Is bell pepper a vegetable or spice?

While the peppers themselves can be used to make spices, the bell pepper itself is the fruit of the pepper plant.

Here's why:

* Botanically, it's a fruit: Fruits are the mature ovaries of flowering plants, containing seeds.

* Culinary use: Bell peppers are primarily used as vegetables in cooking. They are often eaten raw or cooked in dishes.

The spice "pepper" comes from the berries of a different plant, the pepper vine.