Interesting. From everything I have read they are considered poisonous (specifically alkaloids) just like the leaves from the other plants in the nightshade family (tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, etc.). I suppose the alkaloid poisons could be neutralized by cooking or perhaps some varieties contain less. Is it worth the risk?

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Food Ref - Bell pepper leaves

I had heard this few years back that Orientals(Vietnemese, Thais, Filipinos ..) cook and eat certain pepper leave traditionally but I have never tried it myself.

Here are some testimony from a discussion on GW:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pepper/msg0714221719357.html
1)
" my mom used to make soup with the leaves. it was yummy. i'm still alive and its been over 10 years since i've eaten it. Maybe it depends what kind of pepper?! she used jalapeno leaves."
2)
"A neighbor just answered my question. You boil the leaves and they taste something like spinach, only better.
3)
"my wife has a recipe for a chicken soup called "tinola" that she uses chile pepper leaves, it comes out really good. "
4)
"My wife is Filipina, too, and along with harvesting the peppers, I harvest pepper leaves for her on a regular basis throughout the growing season. Usually used for tinola (great soup!), she stir-fries them, too, we have never suffered any ill effects. We have harvested leaves from jalapeno, habanero, thai, labuyo, and tabasco. All have different flavors, and a level of heat to them, too."

5)
"In my back home in North Ossetia (Russia) we traditionally boil and preserve the hot pepper leaves with salt for winter. We eat them mixing with sour cream or kefir. They are simply delicious.

I have a lot of interest in learning what plants in my yard are medicinal and/or edible, and which ones (or parts) are toxic. It's amazing what is not only edible but nutritious! Never knew about bell pepper leaves, so I looked it up. Just as I trust only a few canning sites, I have some favorites for herbal, medicinal, and/or edible plants research. Here's one of my favorites from Texas A&M. Bell pepper leaves, after cooking, are indeed edible.

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas A&M edible parts of vegetables

jill2761, Thanks so much for posting that Texas A&M link. Very informative.

Deborah

It is amazing how some people perceive certain things:
years ago, I was in a friend's garden. He had radishes growing. As we were talking I picked some radish leaves and started eating them. He told me by a surprise that he never thought that radish leaves are edible. It would have been the same to me, some years ago, if somebody picke snow peas greens an ate it in front of me.

ABOUT PEPPER LEAVES:

As we learned, they have to be cooked. I would not eat them raw.

That is a great link Jill. Very informative. Thanks for posting it. Not sure I'd want to eat them but nice to know it is possible with some varieties at least.

Dave

Good Day All
Hope some of you have tried eating and cooking these wonderful tasting Bell Pepper Leaves.
I just made a pot of mix greens for tonight. Collards, Swiss Chard, and my new best favorite greens, "Bell Pepper Greens. Best Ever, I like to flavor with a nice vinegar when serving.

Dave if you are a fan of Spinach. You will not be disappointed enjoying Bell Pepper Leaves.

It was a elder Filipino Grandma who told us not to waste the Bell Pepper Leaves. Like I said before, I never gave it a second thought, till just the other day.

Jill thanks for the great Link, much appriecated

Here in N. California Foothills the Pepper Crop is Huge, with last weeks first heavy Rain, the Bells and Eggplants are going crazy.

I am thinking I will try and stuff stome, like grape leaves, think it will work after a blanching first.
Cheers
Donald

I am thinking I will try and stuff stome, like grape leaves, think it will work after a blanching first.
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I like that idea, Donald. I will try it soon. But you have to pick the bigger leaves. I have stuffed shiso leaves numerous times. That is what Japanese use it to roll sushi. Why not with pepper leaves.

jill2761, that link is awesome!

I have eaten fava bean leaves (very tasty) and grazed on a few raw snap bean leaves, but never thought to cook the latter. I might give it a try this week if I can find young leaves on my plants. Getting kind of tired of the pods and zucchini ;).

Speaking of, zucchini stems are edible and pretty good, though by the time I am cutting down the plants for winter I am not much looking for more zuke-tasting vegie dishes ;).

Apparently you can eat tomato leaves as well. The link below was provided in a post that Baker Creek put on Facebook recently.

Rodney

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Leaves: The Toxic Myth

I've never thought about even trying the leaves of pepper or tomatoes! I do love to smell them and I'm going to give a try at cooking them after reading this post.

Thanks for the links Jill and Rodney!