is A Bell Pepper Sandwich?
I’m sure there are many people who have used raw sweet peppers in place of bread before, but lately, I have noticed A LOT of ‘pepper sandwiches’ going around on social media. Type in the #bellpeppersandwich hashtag on Instagram, and you will be presented with an array of tasty-looking creations. Here are some Bells Pepper Sandwiches Of Instagram!
While I’ve made plenty of paleo wraps using various vegetable leaves, and I’ve dipped capsicum into paleo hummus and pesto, I’ve not actually tried making similar sandwiches.
My first thought was that while they look pretty and all, it would probably be difficult to bite through the whole two layers of a pepper sandwich without destroying it completely. I did like the idea of using the halves of the pepper for an open style sandwich though (all that vitamin C and fibre), and that’s what I decided to make.
How To Make Bell Pepper Sandwich
I made two variations: avocado, mayo and hot smoked chilli trout and avocado; and sun-dried tomato pesto and salami. Preparation was quick and easy, and I found both of them delicious, as did my partner. Here is how I made them step by step.
You can use red, yellow or green bell pepper (also known as capsicums or sweet peppers). The larger the pepper, the bigger the sandwich, so choose wisely. I reckon two large halves filled with satiating ingredients is perfect for lunch for one person. Cut the pepper in two halves and remove the seeds.
You want to make sure the halves are slightly rounded like boats, so that your filling doesn’t fall out easily.
Fill the cavities with avocado, which is satiating and nutritious. For the yellow pepper, I mashed the avocado with fresh coriander, sea salt and lemon juice, but you can also add some slices. Scrambled eggs or mashed or roast sweet potatoes would work well, as would paleo-friendly hummus or other thick dips of choice.
Add some flavour boost with a little condiment such as mayonnaise, sun-dried tomato pesto, basil pesto, mustard, horseradish, paleo ketchup, hot sauce etc.
Add the protein: smoked salmon, hot smoked trout (on the left), good quality salami (on the right), ham, pulled pork or chicken, rare roast beef, turkey slices, crispy bacon, Jamon, tuna, sardines, hard-boiled eggs, or even some grilled halloumi cheese or regular cheese, if you can tolerate dairy.
Freshen it up with fresh herbs or veggies: green onions/scallions, coriander, parsley, basil, sliced radishes, gherkins, fresh cucumber, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, sauerkraut, kimchi etc.
And there you go! Delicious pepper ‘sandwich’ minus the bread that is paleo, keto, and Whole30 friendly. What I love is that they are easy to make and I found them okay to eat without losing all the ingredients. Plus, you can make ahead all the fillings and store them in the fridge for a quick lunch assembly when you’re ready.
Have you made a bell pepper sandwich before? Share with me in the comments!
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Ingredients
Version 1
- 1/2 large bell pepper capsicum
- 1/2 small avocado
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Cracked pepper
- 50 g hot smoked trout 1-2 oz., smoked salmon or tinned salmon is also great
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
Version 2
- 1/2 large bell pepper capsicum
- 1/2 small avocado
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato pesto or a few sun-dried tomatoes
- 5-6 slices salami good quality
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
Instructions
- Cut the pepper and half and remove the seeds. Make sure the halves are slightly rounded so they can keep the fillings from spilling out.
- Fill each half with the avocado. For Version 2, mash the avocado with coriander, lemon juice and salt, if you like.
- Drizzle with preferred condiment: mayonnaise or pesto. Top with chosen protein.
- Freshen up with herbs, spring onions or sliced vegetables.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The fillings look nice…but I can’t eat bell peppers – they made me gag! Guess I can try with lettuce wrap instead.
Thanks for the tasty recipe
I seriously NEVER would have thought to use a bell pepper as the “Bread” in a sandwhich. Amazing and so healthy!
I love the bell pepper sandwich trend. It’s so colorful and fun ! Thanks for sharing different flavor combos. I’m going to try the smoked salmon version !
love these colorful low carb options – they are so beautiful!
I’ve been noticing the same thing, bell pepper sandwiches everywhere all of a sudden, made me think I should write some of my combos down – although there’s no way I’d be able to top yours! I especially like step #4 add a flavor boost – crucial step in my opinion!
Those look fantastic, I haven’t seen them on IG, but will search that hashtag now!
I saw this on Pinterest the other day and thought that this was one of the most clever things I’ve ever seen! What a great idea, and something I will DEFINITELY be trying soon!
This is brilliant. And beautiful, and so inspiring!! I can’t wait to make these for my whole family. My kids are big bell pepper fans and will love these!!
These bell pepper sandwiches look amazing! can’t wait to try!
I am betting that crunchy pepper with ll those amazing flavors textures sandwiched between….wow!! That is my kind of sandwich!
What a brilliant idea for a low carb meal! I love bell peppers so I’ll definitely have to try this out.
I haven’t made a pepper sandwich in SO long and your fillings are to die for! Thank you for the great lunch change up for this week!
I just made bell pepper tacos last week. I broiled the red bell peppers first to soften them up some. Then filled with taco meat and toppings. They were fabulous. I didn’t know it was a new fad – can’t wait to try your ideas!
Bell pepper tacos sound amazing and I love that you broiled them first, gives them a little softness and makes the flavour even sweeter. I’ll have to try that next time.