What Are JalapeГ±o Peppers and How Do You Use Them?

If you want to bring some heat to your cooking, jalapeño peppers are a good place to start. There are hundreds of types of hot peppers, ranging from mild and sweet to blow-your-top-off hot, and you don’t want to find out which is which the hard way! Jalapeño peppers will definitely bring a kick to any dish but they are one of the milder hot peppers and most people can handle their heat with no problem.

What are the best ways to use jalapeño peppers? What is the difference between jalapeño peppers and serranos? Once you’ve figured out which hot pepper makes the most sense for your recipe, you’ll also want to know how to handle it properly. Exploring the diverse world of hot peppers will bring new excitement to everyday cooking, so get ready to turn up the heat. 

 Jump to Section

• What Is a Jalapeño Pepper?
• How Many Scoville Units Are in a Jalapeño Pepper?
• Serrano Pepper vs. Jalapeño Pepper
• What To Cook With Jalapeños
• Are Jalapeños Healthy?
• Where to Buy Jalapeño Peppers

What Is a Jalapeño Pepper?

Jalapeño peppers are the most popular hot pepper in the United States. They provide a pleasant pop of heat and are versatile enough to be used in many ways. Jalapeño peppers are easy to find in most stores and fairly easy to handle when it comes to cooking. 

In many ways, jalapeño peppers are the defining ingredient that gives Mexican dishes their distinctive flavor profile. From salsas to enchiladas, jalapeño peppers are a key staple in Mexican cooking.

As in all hot peppers, capsaicin is the active ingredient that gives jalapeño peppers their fiery kick. Most of the capsaicin in peppers is found in the seeds and the ribs, so you can knock the fire level down by removing them before using jalapeño peppers.

Where Do Jalapeños Originate?

Jalapeño peppers originate from Mexico but because they are popular and easy to grow they are now found worldwide. Chefs specializing in Mexican or Southwestern cuisine have developed creative ways to incorporate jalapeño peppers into their dishes, especially when they want to deliver both freshness and heat at the same time.

What Does Jalapeño Pepper Look Like?

You’ve probably seen jalapeño peppers in the produce section with some of the other brightly colored hot pepper varieties. Jalapeño peppers found in grocery stores are usually bright green with shiny skin and a little stem. They are typically three to four inches in length and conical in shape, though size and shape can vary.

It can be easy to confuse jalapeño peppers with serrano peppers because both are bright green and are usually found side by side on the produce shelf. Serrano peppers are much skinnier and usually longer than jalapeño peppers. Some varieties of jalapeño pepper are red, so you may occasionally come across those as well.

No matter what color you find, be sure to pick jalapeño peppers that are firm to the touch. Anything soft or mushy is past its prime.

What Does a Jalapeño Taste Like?

What do jalapeño peppers taste like? A raw jalapeño pepper will have a crispy crunch and will taste like a green bell pepper with a punch of heat. Heat levels can vary but many people find that jalapeño peppers deliver just the right amount. Red jalapeño peppers are a bit sweeter and slightly milder than green jalapeño peppers (which is somewhat counterintuitive, since they are red which usually signifies heat). 

Jalapeño peppers taste very similar to serrano peppers but serranos tend to be hotter. If you’ve ever had chipotle, that is made from smoked jalapeño, so it’s spicy and smoky at the same time. 

How Many Scoville Units Are in a Jalapeño Pepper?

How hot is a jalapeño pepper on the Scoville scale? The Scoville scale is the mechanism used to quantify the pungency and heat of peppers. Peppers are categorized by Scoville Heat Units (SHU) with a score of zero being a neutral pepper (like a green bell pepper). The range for the Scoville scale goes as high as three million SHU for varieties like the Apollo pepper or the Dragon’s Breath pepper.

Knowing where a pepper lands on the Scoville heat scale will help prevent unpleasant hot pepper mishaps. Jalapeño peppers are mid-range in terms of heat compared to other hot peppers.

