24 Types of Peppers Every Cook Should Know (Plus What Dishes They’re Found in)
You snack on bell peppers, you love the heat of jalapeño in homemade watermelon salsa and you’ve dabbled with poblanos, but you’re ready to branch out. Good news: There are approximately 4,000 varieties of chile peppers in the world, with more being cultivated all the time. To help you navigate the spicy landscape, here are 24 popular types of peppers to know (plus what they’re used for).
What to Know About Peppers
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All peppers are slightly different in taste and appearance, but they share some general characteristics:
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1. Bell Peppers
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Also called: sweet pepper, sweet bell pepper
Characteristics of bell peppers: Bell peppers are large compared to other types of peppers, and can be green, yellow, orange and red (and sometimes purple) in color. They’re not fully ripe in their green state, so they taste bitter, but as they ripen, they become sweet. Bell peppers aren’t spicy, but they add color and sweetness to recipes (and are great when stuffed).
Scoville heat units: 0
Try it in: Veggie-Loaded Stuffed Bell Peppers
2. Banana Peppers
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Also called: yellow wax pepper
Characteristics of banana peppers: These medium-size peppers are tangy and mild with a bright yellow color (hence the name). They get sweeter as they ripen and are frequently served pickled—and happen to be an excellent source of vitamin C.
Scoville heat units: 0 to 500
Try it in: substitute for jalapeños in Cheater’s Sicilian-Style Pizza with Jalapeños and Honey
3. Piquillo Peppers
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Also called: n/a
Characteristics of piquillo peppers: Spanish piquillo peppers are sweet without any heat, like bell peppers. They’re most often served roasted, skinned and jarred in oil, as tapas or with meat, seafood and cheese.
Scoville heat units: 0 to 500
Try it in: Spanish Tapas Board
4. Friggitello Peppers
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Also called: sweet Italian peppers, pepperoncini (in the U.S.)
Characteristics of friggitello peppers: Hailing from Italy, these bright yellow peppers are only slightly hotter than a bell pepper, with a slightly bitter taste. They’re frequently pickled and sold in jars, and in the United States, are known as pepperoncini (although that’s the name of a different, spicier pepper in Italy).
Scoville heat units: 100 to 500
Try it in: Chopped Italian Salad Pizza
5. Cherry Peppers
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Also called: pimento, pimiento
Characteristics of cherry peppers: While pimiento is the Spanish word for pepper, in English-speaking countries, it refers to the heart-shaped cherry pepper. Mildly spicy, it’s used in pimento cheese and frequently sold pickled in jars. It’s also an ingredient to the Syracuse, New York, pasta specialty, chicken riggies.
Scoville heat units: 100 to 500
Try it in: Utica Greens
6. Shishito Peppers
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Also called: shishitōgarashi, kkwari-gochu, groundcherry pepper
Characteristics of shishito peppers: These East Asian peppers are usually harvested while green, and they taste slightly bitter with mild heat—statistically, one in ten shishito peppers is spicy. They’re frequently served charred or blistered, but can be eaten raw too.
Scoville heat units: 100 to 1,000
Try it in: Pimento Cheese Stuffed Shishito Peppers
7. Hatch Peppers
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Also called: New Mexico chile
Characteristics of Hatch peppers: Hatch peppers are a type of New Mexican chile, and they’re a staple in the region. They’re slightly pungent like an onion, with a subtle spiciness and smoky taste. Hatch chiles are grown in the Hatch Valley, a region that stretches along the Rio Grande River, and are highly sought after for their quality and taste.
Scoville heat units: 0 to 100,000
Try it in: Spicy Slow Cooker Green Chicken Chili
8. Anaheim Peppers
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Also called: New Mexico chile
Characteristics of Anaheim peppers: Anaheim peppers are a type of New Mexican pepper, but they’re grown outside of New Mexico. They’re not as spicy as, say, a habanero, but spicier than a bell pepper. You’ll often see them as canned green peppers or dried red peppers in the grocery store.
Scoville heat units: 500 to 2,500
Try it in: Spicy Chile Crisp
9. Chilaca Peppers
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Also called: pasilla (when dried)
Characteristics of chilaca peppers: These wrinkly chiles are only slightly spicy, with a prune-like flavor and black-colored flesh. In their dried form, their frequently combined with fruits to make sauces.
Scoville heat units: 1,000 to 3,999
Try it in: Spring Crudités with Romesco Sauce
10. Poblano Peppers
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Also called: ancho (when dried)
Characteristics of poblano peppers: These large green peppers hail from Puebla, Mexico, and while they’re relatively mild (especially in their unripe state), they get hotter as they mature. Poblanos are frequently roasted and stuffed or added to mole sauces.
Scoville heat units: 1,000 to 5,000
Try it in: Sausage, Corn and Poblano Chowder
11. Hungarian Wax Peppers
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Also called: hot yellow pepper
Characteristics of Hungarian wax peppers: Hungarian wax peppers are easily confused with banana peppers for their appearance, but they taste much hotter. Their heat and floral aroma make them as essential in Hungarian cuisine as paprika (which they’re often used to make).
Scoville heat units: 1,000 to 15,000
Try it in: substitute for bell peppers in Classic Stuffed Peppers
12. Mirasol Peppers
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Also called: guajillo (when dried)
Characteristics of mirasol peppers: Originating in Mexico, mildly spicy mirasol peppers are most often found in their dried state as guajillo peppers, and can be used in marinades, rubs and salsas. They taste tangy and fruity when raw, but become richer when dried.
