A bell pepper sandwich is a healthy, filling and keto friendly lunch or snack! You can assemble it in just 5 minutes. Bell peppers are a crunchy, nutritious and low carb replacement for bread.
The bell pepper sandwich started as a TikTok trend, moved over to Instagram and then took the whole Internet by storm. And you know what? It's a brilliant idea. It is easy, quick and delicious take on a low carb sandwich.
Being German, I love bread. I regularly make sandwiches with my almond flour bread, this everyday low carb bread, keto flatbread and recently also with vegan keto bread (without eggs!).
But I have to say, this recipe is satisfying that sandwich craving in a totally veggie-loving and fun way. What's not to love about layers upon layers of ham, cheese and other sammie faves, held together by a crunchy pepper!
I chose red bell peppers because they are the sweetest. Feel free to swap in yellow, orange or green pepper. The green ones are slightly lower in carbs.
But even with the red pepper, the total net carbs are just 4.6 grams. Yes, this sandwich is going to keep you in ketosis without issues.
I found the sandwich to be quite filling. But if you are famished, feel free to add in more high fat ingredients such as bacon or simply increase the amount of cream cheese, ham and cheese.
Also try my stuffed mini peppers!
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Nutritious. This recipe is packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber from the pepper and the other vegetables.
- Allergy-friendly. Pepper sandwiches are gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free and egg free. I have also added instructions on how to make it dairy-free.
- Filling and satisfying. Thanks to the healthy fats in the avocado as well as the cheeses and the ham, this unusual sandwich is surprisingly filling.
- Low carb and keto-friendly. Not a slice of bread in sight!
- Easy recipe - This is a quick lunch or snack that's ready in 5 minutes. No cooking or baking required.
Ingredients
Here is an overview of the ingredients:
Bell pepper - I chose a red one, but you can also use a yellow or a green bell pepper. The green ones have the lowest amount of carbs, but are also less sweet.
Cream cheese - Must be full fat. For a dairy-free option, use keto mayonnaise or a dairy-free cream cheese.
Avocado - Choose a ripe avocado. It should give a little when you press the skin.
Deli ham - Choose a quality brand with no added water. Alternatively, go for another deli meat such as sliced chicken, sliced turkey or bacon rashers.
Sliced cheese - I used Gouda. Other options: Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, Provolone, Emmental - or a dairy-free cheese.
Lettuce leaves - My go to is butterhead. Cucumber slices also taste good.
Black sesame seeds - Optional. I enjoy the crunch and flavor these bring. Everything bagel seasoning is also lovely, or add regular sesame seeds.
Horseradish - I stir this into the cream cheese and it makes it taste so delicious. You only need a little. Another idea is a bit of wholegrain or Dijon mustard - or a sprinkle of garlic or onion powder.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
It is super simple to make a red pepper sandwich. Here are the basic steps:
Step 1: Slice the peppers in half lengthways. Remove the stem, ribs and seeds.
Step 2: Mix the cream cheese and horseradish, if using. Spread the cream cheese mixture across the inside of both pepper halves.
Step 3: Mash the avocado and season with a little sea salt. Add into the peppers and sprinkle over the black sesame seeds.
Step 4: Layer the ham, cheese and salad into the pepper. Put the two bell pepper halves together. Option to slice in half crosswise to eat.
Recipe FAQs
The bell pepper sandwich started as a TikTok craze. It is a low carb sandwich that uses halved bell peppers instead of bread slices. You stuff it with all your favorite sandwich fillings.
No, I don't recommend roasting or steaming the peppers first. They become too soft and squishy. It's best to use raw peppers.
You can make keto sandwiches with hollowed out cucumbers. Or, make lettuce wraps or collard green wraps using the same filling.
Variations
Here are some ideas for different fillings:
Vegetarian: Omit the ham and add keto hummus plus roasted eggplant slices.
Italian: Pesto, mozzarella, arugula, tomato, provolone cheese, Parma ham and avocado.
Breakfast: Cream cheese, cress or alfalfa sprouts, bacon rashers, hardboiled egg (sliced) or scrambled egg, avocado, cucumber and lettuce.
Greek: Cream cheese, avocado, crumbled feta cheese, cucumber, salad, kalamata olives and tomato.
Pescatarian: Smoked salmon, tuna or mackerel. Fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon.
Reuben: Sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.
You get the picture - the possibilities are endless! I recently made one with salt beef, mayo, mustard and pickles...which I can also highly recommend.
Storage And Meal Prep
I love meal prepping, but there is only a little prep you can do for this recipe. You can prepare the cream cheese and horseradish mixture a few days ahead. You can also mash the avocado one day ahead if you drizzle it with a little lemon juice. This way, it does not go brown.
Refrigerator: The fresher a pepper sandwich is, the better it tastes. However, you can store it fully assembled in the fridge for up to 1 day. Wrap it tightly in cling film or store it in an airtight container.
More Low Carb Lunch Recipes
Try these recipes for a quick and healthy lunch:
- Egg White Wraps4 Minutes
- Low Carb Keto Tomato Soup25 Minutes
- How To Make Keto Quiche55 Minutes
- Keto Sushi Rolls (Cauliflower Rice)40 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Bell Pepper Sandwich
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 medium red bell pepper 4.2oz / 120g (or choose yellow or green)
- 2 tablespoon cream cheese 30g
- ⅛ teaspoon horseradish sauce optional
- ½ avocado 75g
- ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds or Everything Bagel Seasoning
- 3-4 slices wafer thin ham 50g
- 2 slices cheese 50g, I used Gouda
- 2 lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Slice the peppers in half lengthways. Remove the stalk and seeds.
- Mix the cream cheese and horseradish, if using. Spread the cream cheese mixture across the inside of both pepper halves.
- Step 3: Mash the avocado and season with a little sea salt. Add into the peppers and sprinkle over the black sesame seeds.
- Step 4: Add the ham, cheese and lettuce leaves. Put the two slices of pepper together. Option to slice in half crosswise to eat.
Marla
I tried this today and really enjoyed it! I left out the avocado because I am sensitive to it. It was really good even without it. It was fun and easy to make and something very different.
Louise Robbins
Ooooo what a good idea! I'm inspired to make this for my lunch tomorrow with smoked salmon/tuna, cream cheese, cucumber, lettuce and maybe some avocado? Will give it a go
Amanda
What a brilliant idea! Thank you.