Here’s how some common peppers stack up in terms of Scoville units:

• Green Bell Pepper — 0 SHU
• Banana Pepper — 0 to 500 SHU
• Shishito Peppers — 50 to 200 SHU
• Pepperoncini — 100 to 500 SHU
• Ancho Peppers — 1000 to 2000 SHU
• Poblano Peppers — 1000 to 2000 SHU
• Jalapeño Peppers — 2500 to 8000 SHU
• Serrano Pepper — 10,000 to 23,000 SHU
• Cayenne Peppers — 30,000 to 50,000 SHU
• Habanero — 100,000 to 350,000 SHU

Can You Eat Jalapeño Peppers?

Jalapeño peppers are very popular and they have many cooking applications. You can eat jalapeño peppers raw but you may want to remove the seeds and the inner ribs of the pepper first. The heat may seem mild for the first bite or two but as the capsaicin accumulates in your mouth the heat can sneak up fast.

Pickling jalapeño peppers will mellow the heat a little and pickled jalapeño peppers can be kept in the refrigerator for use on sandwiches or nachos. One of the most popular ways to eat jalapeño peppers is to stuff them with cheese and grill them. You can also purée jalapeño peppers into sauces for a spicy kick.

Can You Eat Jalapeño Seeds?

It’s safe to eat the seeds of jalapeño peppers but be very careful. Most of the capsaicin is in the seeds and it can be overwhelmingly hot. A cold glass of milk is a tried and true remedy for mouthburn from hot peppers. 

Serrano Pepper vs. Jalapeño Pepper

If your recipe calls for jalapeño peppers and you don’t see them at the store, serrano peppers make a great substitute. Most people find the taste of serrano peppers indistinguishable from jalapeño peppers but serranos tend to be hotter than jalapeños. If you're wondering how to identify the two when you're at your local grocery store, jalapeño peppers feature a more rounded shape, with serrano peppers appearing more slender. Taking into account the fact that serrano peppers are considerably more spicy than jalapeños, it's important to recognise their physical differences — especially for those with a lower tolerance to heat!

What To Cook With Jalapeños

What can you cook with jalapeño peppers? If you are ready to add some spice to your life and need jalapeño pepper recipes, consider signing up for cooking classes near you that focus on Mexican or Southwestern cuisine. Learning from a professional chef is a good way to ensure you enjoy your hot peppers safely. There are also online cooking classes that focus on how to tame the heat when working with jalapeño peppers.

How To Chop a Jalapeño Pepper

There are a few rules of thumb to follow when chopping jalapeño peppers. First, it’s a good idea to wear latex gloves. The capsaicin in peppers is invisible but it has a way of working into the skin and under the fingernails and the burn can last for hours even if you wash your hands.

You can cut jalapeño peppers lengthwise and then scrape out the seeds and the ribs (pith). From there, chop slowly and carefully. Fresh jalapeño peppers are juicy and you’ll want to avoid squirting yourself in the eye!

Once you finish chopping, remove and discard your gloves. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to remove any residual capsaicin that may have migrated.

Are Jalapeños Healthy?

If you love this hot pepper, you’re in luck. You can eat as many as you want because, yes, they are good for you! Did you know that one jalapeño pepper has more vitamin C than an orange? Jalapeño peppers (or any hot pepper) can also be good dietary choices for weight loss as the capsaicin acts as a fat-burning agent in the body. 

How Many Calories Are in a Jalapeño Pepper?

One cup of sliced jalapeño peppers only contains about 83 calories. 

Where to Buy Jalapeño Peppers

Jalapeño peppers are easy to find. They are readily available in most grocery stores. You’ll find jalapeños in the produce section near other hot peppers like habanero or Pasilla peppers. You can also find jars of pickled jalapeños near other pickled vegetables like banana peppers or pickled cabbage.

Learning to incorporate jalapeño peppers into your everyday cooking can liven up old recipes. Jalapeño peppers add both freshness and fire to many dishes. Just follow some basic common sense when handling jalapeño peppers to make sure you don’t overdo the heat, and remember to wash your hands to ensure you don't accidentally rub your eyes with capsaicin! Do all of that, and you'll be well on your way to enjoying this popular spicy pepper in no time! 

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