At the end of gardening season, I am sad when I pull my plants since it signifies the end of garden season. Generally most of the plants’ leaves are shriveled at this point–except my pepper plants. My bestie, Karen of Dr.Karen Lee, encouraged me to use my green pepper leaves in her family recipe! Her family has been eating them for years. All I have to say is now I am growing peppers just for their leaves.
The trick is to pick them before the plant leaves start to darken. I picked mine after a light frost since I knew that the peppers on the plant were never going to mature. My favorite bang for the buck pepper plant is a paprika plant since they grow to about 3 feet tall and wider as compared to an ordinary pepper plant.
You might be asking–a paprika pepper plant? Yes, it is the same plant where paprika powder comes from. The plant produces red long chili looking peppers. We used them this year in lieu of regular red peppers. I made paprika powder last year so I didn’t need to dehydrate them for this year.
I adapted my recipe from Karen’s family recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Green Pepper Leaf Cooking Notes:
- You need a huge amount of pepper leaves to make a dish for a family of six. This recipe can serve about 3 to 4 people. (Or one person since it so yummy.)
- Pepper leaves are delicate. Cook them like you would cook spinach.
Green Pepper Leaves–the Recipe
Ingredients
8 cups of loose pepper leaves (No stems.)
1 large red onion or 2 medium size onions. (You can use yellow onions as well but I like red onions.)
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil or organic Grapeseed oil. (You can buy Grapeseed oil HERE and Coconut Oil HERE.)
2 Tablespoons of black sesame seeds. (You can buy them HERE.)
3 Tablespoons of Dry Roasted Silvered Almond. (Buy Silvered Almonds HERE.)
Instructions:
1, Dry roast almond silvers in a pan. Stir the almond so they don’t burn. (Boy can they burn easily.) Once they turn a darker color, take them out of the pan and set them aside.
2. In another really large skillet or stock pot. Heat coconut oil until it melts. Initially the pepper leaves are voluminous and need room.–hence the suggestion to use a stock pot. The leaves will wilt down to nothing. (A little depressing…)
2. Add the chopped onions and cook for five minute. Serve often so they don’t burn.
3. Add the garlic and cook for a minute.
4. Then add the pepper leaves. Stir the entire time until they wilt. You can cook them in batches if you don’t have a large enough pan. If you need to cook in batches, use another pan to wilt the leaves. You will have to add some oil to your other pan so the leaves don’t burn.
5. Add the sesame seeds and dry roasted almonds and stir for another minute.
6. Enjoy.
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Join the Conversation:
Do you eat your pepper leaves? If so, share your recipe.
PS Bean leaves are yummy too. See HERE for my pesto recipe.
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Micaela @MindfulMomma says
Eat the leaves? I had no idea! Thanks for the tips and the yummy recipe ideas!
Jonathan Winant says
I guess its only reasonable that if you eat the flowers from the yellow and zuchinni squash then why not leaves from peppers and similar vegetables. In fact the flowers from some veggies especially squash are quite expensive one recipe is to stuff the flowers with soft cheese and quickly suatee or quickly broil or gill or just in a salad
Lynn Hasselberger says
Never would have thought to use the leaves. Looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Green Bean says
I have never heard of eating green pepper leaves but, as I’ve got a few sad souls up in the garden just about ready to come out, I’m going to give this a try! Looks yummy.
Betsy (Eco-novice) says
What a great way to use the entire plant. I love it! And a lovely pinnable image, Anna.
Anna@Green Talk says
Betsy, I love discovering ways to use the leaves of plants. I wish I could figure out what to do with the stems. Anna
Anne says
Feeling ashamed at how I’ve been wasting yet another thing that’s practically free in my garden. Will try this next summer.
Gina B says
Oh that sounds amazing!! I never considered a paprika pepper plant, I’d love to try growing one.
Anna@Green Talk says
Gina B,
Look for more paprika plants in my garden next year. 🙂
Jonathan Winant says
Its not that different then chili’s from the Chili plants used to make chili powder
jasmine says
Are bell pepper leaves edible, are they poisonous for human consumption?
Anna@Green Talk says
Jasmine,
They are edible. Anna
ChaRi says
Lived in Southeast Asia where pepper leaves are cooked and eaten. Have tried their recipes but I will also try yours. Looks delicious. Thanks.
Tammy says
Can you eat bell pepper leaves RAW in a salad? Or do they need to be cooked?
Ingrid says
Bell pepper leaves eaten raw are very bitter. It’s best to cook them & prepare the same way you do spinach. I sautee in coconut oil, garlic & a tbsp rice wine vinegar. Add to pasta, rice or veggies. Add cheese dairy/non-dairy & fill a tortilla wrap. Very delicious.
Anna@Green Talk says
I didn’t find them bitter raw. I do enjoy them cooked! Anna
shirley smith says
“All Leaves of the Capsicum pepper family (below) are safe to eat if boiled or cooked. Capsicum Frutescens” Found that online. Did you know that tomato leaves are edible too? and the brocolli all the above ground parts? and basil leaves, stems , flower and seeds???? Crazy what we have been throwing in to compost. I learned to eat pepper leaves from the Filipino dish Tinola.
Anna says
I always thought tomato leaves were poisonous. I eat most of my leaves except this one.
Nevermindmyname says
Just a word of caution: peppers are from the Solanaceae family, and related to the Deadly Nightshade plant. They all have varying amounts of alkaloid toxins in their leaves – while most are non-lethal, their concentration varies by species and growing conditions. Some people are more sensitive, esp. those with liver issues.
Having said all that though, tender bell pepper leaves have a delicious, peppery flavor – you can just pinch off the tips and chew them raw or use them as garnish. Just don’t over indulge on raw leaves, and watch for adverse reactions at the beginning.
Since leaves cook down to almost nothing, one way to extend it is to use them like you would use a herb – stir fry a large bunch of leaves with some cooked lentils, and squeeze a dash of lemon juice at the end.
I have also used them to flavor a batch of walnut pesto. The flavor is pretty strong and can stand up to the walnuts.
Anna says
I always cook mine. Anna
shirley smith says
They say the amount of toxins in the leaves you would have to each 1 . 5 lbs to get enough to harm you.
Cook them always … I’m always looking for information on leaves now.
Beverly says
I came from the Philippines where we use pepper leaves for cooking all the time. Usually they are used in chicken soup with green papaya and ginger adding the leaves few minutes before turning the heat off. Very yummy and healthy!
Anna says
Thanks for sharing this idea, Beverly. Anna
donnel says
By the way, the dish Beverly is talking about is called “Tinola”. It is a very common dish here in the Philippines and the taste is incredible! It is actually my favorite dish
Debra says
Quite dangerous, as peppers are in the solanacae family and contain neurotoxins. I found this while googling whether it’s safe to eat them cooked–raw is out of the question–and am still going to skip eating them. Too dangerous since the species vary so much in how much poison they pack…