Which type of pepper is right for the recipe you want to make? Learn about 9 varieties of peppers found at the Miller Farms vegetable stand.
If you’re a regular at the Miller Farms vegetable stand, you’ve seen the incredible piles of peppers on the tables. It’s like a treasure hunt to dig through to find the pepper you need!
Except, of course, if you don’t recognize a pepper or two.
I’ve had this problem myself. I pick a pepper and wonder… can I use it in my vegetable grill basket? Or is it so spicy that just one would flavor a whole pot of chili?
After quizzing the Miller farmers, I put together this guide so the next time you’re at the farmer’s market you’ll know exactly which pepper to choose!
Bell Pepper
Bell Pepper Spice Level: Mild; 0 out of 5 stars;
Bell Pepper Flavor Profile: green bell peppers have a bright, sometimes bitter flavor when cooked. Red and white bell peppers are fully mature with a sweeter, milder flavor. Yellow and orange varieties are somewhere in between.
Bell Pepper Uses: Bell peppers are extremely versatile. Slice and eat raw with dips, dice to eat raw in salads or on sandwiches. Try bell peppers roasted or grilled with other vegetables, stuffed, or cooked in a casserole or on pizza. Bell peppers can also be diced and cooked in soups, stews, spices, or salsa.
Cubanelle Pepper
Cubanelle Pepper Spice Level: Mild, 0.5 out of 5 stars
Cubanelle Pepper Flavor Profile: A sweet pepper, usually very mild spice. It has thin flesh with a crunchy bite.
Cubanelle Pepper Uses: use a cubanelle pepper for general cooking place of a bell pepper in all types of recipes. Try it raw in salads or on sandwiches, cook it into a casserole or on pizza, stuff and roast the pepper, or use it in yellow mole sauce.
Anaheim Pepper
Anaheim Pepper Spice Level: Mild-Medium, 1.5 out of 5 stars
Anaheim Pepper Flavor Profile: Mild flavor with a variable level of spice. Anaheim peppers have thick flesh.
Anaheim Pepper Uses: an Anaheim pepper is very versatile. It’s ideal for stuffing to make Chile Rellenos. Try an Anaheim pepper in place of a bell pepper for additional spice or in soups, stews, sauces, or raw in salsa. Preserve this pepper by roasting or canning. An Anaheim pepper is also known as a “Hatch Chili Pepper.” You can substitute it with/for bell, poblano, or cubanelle peppers.
Poblano Pepper
Poblano Pepper Spice Level: Mild-Medium, 1.5 out of 5 stars
Poblano Pepper Flavor Profile: Earthy, usually mild flavor. This pepper has thick skin. Red poblanos are spicier than green ones.
Poblano Pepper Uses: Coat and fry this pepper or stuff it to make Chile Rellenos. A poblano pepper also makes great mole or salsa. Preserve poblano peppers by roasting, peeling, and canning or freezing. When dried poblano peppers are sold as Ancho Peppers.
Big Jim (Green Chile) Pepper
Big Jim (Green Chile) Pepper Spice Level: Medium, 2 out of 5 stars
Big Jim (Green Chile) Pepper Flavor Profile: Meaty and sturdy with a distinctive fruity green chile taste.
Big Jim (Green Chile) Pepper Uses: Roast these peppers, stuff them to make Chile Rellenos, or use to make hatch green chile or red enchilada sauce
Mirasol Pepper
Mirasol Pepper Spice Level: Mild to Mild-Medium; 1 ½ stars
Mirasol Pepper Flavor: Spicy, full-bodied fruity flavor with a hint of berry.
Mirasol Pepper Uses: This is the traditional pepper used in Mexican mole sauce. Add it to salsas, stews, and chilis. You can incorporate a mirasol pepper into almost any dish in Mexican cuisine. It’s also popular in Peruvian cooking. When dried, a mirasol pepper is known as “guajillo pepper.”
Jalapeno Pepper
Jalapeno Pepper Spice Level: Medium, 3 out of 5 stars
Jalapeno Pepper Flavor: Bright, spicy flavor and thick flesh. Red jalapeno peppers are slightly sweeter and milder than green ones.
Jalapeno Pepper Uses: Mince jalapeno peppers to use raw in salsa, or add them to casseroles, dips, or sauces to add spice and flavor. Try stuffing jalapeno peppers with cream cheese, wrapping them in bacon, and roasting them for a tasty appetizer.
Hungarian Wax Pepper
Hungarian Wax Pepper Spice Level: Medium-hot, 4 out of 5 stars
Hungarian Wax Pepper Flavor: Sweet, hot flavor and thick flesh. Red Hungarian wax peppers are spicier than immature yellow peppers.
Hungarian Wax Pepper Uses: Try these peppers diced and eat raw in salads or on sandwiches. Too cook, grill or roast Hungarian wax with other vegetables. You can also pickle these peppers or add them to mole sauce. The spice level can vary from very mild (similar to a poblano pepper) to twice as hot as a jalapeno pepper!
Dynamite Pepper
Dynamite Pepper Spice Level: Very Hot, 5 out of 5 stars (the hottest you’ll find at the Miller Farms vegetable stand!)
Dynamite Pepper Flavor: Very hot with less of the fruity chile flavor.
Dynamite Pepper Uses: Mince this pepper and add it to casseroles, soups, stews, or other dishes to add spice. The curlier the pepper, the spicier it will be. Be careful with this hot pepper!
Happy Pepper Picking!
Make sure to download this free Pepper Identification Guide to bring with you to the farmer’s market this weekend!
This is by no means an all-inclusive list of peppers – there are so many! Are there other favorite peppers you’d like to learn more about? Leave a comment to let us know what vegetables to highlight next!
Happy pepper picking,
Dietitian Ann from Peas and Hoppiness
Which Type of Pepper Should You Use?
Download this free Pepper Identification Guide which reviews the spiciness level, flavor, and uses for eight common pepper types.
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