6,517 red pepper recipes

Basic gumbo loaded with chicken, andouille sausage, and shrimp in a deep brown roux-thickened broth, simmered with the trinity, tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning. A hearty Louisiana-style one-pot for a hungry crowd.

For starters, the water, beer and sugar take this recipe in the wrong direction. Substitute these ingredients with red wine. Also, forget the pork - this has not flavor in chili. Just add more beef. These small changes would have won them $40,000. I made those changes and had people chasing me for the recipe afterwards.

A glazed Christmas ham brushed with apricot-sherry glaze, warmed with cinnamon and star anise, and crusted in brown sugar, served with a crisp, fresh fennel coleslaw in a herby yogurt dressing. A festive feast pairing.

Chinese whole crab wok-fried with fresh ginger, scallions, and red pepper in a glossy sherry-soy sauce thickened with cornstarch. Messy, hands-on, and absolutely worth it.

Hearty black bean cassoulet soup loaded with three kinds of sausage, a meaty ham bone, cumin, oregano, and a splash of dry sherry. Feeds a crowd of 16 with a sour cream finish.

Slow-simmered beef chuck chili with layers of dark chili powder, serrano peppers, and sazon. A bold, beanless Texas-style bowl that builds heat in stages.

A triple-protein vegetarian chili loaded with TVP, tempeh, and tofu plus three kinds of beans, mushrooms, and warm spices like cinnamon and allspice. Hearty enough to convert any meat-lover.

Pounded chicken breasts dredged in Parmesan flour, pan-seared golden, and baked under a from-scratch sun-dried tomato sauce with bubbly mozzarella. Served over linguine, this lighter chicken parm doesn't skimp on flavor.

Stuffed soft-shell crawfish: Louisiana bayou classic with shells packed full of buttery crawfish-bread stuffing, fried golden, and crowned with rich hollandaise. A full-on Cajun centerpiece.

Black eyed pea casserole layers spiced ground beef, black-eyed peas, and tomatoes between torn corn tortillas and melty cheddar, then bakes it into a hearty Tex-Mex bake with a Creole kick.

Baked hot bean dip with cream cheese, cheddar, Monterey Jack, sour cream, and taco seasoning, spiked with hot sauce. Bubbling, cheesy, and perfect with tortilla chips.

Low cal crab dip blended from reduced-fat cream cheese, light sour cream, sharp cheddar, fresh crab meat, and a kick of horseradish. The lighter take on a party staple, no oven required.

Broiled crab melts on Melba toast rounds with lime, green onion, and hot mustard, topped with bubbling Swiss cheese. A two-bite appetizer for parties, ready in 20 minutes.

Saffron-braised lamb shoulder served over herb couscous with cucumber, red pepper, and fresh mint. A North African-inspired one-pot meal with bright, herby accompaniments.

Italian meatball sandwich: pork-and-beef meatballs simmered for an hour in a long-cooked red wine tomato sauce built on salt pork, garlic, basil, and marjoram. Piled in a crusty roll with Parmesan and roasted peppers for a proper Sunday sub.

Cubed chicken with mushrooms, water chestnuts, red pepper, and slivered almonds in a creamy soy-mushroom sauce, topped with crunchy chow mein noodles and baked bubbly. Retro comfort in one pan.