Bell Pepper Sandwich

by KetoFocus.com

An easy way to enjoy a low carb sandwich without the bread!

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Instead of reaching for the bread when you make a sandwich, try using a bell pepper! It's a fresh take on a sandwich that uses a bell pepper in place of the bread.

Trying to find an easy, healthy keto lunch can be different at times. Luckily this bell pepper sandwich fits the bill along with my avocado pesto pasta and my basic wonderbread keto sandwich.

looking down onto a bell pepper cut in half and filled with sandwich fixings

Go ahead and ditch the bread! You won’t need it for this sandwich. Instead, we use a crisp bell pepper that is sliced in half and deveined and seeded. The bell pepper halves become our sandwich bread that hold layers upon layers of sliced deli meat, cheese, bacon, tomato and sprouts. But really, you could add anything inside this sandwich. Well, except peanut butter and jelly. Don’t try that!

The bell pepper sandwich, not only holds the delicious layers of cold cuts together but gives a delicious flavor and a crunch that will have you hooked.

How to make a bell pepper sandwich

  1. Slice a whole bell pepper in half from the stem down.
  2. Remove the ribs and seeds.
  3. Spread softened cream cheese into the cavity of each bell pepper half.
  4. Layer your favorite cold cuts, cheese, tomatoes, sprouts, avocado or even bacon.
  5. Press the layers together and you have a keto sandwich!

ingredients for a bell pepper sandwich including a bell pepper, cream cheese, turkey and ham tray, bacon, tomato and sprouts - all pictured

Key ingredients

  • Bell pepper – We use the bell pepper as our sandwich bread in this recipe. Choose a bell pepper that is uniform in shape and can easily lay down flat on one side. That way your sandwich won’t fall over when you place it down. You can use the bell peppers with three lobes (male) or four lobes (female), just as long as one side will lay down flat.
  • Cream cheese – This is our mayonnaise for our healthy sandwich. You could use mayo instead of cream cheese, but cream cheese pairs so well with bell pepper and you will love the combination of deli meat, bell pepper and cream cheese. It’s best to use softened cream cheese or whipped cream cheese, just so that it’s easier to spread on the inside of your pepper halves.
  • Lunch meat – Stuff your sandwich with your favorite sliced deli meats. From ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni, bologna, roast beef, pastrami. If you are vegetarian, you can skip the lunch meat and just fill your bell pepper sandwich with lots of your favorite veggies.
  • Favorite sandwich fixings – This is where you can customize your sandwich to your liking. I love to add bacon, sprouts, tomatoes but other ideas are avocado, cucumber, lettuce – even everything but the bagel seasoning!

 

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Bell Pepper Sandwich Ingredients

  • 1 bell pepper
  • 2 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 slices deli cut turkey
  • 2 slices deli cut ham
  • 2 slices cooked bacon
  • 1 slice tomato
  • Handful of sprouts

Bell Pepper Sandwich Directions

  • Bell Pepper Sandwich
  • hold a bell pepper sandwich cut in half filled with turkey, ham, cream cheese

    Selecting the perfect bell pepper

    • Select a bell pepper that is uniform and will lay flat on one side. Unless you want to hold your sandwich the entire time, pick a pepper that doesn’t have one lobe bigger than the other. This will keep your sandwich from falling over and all the ingredients spilling out.
    • Three lobes vs four lobes. This is up to you. Just as long as one side will lay flat. The four lobes bell peppers (females) are preferred. Female pepper peppers tend to be sweeter than the males (3 lobed).
    • Red, green, yellow, orange. It doesn’t matter the color; however, green bell peppers have lower carbs compared to the red bell peppers or other colors.
    layers of lunch meat, bacon, sprouts and tomato fill a bell pepper

    Ingredient options & substitutions

    • Bell pepper – This recipe uses a green bell pepper, but feel free to use any color – yellow bell peppers, red or even orange bell peppers are a fun option. If you want to make little slider sandwiches, try using mini sweet peppers!
    • Cream cheese – Mayonnaise can be used instead or even vegan or dairy free cream cheese. Try ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing!
    • Mustard – For a little tang, add some mustard. Stone ground mustard is my favorite, but yellow or Dijon mustard would work too!
    • Lunch meat – Feel free to use your favorite cold cuts in this sandwich. Mix and match with roast beef and pastrami. Maybe turkey and corned beef!
    • Cheese – Besides the cream cheese, add a slice or two of cheese. Try provolone, cheddar, Colby Jack, mozzarella, Havarti, Brie, Gouda. Even crumbled blue cheese or feta would be delicious additions.
    • Avocado – Make it a California Club by adding a few slices of avocado or a thick layer of guacamole.
    • Cucumber – If your bell pepper isn’t enough crunch for you, then add some cucumber. This is an great addition if you are making a vegetarian bell pepper sandwich.
    • Shredded carrots – A sprinkle of shredded carrots will add color and flavor especially if you are making an all veggie lunch!
    • Lettuce – Gotta have lettuce on your sandwich? Add it. Or try some spinach leaves.

    Storage information

    One of the best parts about the bell pepperwich is that you can make it ahead of time! You can can meal prep your keto lunches for a few days because this crunchy sandwich will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

    Bell Pepper Sandwich: FAQS

    How can I make this dairy free?

    Instead of using cream cheese, use mayonnaise instead or spread on guacamole. Dairy free or vegan cream cheese can also be used - these are higher in carbs however.

    Can I heat up this sandwich?

    Yes! Top your sandwich with cheese and deli meats and roast your bell pepper in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes.

    What is a pepper bell sandwich?

    It's a sandwich that uses bell pepper halves as the bread. It's a great option for those on a low carb or keto lifestyle as you don't have to use tasteless keto bread or low carb bread filled with gluten.

    Nutritional information & Macros

    Nutrition Information

    Bell Pepper Sandwich

    Servings: 1

    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 487
    Fat 28.7g
    Protein 23.2g
    Total Carbs 8.3g
    Net Carbs 6.1g

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