The Poblano Pepper is a classic chili pepper used in many Mexican dishes. Chile Poblano is a mild pepper and is commonly used in sauces, soups, and stuffed pepper recipes. Find out all you need to know about Chiles Poblanos here.
What Are Poblano Peppers?
The Poblano Pepper is one of the most common and widely used chili peppers in Mexican cooking. These peppers are a rich dark green color and are rather mild when it comes to heat level. Chiles Poblanos are a hearty pepper with firm and durable walls which allows them hold their shape when they are roasted or stuffed. These peppers are also sold in dried form which is called ancho chile.
Chiles Poblanos come from Puebla, Mexico where they are often harvested when they are green and less spicy; this makes them more marketable for general consumption. These peppers, when mature, will turn red which is when they become much more hot.
What Do Chiles Poblanos Taste Like?
They have a flavor similar to that of a green bell pepper which is “earthy”, “grassy”, and “vegetable-like.”
How Hot Is The Poblano Pepper?
Chile Poblano is a mild pepper. The seeds themselves are also very mild. However, don’t take my word for it. Let’s turn to the reliable Scoville scale for confirmation. The Scoville scale is used to assign heat levels for each type of chili pepper. The Poblano Pepper has been assigned a heat level of 1,000 heat units (SHU). This makes the Poblano hotter than a bell pepper (0 SHU) but more mild than a jalapeno pepper (2,500 SHU).
I can tell you from personal experience that you’ll likely not notice much heat added to whatever recipe you’re using Chiles Poblanos in. They’re pretty mild.
Cooking With Poblano Pepper
The first time I used Poblano Pepper in a recipe was when I used it in my pozole verde recipe and I loved it! These peppers add a rich warm flavor with just a mild amount of spiciness. It was also the perfect pepper to use because it added a nice rich green color to the soup. They can also be used to make sauces and they’re perfect for using in any stuffed pepper recipe like chile relleno.
These peppers are often roasted until they become slightly charred; the skins are then removed and the chiles are added to a variety of different recipes.
Poblano Pepper Substitute
The best substitute for Poblano is the Anaheim pepper. Anaheim peppers are very similar in flavor, heat level, size and texture. You can also substitute with a green bell pepper. However, keep in mind that bell peppers are not spicy at all. If that works with whatever dish you’re making then you’re good-to-go. Additionally, both the Anaheim pepper and green bell peppers work well as a substitute if you’re making a stuffed pepper recipe.
Where Can I Buy Poblano Peppers?
Poblano Pepper is one of the most common types of peppers so you’ll likely have no issues finding them in your local grocery store. Often they are located in the fresh produce section right next to jalapeno peppers and chile serrano. Look for Chiles Poblanos that are firm and without too many blemishes.
Is Chile Poblano Healthy?
Chili peppers are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Additionally, chili peppers are believed to be beneficial for weight management. Finally, chili peppers are believed to be a natural remedy for reducing the symptoms of heart burn.(1)(2)
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