Types of Chilli Peppers: The Complete Heat Scale Guide
Chili peppers are a popular ingredient in many recipes, but what do you really know about them? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the different types of chili peppers available, how the heat is measured and some ideas on things to do with chili peppers.
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Whether you’re looking for a new ingredient to add excitement to your cooking or just want to learn more about these spicy fruits, you’ll find everything you need here!
⚡ Quick Guide: Types of Chilli Peppers
What is this guide? A complete reference to chilli pepper types — from mild and sweet to fiery and super-hot — with Scoville heat ratings, flavour notes, and tips on how to cook with each one.
💡 Quick tip: Not sure which chilli to use? Start with an ancho (mild and smoky) or a jalapeño (medium heat) — both are widely available and work in most recipes.
What is a chili pepper?
Chili peppers are a type of small, spicy pepper that is popular in many cuisines around the world. They belong to the nightshade family of plants, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants.
Chili peppers (or chilli peppers if you are in the UK) are native to the Americas, where they have been cultivated for centuries. Today, they are grown in warm climates all over the world.
Chili peppers vary widely in shape, size, and heat level. The most common variety is the bell pepper, which is mild and sweet. Other popular varieties include jalapeños, habaneros, and serranos.
Chili peppers can be used fresh, dried, or pickled. They are often used as a flavoring ingredient in sauces, salsas, and spice mixes. Chili peppers can also be eaten whole or used as a garnish. When handled incorrectly, chili peppers can cause burning and irritation to the skin and eyes.
Chillies are just one way to build heat and flavour — take a look at how adding herbs and spices can reduce your salt intake for more ideas on seasoning smarter.
What is the heat level of chili peppers?
Chili peppers are measured on the Scoville scale, which ranges from 0-16,000,000. The scale is named after Wilbur Scoville, who developed it in 1912.
The heat level of a chili pepper is determined by the concentration of capsaicin, a compound that produces a burning sensation in the mouth. The higher the concentration of capsaicin, the hotter the pepper will be.
Bell peppers have the lowest concentration of capsaicin and are therefore not spicy. Jalapeños are on the other end of the spectrum, with a high concentration of capsaicin that makes them very spicy.
What are the most common varieties of chili pepper?
Many recipes just call for chili pepper but it is worth understanding the different varitieies and how spicy they are to get the right one.
Bell Pepper
Alternate Names: Green pepper, red pepper, sweet bell pepper, capsicum
Characteristics: Bell peppers are large, bell-shaped, green in color and have a moderately harsh taste when immature. It becomes brighter red as it matures. Bell peppers come in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, white, pink, and even purple. Bell peppers are high in water content and will add moisture to your dish. They’re also great for adding some colour without spiciness.
Scoville heat units: 0
Poblano Pepper
Alternate Name: Ancho
Characteristics: The poblano is a medium-sized, heart-shaped chili that may be found in many Mexican dishes including chiles rellenos. Is the poblano pepper spicy? Yes, but only moderately so. The poblano reaches dark crimson brown maturation and can then be dried, becoming an ancho or mulato. Anchos are almost raisin-like with their sweetness and are great for sauces.
Scoville heat units: 1,000 to 2,000
Anaheim Pepper
Alternate Names: California green chile, chile verde, New Mexican chile
Characteristics: The long pepper is a mild and versatile variety. When mature, the Anaheim becomes deep crimson and is known as a chile Colorado or California red chile. The Anaheim is used in salsas and meals from Southwestern the United States.
Scoville heat units: 500 to 2,500
Serrano Pepper
Characteristics: This tiny pepper packs a punch, with a tapered end and just a few inches in length. Serranos are very spicy when they’re young; the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. When ripe, serranos are orange or yellowish red—they can be cooked both ways. Serranos are found in Mexican and Thai recipes.
Scoville heat units: 6,000 to 23,000
Habañero Pepper
Characteristics: This chili, in the same family as the Scotch bonnet and measuring only 2 to 5 inches in length, is one of the most powerful on the Scoville scale. Habaneros also have a fruity flavor if you can handle the heat. They’re popular on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, as well as in the Caribbean, where they are popular in hot sauce recipes.
Scoville heat units: 150,000 to 350,000
Cayenne Pepper
Alternate Names: Finger chile, Ginnie pepper, and bird pepper
Characteristics: This chile is skinny and tapered, and it’s probably most recognized in its dried, powdered form—known as cayenne pepper. Ground cayenne pepper is an important component of Tex-Mex cuisine including chili con carne because it adds flavor and heat. It’s one of the hottest peppers!
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 50,000
Piri Piri Pepper
Alternate Names: Peri peri, African bird’s-eye pepper and African red devil pepper
Characteristics: When the first Portuguese explorers arrived in present-day South Africa and Mozambique, they brought home little chile peppers known as bird’s eyes or peri-peri in Swahili.
The word prawn has been used to refer to the sauce, as well as the Portuguese-African method of cooking prawns, chicken, or other foods in this mixture.
Nando’s popular bottled version is a must-have for those who don’t want to cook it from scratch. Although it has a modest size of one to two inches, it packs quite a wallop.
Scoville Heat Units: 50,000 to 175,000
Tabasco Pepper
Characteristics: The Renner pepper, also known for its name, is grown across the world. The pepper reaches one to two inches in length at maturity and is bright crimson.
