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The Fresno pepper is a darling chili among foodies for its very eatable medium heat and, when red, subtle smokiness. More recipes than ever are calling for this chili. But say your local store doesn’t carry them fresh, what options do you have? What’s the best Fresno pepper substitute to save your culinary masterpiece? The good news is some of the most popular chilies in the world can help you fill these shoes.
Table of Contents
- Your best Fresno pepper alternative: Jalapeño pepper
- A smoky Fresno pepper substitute: Chipotle chilies
- A heat jump: Serrano pepper
- In a pinch: Crushed red pepper
- Must-read related posts
Your best Fresno pepper alternative: Jalapeño pepper
Yes, the ubiquitous jalapeño is your go-to here. In fact, these chilies look so much alike that grocers often mislabel the two in stores. In terms of taste, when they are young and green, the Fresno and the jalapeño have a comparable bright crisp taste and medium heat. The differences come with aging.
Fresno peppers tend to become a little hotter, fruitier, and smokier as they turn red. Those are the tastes that somerecipes are seeking, so while the jalapeño is your best alternative, it isn’t always perfect. Still, it’s available nearly everywhere produce is sold and the flavors are close enough to cover if time is of the essence.
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A smoky Fresno pepper substitute: Chipotle chilies
Chipotle is dried, smoked jalapeño, so it has a condensed smokyflavor that’s much greater than what you get from fresh Fresno. If you’re on the lookout for something smoky with a similar heat profile and dried chilies aren’t an issue for the recipe, the chipotle is an excellent choice. To balance the smokiness, you may want to lessen the amount used by half, then add in to taste.
A heat jump: Serrano pepper
Serrano chiliesand jalapeños have a similar bright crispness, so really the choice to jump to serrano is all about availability and your spice tolerance. Serrano chilies range from 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units. Ripe red Fresno peppers tap out in heat near the serrano’s basem*nt – around 10,000 SHU maximum, so you could bedoubling your meal’s heat by jumping to the serrano. For some, that’s a very good thing; for others, the jalapeño is likely your best choice. These chilies are becoming more popular in grocery stores, so if you have the option and you like spicy foods, it may be worth the experiment.
In a pinch: Crushed red pepper
This solution only works, of course, if your need doesn’t rely on using a fresh chili. If you’re simply looking for a heat source as a Fresno pepper substitute, crushed red pepper works well. The typical chili used as flakes in CRP is cayenne pepper, so it’ll be hotter than what you’d typically get from Fresno chilies. Jus keep that in mind.
Must-read related posts
- The Hot Pepper List: The Fresno is only one of over 150 chilies we profile. Check out our list, covering heat and flavor.
- Chipotle Vs. Jalapeño: We list both as substitutes here and they are technically the same chili. But how do they differ? We break it down.
- Are Dried Peppers Hotter Than Fresh? We recommend both fresh and dried chilies here. Would one be spicier than the other?
UPDATE NOTICE: This post was updated on March 31, 2022 to include new content.
FAQs
Fresno chili peppers were first cultivated in 1952 by named after the city Fresno, California. Red Fresno peppers look like jalapeno peppers however the Fresno pepper has a fruitier, smokier taste and they are a bit spicier. In fact, they measure from 2,500 – 10,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
Are Fresno peppers just red jalapenos? ›
Fresno chili peppers were first cultivated in 1952 by named after the city Fresno, California. Red Fresno peppers look like jalapeno peppers however the Fresno pepper has a fruitier, smokier taste and they are a bit spicier. In fact, they measure from 2,500 – 10,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
What type of pepper is a Fresno pepper? ›
The Fresno chile or Fresno chili pepper (/ˈfrɛznoʊ/ FREZ-noh) is a medium-sized cultivar of Capsicum annuum. It should not be confused with the Fresno Bell pepper. It is often confused with the jalapeño pepper but has thinner walls, often has milder heat, and takes less time to mature.
Are serrano and Fresno peppers the same? ›
Serrano peppers are up to five times hotter than Fresno chili. This isn't the best Fresno chili alternative for folks who are sensitive to heat. Regardless, it's a viable alternative to Fresno when Jalapeno, Chipotle, and Holland Chilies are unavailable.
Are Fresno peppers hotter than cayenne peppers? ›
Fresno Pepper Substitutes
Cayenne Peppers - Cayenne peppers are quite a bit hotter, but their thin walls and similar flavor profile would work for recipes like hot sauce, salsa, and making chili powders.
What's hotter, jalapeño or Fresno? ›
Fresno chile peppers are slightly hotter than jalapeños and a little fruitier and smokier, too.
Can you substitute jalapeño for Fresno chili? ›
Jalapeño peppers
Jalapeño peppers make a great substitute for Fresno peppers in a pinch. When it comes to flavor, jalapeños may be a bit more vegetal than fresnos. If you can find them, choose jalapeños that are red. Red jalapeños in are their ripe form and have more sugars than green ones.
What is Fresno flavor? ›
(KSEE/KGPE) – The Central Valley is a hotbed for agriculture, and Fresno chiles are a big bright red reminder of that. The peppers have a smoky flavor and, because they're fruitier than jalapenos, they end up with a complex taste, making them a favorite for many chefs.
What is a red jalapeno called? ›
The jalapeño is variously named huachinango, for the ripe red jalapeño, and chile gordo (meaning "fat chili pepper") also known as cuaresmeño. The name jalapeño is Spanish for "from Xalapa", the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally cultivated.
Can Fresno peppers be green? ›
Both jalapeños and Fresno chilies are bright green when unripe, and turn red when mature and they can be used in any stage of ripeness. Fresno peppers, however, change significantly in flavor and spiciness as they ripen.
Serrano peppers are similar to jalapeños because of the way they taste and how they have a bright spice. Both also have a smoky undertone to their fresh taste. One area where they are different is their size. Jalapeños tend to be slightly bigger than serranos.
Which is hotter, Cayenne or serrano? ›
Cayenne pepper measures 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. Serrano Scoville units are 8,000 to 22,000 SHU.
What is the most flavorful hot pepper? ›
Habanero Pepper
It tends to have a sweet and fruity flavor. It is often described as having a floral or tropical taste, making it a popular choice in Caribbean and Mexican cuisine.
Which pepper is the sweetest? ›
Red bell peppers, which are the most nutrient-dense, also contain lycopene. As bell peppers ripen, they get sweeter. Green bell peppers are slightly bitter and the least sweet, while red bell peppers are the sweetest.
Why are Fresno peppers so hard to find? ›
There are a couple of problems that make it harder for Fresno chilies to be found in grocery stores. For one thing, a lot of grocery stores (and their customers) mistake Fresno chilies for jalapenos or other peppers. There also just isn't enough awareness of this pepper to drive demand.
What is a red jalapeño called? ›
The jalapeño is variously named huachinango, for the ripe red jalapeño, and chile gordo (meaning "fat chili pepper") also known as cuaresmeño. The name jalapeño is Spanish for "from Xalapa", the capital city of Veracruz, Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally cultivated.
Are there any red jalapenos? ›
Left on the plant (and even after picked) green jalapeños will eventually turn red. So red jalapeños are older than green jalapeños. The red ones can be pretty hot, especially if they have a lot of striations, but they are also sweeter than the green.
What's hotter red or green jalapeños? ›
Yes! Red ones are spicier than green ones. And if you've ever had a green jalapeno before, especially a fresh one, then you know they are plenty hot enough. Only true lovers of spicy food will appreciate the red ones more than the green. Red jalapenos obviously have more Scoville scale than green ones.