Scoville heat units: 2,500 to 5,000
Try it in: Roasted Plantains with Chili-Peanut Lime Salsa and Feta
13. Fresno Peppers
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Also called: n/a
Characteristics of Fresno peppers: This relative of Anaheim and Hatch peppers is native to New Mexico but grows throughout California. It’s green when unripe but will change to orange and red as it matures, with a high ratio of flesh to skin that makes it good for stuffing. Red Fresnos are less flavorful and spicier than jalapeños, so they’re good when you want to add a kick to a dish.
Scoville heat units: 2,500 to 10,000
Try it in: Spicy, Crunchy Sesame Cucumber Salad
14. Jalapeño Peppers
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Also called: chipotle (when smoke-dried)
Characteristics of jalapeño peppers: The jalapeño pepper is a Mexican chile that’s plucked from the vine when still green (although it will turn red as it ripens). Commonly used in salsas, they’re spicy but not too spicy, with a subtle fruity flavor. (It also happens to be great for livening up mac and cheese, in my opinion.)
Scoville heat units: 3,500 to 8,000
Try it in: Jalapeño-Avocado Mac and Cheese
15. Serrano Peppers
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Also called: n/a
Characteristics of serrano peppers: Spicier than a jalapeño, these tiny peppers can pack quite a punch. They’re common in Mexican cooking (where they’re native to) and make an excellent addition to salsa because of their fleshiness.
Scoville heat units: 10,000 to 23,000
Try it in: Vegan Chilaquiles with Red Sauce
16. Cayenne Peppers
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Also called: finger chile
Characteristics of cayenne peppers: You probably know this spicy red chile best in its dried form, which is a popular spice in many kitchens. It’s a main ingredient in chili powder, which is a blend of spices and not a chile itself.
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 50,000
Try it in: Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma with Lemon-Tahini Drizzle
17. Bird’s Eye Peppers
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Also called: Thai chile
Characteristics of bird’s eye peppers: Popular in Asian cuisines, these small red chiles are surprisingly hot for their size. They’re used in sambals, sauces, marinades, stir fries, soups and salads, and can be found fresh or dried. While they’re undeniably spicy, they’re also fruity…if you can get past the heat.
Scoville heat units: 50,000 to 100,000
Try it in: Crispy Chicken Thighs Over Vinegar Beans
18. Peri-Peri
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Also called: piri piri, pili pili, African Bird’s Eye
Characteristics of peri peri peppers: These Portuguese peppers are small but mighty, and probably most well-known for the acidic, spicy African hot sauce they’re used to make.
Scoville heat units: 50,000 to 175,000
Try it in: Piri Piri Chicken
19. Habanero Peppers
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Also called: n/a
Characteristics of habanero peppers: These small orange peppers are known for being extremely spicy, but they’re also flavorful and aromatic, with a floral quality that makes them good for hot sauces and salsas. They’re popular in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, as well as the Caribbean.
Scoville heat units: 100,000 to 350,000
Try it in: substitute for jalapeño in Quick and Easy Homemade Chipotle Salsa
20. Scotch Bonnets
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Also called: Bonney pepper, Caribbean red pepper
Characteristics of Scotch bonnets: Although it looks similar, the Scotch bonnet is not to be confused with another type of pepper, the habanero—it’s just as spicy but has a sweeter taste and distinct stout shape. It’s popular in Caribbean cooking—it’s essential to jerk seasoning—and gets its name from the flat Scottish hat (called a tammie) that it resembles.
Scoville heat units: 100,000 to 350,000
Try it in: substitute for jalapeño (and use less) in Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
21. Tabasco Peppers
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Also called: n/a
Characteristics of Tabasco peppers: This spicy little pepper is best known as the base for Tabasco hot sauce. They’re the only type of pepper that’s juicy on the inside instead of dry, and since the ubiquitous hot sauce also contains vinegar, it tames their heat significantly.
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 50,000
22. Pequin Peppers
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Also called: piquín
Characteristics of pequin peppers: Pequin peppers are tiny but extremely hot, and commonly used in pickling, salsas, sauces and vinegars—if you’ve ever eaten Cholula hot sauce, you’ve tasted a pequin pepper. Beyond their spiciness, they’re also described as citrusy and nutty in taste.
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 60,000
Try it in: substitute for Fresnos (and use less) in Pollo Agrodolce
23. Rocoto Peppers
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Also called: hairy pepper
Characteristics of rocoto peppers: These types of peppers are sneaky—they look like a bell pepper but are almost as spicy as a habanero. They’re available in shades of orange, red and yellow, and have striking black seeds on the inside. Since they’re large, they have a lot of crisp flesh and are often used in salsas.
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 100,000
Try it in: substitute for jalapeño (and use less) in Fresh Pineapple Salsa
24. Ghost Peppers
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Also called: bhut jolokia
Characteristics of ghost peppers: Even heat lovers fear the ghost pepper, which is 100 times hotter than a jalapeño and 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. It’s native to Northeastern India and used sparingly in curries, pickles and chutneys—a little goes a long way.
Scoville heat units: 1,000,000
Try it in: substitute (and use much less) in Swicy Refrigerator Pickles…at your own risk
Pepper Nutrition Facts
All types of peppers have different nutritional profiles, but both hot and sweet peppers are high in vitamins and minerals.
According to the USDA, the nutritional breakdown for one medium bell pepper, for example, looks something like:
Bell peppers (and other types of peppers) are exceptionally high in vitamin C and vitamin A, and are a good source of folate, vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin E, plus antioxidants and dietary fiber. Per the Cleveland Clinic, that makes them good for your immune system and digestive system. (If you really want to reap the immune-boosting benefits, red bell peppers have twice the vitamin C of green bell peppers, per the Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health.)
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