BELL PEPPER SANDWICH (OPEN STYLE, TWO WAYS, LOW-CAB, PALEO)

First there were zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, and sweet potato toast. Now, we have a hot new paleo food trend – bell pepper sandwich! Here is how it works.

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.

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 prefect 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!

BELL PEPPER SANDWICH (OPEN STYLE, TWO WAYS)

• Author: Irena Macri | Eat Drink Paleo
• Prep Time:10 mins
• Total Time:10 mins
• Yield:1 1x