Photo : Claire Lower

My waffle maker is an instrument for chaotic good, but it is rare that I use it to make something that is technically good for me. That’s not really my aesthetic. T here are rare moments, however, in which something I want to eat happens to provide some sort of nutrition.


Such is the case with waffled bell peppers. Somewhere in between “roasted” and “sautéed,” these blistered strips work well in salads, sandwiches, tacos, and (obviously) fajita-inspired meals. (I say “fajita-inspired” because if you are making actual fajitas, there is no reason to dirty a waffle maker in addition to a scorching hot skillet.)


The waffle maker’s direct heat sweetens, softens, and chars strips of pepper in about four minutes . You can drizzle a little oil on the pepper strips before cooking them, but you don’t have to. I didn’t notice an appreciable taste difference between oiled and un-oiled peppers.

Just set your waffle maker to the hottest setting, and slice whatever peppers you like to eat into strips so they lay fairly flat. Bell peppers are good, but why not waffle a jalapeño or some other spicy friend? Place the strips on the iron, close it, and let the peppers cook until they are soft and marked with dark, charred squares (about four minutes). Put them in a sandwich, on a hummus plate, or just eat them with some flaky salt (that’s what I ended up doing, and it was a good—and good for me—snack.)