Whether you grow them at home or buy them from the store, peppers are versatile vegetables that are delicious fresh or cooked. To help you get the most out of your pepper haul, it's important to know how to store peppers correctly. In this guide, you'll discover the best storage tips and techniques to keep your peppers fresh for as long as possible. We're also sharing ways to preserve your peppers, including our recipe for pickled peppers.

How to Store Fresh Peppers

Before you begin prepping your mild or hot peppers for storage, be sure to remove any damaged, broken, or moldy peppers from the bunch. For the best results, don't wash the peppers before storage. Excess moisture speeds up decay and reduces the shelf life of a pepper harvest.

To keep fresh peppers for as long as possible, store them whole and only cut the peppers right before you intend to use them. When properly stored, whole peppers should last 10 to 14 days in the fridge, while cut peppers only last about 4 to 5 days.

Peppers can be placed straight in your fridge, but whole peppers usually last longer when stored in a perforated bag. You can purchase premade food storage bags or make your own by poking a few large holes in a Ziploc bag. Perforated storage bags keep peppers from drying out quickly and they won’t lock in moisture that can make peppers soggy.

Sliced peppers don’t last long in the fridge, but you can keep them fresh for a little longer by storing them in an airtight container with a dry paper towel. The paper towel absorbs extra moisture and keeps the cut pepper slices fresh longer.

Must-Know Tips for Storing Peppers

Here are a few tips for maximizing the life of your stored peppers.

• Don’t remove pepper stems: When harvesting peppers, leave at least a little nub of stem attached to your fruit, and don’t remove it until you are ready to use the pepper. The stem helps fresh peppers last a little longer and keeps them from becoming wrinkly in the fridge.
• Dry off your harvest: Whether you wash fresh peppers after harvesting is up to you, but if you do wash them, dry them thoroughly before popping them in the fridge. Excess moisture speeds up decay and reduces the shelf life of a pepper harvest.
• Check the temperature: Fresh peppers can be stored on your counter for a few days, but they’ll last much longer in the fridge. Just make sure your refrigerator is set at 40°F to 45°F. Refrigerators set too cool can sometimes damage produce and cause peppers to turn wrinkly or mushy.
• Keep the seeds: While whole peppers last longer than cut peppers, if you’ve been cooking and you have half of a pepper left over, keep the pepper’s seeds and stem intact. When stored this way, pepper halves will stay fresh in your fridge for about a week.

Now that you know how to store peppers to maximize their lifespan, put them to use in some of our favorite recipes with peppers. We love to keep a batch of roasted red peppers in our fridge for tossing into pastas, soups, or salads. Use bell peppers for stuffed peppers, or try making this twist on spicy stuffed jalapeno peppers. Top your burgers or hot dogs with a batch of pickled peppers.