The pepper is crushed and combined with salt and vinegar to temper the pepper’s heat, resulting in tabasco sauce (the Scoville rating of tabasco sauce is 2,500 to 5,000 — a fraction of its maximum as a pepper).
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 60,000
Jalapeño Pepper
Alternate Names: Chipotle
Characteristics: A plant that produces the fruit of this Mexican pepper is picked from the vine while it’s still green. If allowed to mature longer, they will turn crimson and have a little more fruity flavor. Jalapeños are an aromatic spice that may be used in salsas and other dishes.
A jalapeño is dried and smoked to create a chipotle. Chipotles can be smoked in two ways: meco (mild) and moritas (spicier). Chipotles are smoky, woodsy, and spicy, making them ideal for salsas, sauces, escabeche, and adobo.
Scoville heat units: 3,500 to 8,000
Scotch Bonnet
Alternate Names: Bonney peppers, ball of fire peppers, cachucha and Caribbean red peppers
Characteristics: The Scotch Bonnet is a hot chili variety from Jamaica named after the caps worn by Scottish men. It’s called a scotch bonnet owing to its resemblance to the tam o’ shanter hats worn in Scotland (in fact, these are caps). It’s the hottest pepper used in many Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken. There is sometimes a sweeter variety called cachucha also available.
Scoville heat units: 80,000–400,000
Ghost Pepper
Alternate names: Bhut naga jolokia, bhut jolokia, naga jolokia, ghost chili, U-morok, ghost jolokia and red naga
Characteristics: The name alone, whether it’s the Bhut Naga Jolokia or something else, sounds frightening. This chile has a poisonous bite! The ghost pepper comes from northeastern India and is produced in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as well.
How intense is this hair raiser? It’s about half as hot as the pepper spray utilized by law enforcement but 100 times hotter than a jalapeño. Ghost peppers, which are one of the world’s hottest (edible) peppers, are used in chutney and curry in tiny amounts.
Scoville heat units: 1,000,000+
How do you store fresh chili peppers?
Chili peppers can add a flavorful kick to any dish, but they can be tricky to store. If you’re not careful, they can quickly lose their freshness and become mushy or uneven in texture.
The key to storing chili peppers is to keep them dry. Wet peppers are more likely to spoil, so it’s important to make sure they’re thoroughly dried before storing them.
Once they’re dry, you can store them in a number of different ways. One option is to place them in a paper bag or sealed container in the fridge. This will help to keep them fresh for longer.
You can also freeze chili peppers, which is a great way to extend their shelf life. Simply place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to six months.
With proper storage, chili peppers can add zest to your cooking for months to come.
What’s a good substitute for chili peppers?
Chili peppers are a common ingredient in many cuisines, but they are not for everyone. Some people find them too spicy, while others simply don’t enjoy the flavor.
If you find yourself in need of a chili pepper substitute, if you need a chili pepper substitute, check what’s in your spice rack first. One popular choice is bell peppers. They have a similar color and shape to chili peppers, but they are much milder in flavor.
Another option is to use diced tomatoes instead of chili peppers. This works especially well in dishes where the chili peppers would be used as more of a garnish than an ingredient.
Things to do with chili peppers
Make your own chili oil
Making your own chili oil at home is easy, and it allows you to customize the flavor to your liking.
Start by heating a cup of oil in a pan over medium heat. Then, add a handful of dried chili peppers and let them cook for a few minutes until they’re slightly toasted.
Next, remove the peppers from the pan and let them cool. Once they’re cooled, grind them into a powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
Finally, add the chili powder to the oil and stir well. Allow the mixture to cool before transferring it to a jar or bottle.
Your homemade chili oil will be ready to use immediately, and it will keep for several months when stored in a cool, dark place.
Make homemade chili compound butter
Chili compound butter is a delicious way to add a little extra flavor to your dishes. It’s easy to make, and it can be used in a variety of ways.
To make chili butter, simply combine 1 stick of butter and 2-3 chili peppers. You can adjust the amount of chili powder to taste. If you want a milder flavor, use less chili powder. For a spicier butter, use more.
Grind up the peppers or use a powdered version. Add to the butter and mix until combined.
Once you’ve combined the ingredients, mix well and transfer the butter to a storage container. Chili butter can be used in so many ways. Spread it on toast, use it as a dipping sauce for shrimp, or add it to your favorite recipe for an extra boost of flavor.
The mildest common chilli peppers include the poblano, Anaheim, and sweet banana pepper, all of which register between 500 and 2,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Bell peppers register zero SHU and are technically chilli peppers with no capsaicin at all.
Chilli heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) using the Scoville scale, developed by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. A sweet bell pepper scores 0 SHU, a jalapeño scores 2,500–8,000 SHU, and the hottest peppers in the world — such as the Carolina Reaper — exceed 2 million SHU.
All three spellings refer to the same fruit. “Chilli” is the standard spelling in the UK and Australia, “chile” is commonly used in Mexico and the American Southwest, and “chili” is the most widely used spelling in the United States. The plant and its heat are identical regardless of spelling.
Keep Exploring
- 9 Things to Do with Peppers — recipe ideas for every type of pepper in your kitchen
- Health Benefits of Ginger — another warming spice worth getting to know
- 8 Things to Do with Turmeric — golden spice, endless uses
