How to Recognize Chili Peppers: The Guide to The Main Varieties

Chili peppers, with their more or less spicy taste, add a lively touch to traditional and creative recipes, not only the U.S., but also in many cuisines around the world. Originally from Central and South America, these fruits of the Capsicum genus (like peppers) and belonging to the Solanaceae family, are scattered throughout the globe, so much so that there are around 3000 types, often difficult to identify, precisely because of their large presence and the fact that in many countries the same cultivar can take on different terminologies (just think of the famous Habanero which from smoked changes name to Chipotle). Their diversity is surprisingly broad in terms of shape, color, size, origin, even if distinctions can still be made.

In addition to the famous classification according to the degree of spiciness given by the Scoville Scale (which is measured in Scoville Units, called SHU), there is the one between wild and cultivated chili peppers, with the former growing spontaneously in nature, while the latter, instead, have been domesticated by man for thousands of years, giving rise to varieties with very peculiar characteristics, adapted to the culinary needs of different countries. Within the Capsicum genus, there are five main species that represent the majority of chili peppers we consume today: Capsicum annuum, which includes some planetary stars such as the Jalapeño and the Cayenne; Capsicum baccatum, famous for Aji Amarillo, a key ingredient in Peruvian cuisine. Then there is Capsicum chinense, perhaps best known for its extremely hot peppers, such as the Habanero and Carolina Reaper, while Capsicum frutescens is home to Tabasco, popular for its famous sauce of the same name. Finally, Capsicum pubescens is characterized by types found mainly in Peru and Bolivia. Below, here is a short guide on how to recognize 10 of the most popular varieties.

1. Habanero

Let's start with the Habanero, one of the most iconic chili peppers ever. Belonging to the Capsicum chinense species, it stands out for its irregular, rounded and ribbed shape, with colors ranging from green to intense red (the Red Habanero), to brown (like the Jamaican Chocolate Habanero) through orange and yellow (like the Hot Lemon Habanero) depending on the sub-varieties: usually, they are all quite small, measuring about 2-6 cm in length. The Habanero is highly appreciated for its fruity and tropical flavor, which enriches sauces, marinades and condiments in pieces or powder, especially in the cuisine of the Yucatan peninsula, the Caribbean and Cuban. It is known for its intense spiciness, with a value that is between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville.

2. Jalapeno

Another very popular chili pepper is the Jalapeño: of the Capsicum annuum species, it is recognized by its slightly elongated, pot-bellied shape (cone-like), and measures 5-9 cm. It has a smooth, thick skin that can be green or red, depending on the degree of ripeness. This variety is widely used both fresh and smoked (in the variant called Chipotle) ​​to add a touch of mild spiciness (from 2,500 to 8,000 SHU) to various typical Mexican dishes, such as the famous guacamole, and in Tex-Mex cuisine, including tacos and chili con carne.

3. Tabasco

The famous American sauce takes its name from this Mexican chili pepper, belonging to the Capsicum frutescens species: it is small, fleshy and elongated, usually no taller than 4-5 cm, with a smooth surface and a color that varies from green to yellow-orange to red. Tabasco is best known for being the main ingredient of the preparation of the same name, one of the most famous pepper sauces in the world, which is also enjoyed in cocktails such as the Bloody Mary, but it is also used fresh to flavor fish dishes, soups and other recipes that require a medium-high spiciness, which is around 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville.

4. Cayenne Pepper

Also known as Cayenne pepper or Cayenne, it is a cultivar belonging to the Capsicum annuum species that comes from South America, in particular from French Guyana. It has an elegant appearance, with an elongated and thin shape that can reach up to 12 cm. When ripe, it takes on an intense red color and the surface is generally smooth. It is mainly used as a dried spice, chopped and ground more or less coarsely to make sauces and condiments, but also fresh, in jams and preserves. It has a medium-high level of spiciness  between 30,000 and 50,000 SHU, and this is why it is one of the most versatile and widespread varieties in the world.

5. Yellow Aji

Among the representatives of the Capsicum baccatum species, Aji Amarillo has a place in the sun, a typical Peruvian chili pepper characterized by its tapered shape that can reach 10-15 cm, its slightly wrinkled surface and its bright yellow-orange color. A variety with a fresh, intense and fruity flavor, which is perfect for adding aroma to sauces, jams and recipes based on shellfish, white fish and delicate meats such as chicken: it is an essential ingredient in Peruvian cuisine, used in national dishes such as the famous ceviche and causa rellena, a pie made with potatoes, avocado, tuna or chicken, mayonnaise and Aji Amarillo: its level of spiciness is medium-high, from 30,000 to 50,000 SHU, capable of enveloping foods without being invasive.

6. Serrano

From Mexico, here is another member of the Capsicum annuum species, the Serrano, which comes from the mountains (nomen omen). Similar to the Jalapeño, it is a small and elongated chili pepper, smaller in size (3-5 cm), thinner and spicier (it is between 10,000 and 25,000 Scoville). The color varies from bright green to an equally bright red when ripe. The flavor is fresh and spicy, perfect for adding a little pep to dishes: it is chosen for marinating meat and raw fish, but also for making preserves and sauces.

7. Poblano

The Poblano, or Chile Poblano, of the species Capsicum annuum, is a large, heart-shaped chili pepper (intended as the organ, and not its more common stylized representation), usually 7–15 cm long (so much so that it is also called a bell pepper), with a thick, smooth, dark green skin. It is one of the most used chili peppers in Mexican cuisine, often stuffed as in chile relleno (a typical dish from the city of Puebla, which sees it stuffed with meat and fried), or dried to become Ancho or Chile Ancho, used for example in the “mole sauce”, used to make the chicken-based mole poblano : the spiciness is mild, from 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville.

8. Calabrian Chili Pepper

Under this general umbrella, we include several varieties that have the same territory in common, Calabria, home of chili peppers made in Italy. There are four types that enjoy the IGP designation such as the Naso di Cane or the Peperoncino Ciliegino (both small and rounded, perfect for hosting fillings, such as the one with tuna, anchovies and capers of stuffed chilli peppers ) and the Guglia and the Sigaretta (where the Peperoncino Diavolicchio di Diamante stands out, among the most widespread on the Tyrrhenian coast of Cosenza), which instead have an elongated cone appearance, more or less curved, and are excellent fresh, preserved in oil and dried. Their spiciness can vary considerably, oscillating between 15,000 and 40,000 Scoville, as well as the colors, between green and red. Among the excellent preparations, it is impossible not to mention nduja, the famous soft and pleasantly spicy sausage made from pork and chili pepper, to be spread on bread or used as a condiment for pasta.

9. Naga Morich

The penultimate one on our list is a chili pepper of the Capsicum chinense species, which has an irregular, wrinkled shape and measures about 6-7 cm. When ripe, it turns a beautiful bright red. In cooking, the Naga Morich is mainly used in traditional dishes from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, as a very, very hot curry. Due to its extreme spiciness, which varies between 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 Scoville, it has been nicknamed "snake bite" (its name means this), and is used in small quantities, in order to give dishes nuances of complex and refined flavors and aromas.

10. Carolina Reaper

The Carolina Reaper, of the Capsicum chinense species, is a chili pepper born in the USA created by crossing the red Habanero and the Naga Morich: it stands out for its lumpy shape and wrinkled texture, with a final tip that resembles a tail. Bright red in color and usually 3-5 cm long, it is known for being one of the hottest chili peppers in the world: in 2023 it conquered the highest step on the podium of the Scoville scale, thanks to a range of 1,500,000 and 2,200,000 SHU. In the kitchen, it is used with the utmost caution, often in extracts and as a protagonist in endurance races.