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Aji Dulce: Mild Caribbean Peppers
The aji dulce pepper is a brightly colored pod popular in the Caribbean, particularly Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, with sweet flavor and mild heat. Learn all about them. Scoville Heat Units: 0-1,000 SHU Capsicum Chinense There are many different types of aji peppers in the world, most of the produced in the...
Aji Panca Chili Peppers
Scoville Heat Units: 500 SHU The Panca chili (or Ají Panca as it’s known in South America), is a deep red to burgundy pepper, measuring 3-5 inches. It is the second most common pepper in Peru, and is grown near the coast. Similar in shape to theAjí Amarillo. Aji Panca Pepper Flavor Profile The Aji...
Albino Sweet Pepper
Scoville Heat Units: 0 SHU (estimated) Capsicum Annuum The Albino sweet pepper is a block pod type that grows 4-4.5 inches long by 2-2.5 inches wide. It is a thick fleshed pepper characterized by the color of its skin which matures from a pale yellow color to orange and finally red. It is a bell...
Anaheim Pepper: A Popular Mild California Chili
The Anaheim pepper is a versatile chili pepper named for the city that made it popular, Anaheim, California. It is mild in flavor and heat, measuring 500-2,500 Scoville Heat Units. Scoville Heat Units: 500-2,500 SHU Capsicum Annuum The Anaheim pepper is a mild, medium-sized chili pepper that grows to 6-10 inches in length. It is...
Ancho Peppers: Dried Poblanos
The Ancho Pepper is the dried form of the poblano pepper, and one of the most popular peppers in Mexican cuisine. It is know for its smoky quality, with sweet to moderate heat and a mild paprika flavor. Learn more about it here. SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 1,000 - 2,000 SHU The Ancho Pepper is the...
Ancho Ranchero Peppers
The Ancho Rachero pepper is a mild hybrid of the poblano chili pepper with medium-thick flesh. It is best used for stuffing, roasting, or making Mexican cuisine. SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 1,000 – 2,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum The Ancho Rachero pepper is a mild hybrid of the poblano chili pepper with medium-thick flesh. The chili pods...
Banana Peppers - All About Them
The banana pepper is a mild, medium-sized chili pepper with a tangy, slightly sweet taste. It is typically bright yellow, but matures to green, red, or orange. SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 0-500 SHU Capsicum Annuum What is a Banana Pepper? The banana pepper is a mild, medium-sized chili pepper with a tangy, slightly sweet taste. It...
Carmen Italian Sweet Chili Peppers
SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 0-500 SHU This Italian sweet pepper is a corno di toro type (bull’s horn), because of its shape. The flavor is sweet and fruity. They are best picked when they have turned a deep red, as shown in the above photo. These plants were developed to bear fruit during cooler conditions, so...
Cascabel Pepper (Chile Cascabel)
The cascabel pepper is a Mexican chili pepper famous for its "rattle" and "bell" sounds when the dried pods are shaken, caused by loose seeds within. Learn more about them. Scoville Heat Units: 1,000-3,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum Mexico is well known for its chili pepper selections, both fresh and dried varieties, which are incorporated into...
Cayenne Buist's Yellow Chili Pepper
The Cayenne Buist is a bright orange chili pepper with mild heat, originated in the United States, great for making sauces and salsas.
Chilaca Pepper
The chilaca pepper is a dark green, curvy, mildly hot pepper that is an important part of Mexican cuisine. When dried, it is called the chile negro or pasilla pepper. SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 1,000-2,500 SHU Capsicum Annuum What is a Chilaca Pepper? The chilaca pepper is a mildly hot pepper that is an important part...
Corno di Toro Chili Peppers
SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 0-500 SHU The Corno di Toro pepper is an Italian sweet pepper. It's name literally translates to "horn of the bull", or "bull's horn", so named because of it's shape. It is also sometimes referred to as "Cowhorn" pepper. It is a long, 8-inch pod that is tapered, with a horn-like shape....
Corno di Toro Giallo Pepper
Scoville Heat Units: 1,000+ SHU Capsicum Annuum A mild and sweet multi-purpose chili pepper ideal for many types of cooking. Use them in place of bell peppers in the Cajun Holy Trinity (bell peppers, onion, celery), forstuffed pepper recipes, roasting and grilling, or simply eating raw. What is a Corno di Toro Giallo Pepper? The...
Coronado Chili Peppers
Originally from South America, the Coronado Pepper grows to 4” long and 2” wide with thin, waxy skin and flavor of pear and berries. Enjoyed fresh or dried.
