It is so weird that bell peppers are so popular in vegetarian dishes.
I will begin by acknowledging that many people love bell peppers. More power to you. I do not. I always thought they tasted like gasoline and they wrecked my digestion. I went to the doctor and, after testing, it turns out I have a mild allergy to them. So I know that I am clearly biased against bell peppers, but I still think my opinion is a valid one.
There are so many restaurants, recipes, and prepared meals that seem to rely on bell peppers for their vegetarian option. No meat? Add bell peppers! They are not a substitute for the flavor or nutrition of meat, they are just a cheap filler vegetable. I even had an ex whose mom made me a bell pepper dish when she found out I was a vegetarian because in her mind that was the automatic, obvious replacement.
I have never understood why this is! There are so many other vegetables that have better flavors and texture (I know, I know, my bias is showing) and lend themselves better to a large variety of recipes. Bell peppers have so much water in them that there are only a few cooking methods that don't turn them limp. Where as there are many heartier vegetables (and now, good high-protein meat replacements) that can make a vegetarian version of an meat dish amazing.
Does anyone know why this is so prolific? For any reasons other than price? Was there a shadow bell pepper lobby or something? Was there a time period where bell pepper recipes were really common? It drives me nuts when I am somewhere with multiple vegetarian options but I still cannot eat anything because all of the dishes have bell peppers.
