17 Flavorful Pepper Types

Peppers come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, flavors, and heat intensity. We use the Scoville Scale to measure heat. Even extremely hot peppers can have wonderful flavors and be used in many recipes. Peppers are popular, versatile vegetables. Below are some of our favorite flavorful peppers.

Anaheim

The Anaheim pepper is medium in size. It comes in colors of red and green. It has a mild flavor which is popular in cooking. The Anaheim pepper is easy to grow and produces high yielding crops.

Scoville Heat Units: 500 to 2,500

Jung Seed Favorite – Anaheim Chili Pepper

Banana

The banana pepper is medium in size. It is usually bright yellow but can mature to a red, orange, or green color. It has a tangy-sweet flavor often used in salads and sandwiches. Banana peppers are easy to grow and enjoy full sun.

Scoville Heat Units: 100 – 500

Jung Seed Favorite – Sweet Banana Pepper

Bell Pepper

The bell pepper is often the size of an adult’s fist. It comes in colors of green, orange, yellow, and red. There is no heat to the bell pepper. Its flavor depends on the stage of ripeness but it often sweet.

Scoville Heat Unit: 0

Jung Seed Favorite – King Arthur Hybrid Pepper

Carolina Reaper

The Carolina Reaper is small in size. It is bright red in color with a bumpy texture. The Carolina Reaper is the world’s hottest pepper. Surprisingly, its flavor is sweet and fruity.

Scoville Heat Unit: 1,4000,000 to 2,200,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Carolina Reaper Pepper

Cayenne

The cayenne pepper is thin and long. It can grow up to 5 inches. Its color is bright red. The pepper is somewhat hot in flavor. It is often used as a dried spice in dishes.

Scoville Heat Unit: 30,000 to 50,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Red Ember Hybrid Cayenne Pepper

Cherry

The cherry pepper (also pimento pepper) is very small and round shaped. It is dark red in color. It has a mild, sweet succulent flavor. The cherry pepper is most commonly used for pickling.

Scoville Heat Unit: 100 – 500

Jung Seed Favorite – Cherry Pick Hybrid Pepper

Cubanelle

Cubanelle peppers are medium to large in size. It is a light green to yellow-green in color. When ripe, it becomes bright red. Cubanelle peppers are mildly sweet peppers however they can have some heat to them.

Scoville Heat Unit: 0 – 1000

Jung Seed Favorite – Cubanelle Pepper

Fresno

Fresno peppers are medium in size. It changes from green to red as it matures. Fresno peppers are mild in flavor but increase to medium-hot as it turns to red. It tastes similar to jalapeno peppers but with more heat.

Scoville Heat Unit: 2,500 to 10,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Hernandez Hybrid Fresno Pepper

Ghost

Ghost peppers are small in size. It comes in a variety of colors such as orange, yellow, white, and purple. While extremely hot, the ghost pepper has a sweet nutty flavor. It can be difficult to grow ghost pepper as they need humidity and heat.

Scoville Heat Unit: 855,000 to 1,041,427

Jung Seed Favorite – Bhut Jolokia Ghost Pepper

Habanero

Habanero peppers are small in size. It starts off green but as it matures the pepper turns yellow-orange to red. The flavor is fruity but very hot. Habanero peppers are easy to grow and very productive producers.

Scoville Heat Unit: 150,000 to 350,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Roulette Hybrid Habanero Pepper

Jalapeno

The jalapeno pepper is small to medium in size. The pepper is green until it matures to a red color. It tastes similar to a serrano pepper except has less heat. Jalapeno peppers love to grow in full sun.

Scoville Heat Unit: 2,500 to 8,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Mucho Nacho Hybrid Jalapeno Pepper

Pepperoncini

Pepperoncini peppers are small in size. It is a yellow-green until it turns red as it matures. It has a sweet mild flavor. Pepperoncini peppers are sometimes confused as banana peppers but they are not the same.

Scoville Heat Unit: 100 to 500

Jung Seed Favorite – Italian Pepperoncini Pepper

Poblano

Poblano peppers are medium to large in size. It comes in green and red. The green is milder in flavor than the red. Poblano peppers are popular in Mexican dishes. It is easy to grow and productive.

Scoville Heat Unit: 1,000 to 2,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Triden Hybrid Poblano Pepper

Scotch Bonnet

The Scotch Bonnet pepper is small in size. It comes in a variety of colors including orange, yellow, red, peach, and brown. The pepper has a fruity sweet flavor but with strong heat. It is a popular flavor used in Caribbean cooking.

Scoville Heat Unit: 100,000 to 350,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Orange Scotch Bonnet Habanero Pepper

Serrano

Serrano peppers are small to medium in size. It varies in colors such as green, orange, yellow, red, and brown. The flavor of the serrano pepper is similar to jalapeno pepper except hotter. Serrano peppers are typically used in relish and salsas.

Scoville Heat Unit: 10,000 to 23,000

Jung Seed Favorite – Super Chili Hybrid Serrano Pepper

Shishito

Shishito peppers are small to medium in size. It is green in color turning to red as it matures. The skin is wrinkly in texture. The peppers are a mild, peppery flavor. Shishito peppers are often used as appetizers.

Scoville Heat Unit: 50 to 200

Jung Seed Favorite – Takara Hybrid Shishito Pepper

Tabasco

Tabasco peppers are small in size. It is green maturing to shades of red, orange, and yellow. It is a hot flavored pepper. The tabasco pepper is the pepper used to make the Tabasco brand sauce.