Cubanelle Pepper: All About Them
Dolmalik Chili Pepper
The Dolmalik is an heirloom Ancho type pepper from Turkey. It has a rich smoky sweet flavor. Peppers ripen from light green to a reddish brown. Scoville Heat Units: 1,000 - 5,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum About the Dolmalik Pepper (aka Dolmalik Biber) The Dolmalik, or Dolmalik Biber, is an heirloom Ancho type pepper from Turkey....
Doux des Landes Chili Pepper
The Doux des Landes pepper is a sweet pepper that resembles a long and twisted Cayenne chili pepper. Learn more about this wonderful pepper.
Elephant's Ear Chili Pepper
Capsicum annuum Also known as Slonovo Uvo. The Elephant's Ears is a rare large sweet Paprika type from Croatia. The name is derived from the shape, as the pepper flattens when fully grown and resembles the shape of an elephant's ear. In Croatia, this pepper is typically roasted, stuffed, and used for sauces and a...
Espanola Chili Peppers
The espanola pepper is a cross between New Mexican chilies, including the Sandia pepper, and first appeared in the 1980s. Learn more about them.
Espelette Pepper (a.k.a. Piment d'Espelette)
The Espelette pepper, also known as Piment d'Espelette, is a chili pepper cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It is mildly hot, measuring up to 4,000 Scoville Heat Units. Scoville Heat Units: up to 4,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum When it comes to Basque cuisine, the Espelette pepper reigns supreme. The Basque country straddles...
Frontera Sweet Peppers
Scoville Heat Units: 0-1,000 SHU (or less) Capsicum chinense The Frontera Sweet Pepper is a variety found at Frontera on the island of El Hierro and brought to the chili pepper community by Peter Merle, a grower living in the Canary Islands. The peppers look very much like Scotch Bonnet peppers with a globe shape...
Gatherer's Gold Chili Pepper
The Gatherer's Gold chili pepper is horn-shaped pepper that ripens to a beautiful orange-gold color. It is a chick walled pepper with a sweet flavor and very few seeds. It is an Italian sweet pepper and ideal for frying, though it is also excellent roasted or raw.
Giant Szegedi Chili Pepper
Capsicum Annuum The GiantSzegedi sweet pepper is originally from Hungary. It is a heart-shaped pepper that starts out whitish-yellow then ripens through orange to red when fully ripe, where it is at its sweetest. The fruit is about 4-1/2 inches long. It is a fleshy pepper with thick walls. The plants are typically very productive...
Guajillo Pepper: a Favorite Mexican Pepper
The guajillo pepper is a beloved pepper used in Mexican cuisine. It is the dried form of the mirasol chili pepper, second in popularity only to the ancho, offering sweet flavor and mild-medium heat. Scoville Heat Units: 2,500-5,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum The Guajillo is one of the most common and popular chili peppers grown and...
Guindilla Pepper - All About Them
The Guindilla chili pepper is grown and processed in the Basque region of Spain. It is narrow and long, with a mild heat level and is usually pickled. Scoville Heat Units: 1,000 - 2,000 SHU Capsicum annuum The Guindilla pepper is a chili pepper grown and processed primarily in the Basque Country, which straddles the...
Gypsy Pepper: A Sweet Hybrid Pepper
The gypsy pepper is a hybrid pepper resulting from a cross between a sweet Italian bull horn pepper and a bell pepper. It was developed by Petoseed, a Southern California company specializing in hybridizing peppers and tomatoes. Learn more about the gypsy pepper at Chili Pepper Madness. Scoville Heat Units: 0 SHU Capsicum Annuum About...
Hatch Chile Peppers: All About Them
Hatch chile peppers are a generic name for New Mexican peppers that are grown and harvested in the Hatch Valley region, New Mexico. Learn more about the Hatch chile pepper from Chili Pepper Madness. Scoville Heat Units: 1,000 - 8,000 SHU (or hotter) What are Hatch Chile Peppers? Hatch chile peppers are actually a generic...
Hawaiian Sweet Hot Chili Peppers
Scoville Heat Units: 1,000-5,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum From Hawaii. The Hawaiian Sweet Hot Pepper has a similar size (about 2 inches long) and shape to a jalapeno but is typically eaten once it matures to red. Although still quite hot, it’s not quite as hot as a jalapeno, but when the Hawaiian Sweet Hot is...
HJ8 Total Eclipse Space Chili Pepper
Scoville Heat Units: 1,000 SHU Since the mid 1980's, China has been sending recoverable satellites into space on a 5 day orbit around Earth. Each trip, approximately 5000 seeds are sent along and are exposed to the zero gravity and cosmic radiation, then returned. Back on Earth, these seeds are then cultivated. Around 50 of...
Italian Long Hot Peppers
Italian Long Hot Peppers are mild, sweet peppers popular in Italian cooking, though they have become popular in the United States for their versatility. Learn more about them. Scoville Heat Units: 100 to 1,000 SHU (or hotter) Capsicum Annuum While internet craze and online trends may have taken the interest in chilies and peppers to...
Kashmiri Chili: Vibrant Red Peppers
Kashmiri chilies are a staple of Indian cuisine known for their vibrant red color, usually sold dried, with a mild heat and flavor. Scoville Heat Units: 1,000-2,000 SHU The South Asian part of the world is known for its spices. They specialize in not only producing but also expertly using a variety of spices and...
Liebesapfel Chili Pepper
The Liebesapfel pepper is a sweet, thick fleshed chili pepper that means “Love Apple” in German, due to the shape of the pepper. Learn more about it.
Mirasol Pepper: All About Them
The mirasol pepper is a Mexican chile pepper popular in making traditional mole sauces. The name means "looking at the sun". In dried form, they are known as guajillo peppers. Learn more about these peppers below. Scoville Heat Units: 2,500-5,000 SHU Capsicum Annuum The mirasol pepper is a popular chili pepper in the Mexican culture...
Mulato Pepper
The Mulato pepper is a mild to medium dried poblano, similar to the ancho pepper, but with a slightly different flavor. The ancho is a poblano that ripens to a deep red, while the mulato is a poblano that ripens to brown, then is dried. Learn more about them below. Scoville Heat Units: 2,500-3,000 SHU...
New Mex Big Jim Chili Peppers
The New Mex Big Jim chili pepper was introduced by New Mexico State University in the 1970s as a cross between local chilies and a Peruvian chili.
New Mexico 6-4 Heritage Chili Peppers
Scoville Heat Units: 3,000-5,000 SHU The New Mexico 6-4 Heritage chile pepper was developed around 1998 from a seed bank of the original New Mexico 6-4. The original NM 6-4, which was released in 1957, had “run out,” meaning that after so many years of commercial growing, it had lost much of its flavor and...
NuMex Joe E. Parker Chili Peppers
The NuMex Joe E. Parker Pepper is a variety of pepper named after the New Mexican University student who helped select the peppers. Learn more about them.
NuMex R Naky Chili Peppers
The NuMex R Naky is an Anaheim-type hybrid chili pepper created by Dr. Nakayama of New Mexico State University in 1985. Learn more about it.
Paprika Peppers
The paprika pepper is a large, cone-shaped chili pepper. It is typically dried and ground to make the more familiar powdered spice widely produced in Hungary. The paprika is a fairly large red pepper and quite long, growing up to 8 inches, and lends a unique spiciness to paprika powder. Scoville Heat Units: 250 -...
Pasilla Peppers: All About Them
The pasilla pepper is the dried form of the chilaca pepper. The name translates to "little raisin", and it is also known as pasilla bajio or chile negro. Learn more about them from ChiliPepperMadness.com. Scoville Heat Units: 250 - 3,999 SHU Capsicum Annuum Pasilla (chile pasilla) or “little raisin” properly refers to the dried chilaca...
Pepperoncini Peppers - All About Them - Scoville & More
Pepperoncinis are sweet, mild chili peppers, usually sold pickled. Also known as Tuscan Peppers, sweet Italian peppers, or golden Greek peppers. Learn more about them. Scoville Heat Units: 100-500 SHU Capsicum Annuum Pepperoncini peppers originate in Italy and Greece, though their popularity has spread throughout the world. They are very popular in the United States,...
Peppadew® Peppers (Sweet Piquanté) – Everything You Need to Know
The Peppadew pepper, or sweet piquanté pepper, is a sweetened pickled pepper from South Africa that is popular for snacking. Learn all about it. Scoville Heat Units: 1177 SHU CAPSICUM BACCATUM About the Peppadew Pepper "Peppadew" is the brand name of piquanté peppers grown in the Limpopo province of South Africa that have been pickled...
Pimento Peppers - What Are They?
Pimento peppers (aka pimiento pepper) are small heart shaped sweet peppers with a mild flavor and very little heat, commonly stuffed into olives and famous for pimento cheese. Learn more about them. Scoville Heat Units: 100 - 500 SHU Capsicum Annuum If you've ever tried southern pimento cheese, or enjoyed pimento stuffed green olives, you...
Padron Peppers (Pimiento de Padron)
The Padron pepper (Pimiento de Padrón) is a chili pepper about 3 inches in length originating from Padrón, Spain. It is typically mild but every now and then delivers a surprising blast of heat. Learn more about them here. Scoville Heat Units: 500 - 2,500 SHU Capsicum Annuum Padron peppers (aka pimento de padron, pimiento...
Piquillo Peppers - All About Them
Piquillo peppers are sweet chili peppers with no heat traditionally grown in Navarre, Spain, specifically from Lodosa. Scoville Heat Units (SHU): 500 – 1,000 Chili peppers are often known for their heat, for the spicy, mouth tingling offering that lingers after each bite. That heat, however, varies from pepper to pepper, and some chili peppers...
Poblano Peppers - Beloved Mexican Pepper (All About Them)
The poblano pepper is a popular Mexican chili pepper, very dark green in color, ripening to dark red or brown. They are mild, large and are heart-shaped. Learn all about them here. Scoville Heat Units: 1,000 - 2,000 SHU The poblano is an extremely popular Mexican chili pepper. The pods typically grow 4 inches long,...
Purple Marconi Chili Pepper
The Purple Marconi is a delicious and sweet Italian chili pepper. They grow to about 6 inches in length and taper to a blunt tip. It is a thin-walled pepper with a crunchy texture that comes in three different, vibrant colors - Bright red (as shown in the photo), which is the sweetest; Purple, which...
Rocotillo Chili Peppers
The rocotillo pepper is a pudgy, round chili with fruity flavor and mild heat that matures to a variety of colors. Learn more about them.
Greetings, chili enthusiasts! As someone deeply immersed in the world of chili peppers, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to guide you through the diverse and fascinating realm of chili varieties. My expertise extends beyond mere theoretical understanding—I have cultivated and experimented with numerous chili pepper varieties, exploring their flavors, heat levels, and culinary applications firsthand.
Now, let's delve into the concepts featured in the provided article:
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Capsicum Chinense:
- This term refers to a species of chili peppers, and it includes some of the hottest peppers globally, such as the notorious Carolina Reaper. The Scoville Heat Units (SHU) for superhot peppers like these can exceed 1,000,000.
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Aji Dulce:
- Aji Dulce peppers belong to the Capsicum Chinense species. They are popular in the Caribbean, particularly in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. These peppers are known for their brightly colored pods, sweet flavor, and mild heat (0-1,000 SHU).
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Capsicum Annuum:
- This is another species of chili peppers, encompassing a wide range of varieties with varying heat levels. Examples include the Anaheim pepper, Ancho pepper, Banana pepper, and many more.
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Scoville Heat Units (SHU):
- The Scoville Heat Units measure the spiciness or heat of chili peppers. The higher the SHU, the hotter the pepper. For example, the Aji Panca has 500 SHU, while the Ancho Pepper falls in the range of 1,000-2,000 SHU.
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Anaheim Pepper:
- A mild chili pepper named after Anaheim, California, known for its versatility in various culinary applications. It has a Scoville Heat Unit range of 500-2,500 SHU.
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Ancho Peppers:
- Dried form of the poblano pepper, popular in Mexican cuisine. Anchos have a smoky quality, sweet to moderate heat, and a mild paprika flavor (1,000-2,000 SHU).
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Banana Peppers:
- Mild, medium-sized chili peppers with a tangy, slightly sweet taste. They typically have 0-500 SHU.
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Cayenne Buist's Yellow Chili Pepper:
- A bright orange chili pepper with mild heat, originating in the United States, ideal for making sauces and salsas.
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Chilaca Pepper:
- A dark green, curvy, mildly hot pepper, integral to Mexican cuisine. Known as chile negro or pasilla pepper when dried (1,000-2,500 SHU).
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Corno di Toro Chili Peppers:
- Italian sweet peppers, also known as "bull's horn," with a mild and sweet flavor (0-500 SHU).
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Espelette Pepper:
- A mildly hot chili pepper cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, with up to 4,000 SHU.
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Guajillo Pepper:
- Beloved in Mexican cuisine, the guajillo pepper offers sweet flavor and mild-medium heat (2,500-5,000 SHU).
These concepts merely scratch the surface of the rich tapestry of chili peppers. Whether you're exploring the fruity notes of Capsicum Chinense or savoring the versatility of Capsicum Annuum, the world of chili peppers is a vast and delightful journey. Happy chili exploration!
