Are there any Fresno peppers substitutes? If you enjoy spicy foods, you must have tasted Fresno peppers. Although this is the most common pepper used in spicy recipes, it is not the only option, as you can have several replacements for Fresno.
So, let’s expand your experience with more spicy flavors by replacing Fresno peppers with something else. If you don’t know which one to pick, read this article to learn more about all available Fresno substitutes. Let’s check it out.
What Are Fresno Peppers?
Fresno peppers are a popular condiment in spicy dishes. They are grown in California, especially in the San Joaquin Valley. The city of Fresno, California, has inspired the name Fresno for this chili. In 1952, Clarence Brown brought Fresno to commercial cultivation.
Fresno peppers’ appearance is similar to Jalapeño, about 2-3 inches long, with glossy smooth skins and a slightly curved shape.
In terms of flavor, Fresno pepper has a medium spicy level. According to the Scoville scale, Fresno pepper ranges from 2,500–10,000 SHU.
However, the heat level will change as the pepper matures. Usually, the fruit will have a mild heat when it is young with green color. As it matures, the color will change from orange to red, signifying extreme heat.
Fresno pepper is hot and spicy but also tastes sweet and fruity. You can get an unmistakable taste similar to vegetable sweetness with green pepper. However, as Fresno ripens, its flavor becomes spicier with more flavor.
Fresno peppers are more than just chili. They are also a great source of vitamins. Fresno peppers, green and red, are very healthy, with high content of iron, thiamin, niacin, magnesium, and riboflavin. (1)
Fresno peppers are not difficult to grow, so give them a try in your garden.
Fresno Peppers Substitutes
People may enjoy Fresno pepper because of its distinct flavor and spicy notes. It is, however, not the only pepper available for your favorite spicy dishes. Therefore, let’s take a look at different substitutes. Your palate can have an impressive new experience.
Fresh Peppers Substitutes Is Always A Good Choice
When it comes to fresh replacements for Fresno peppers, many people may think of Jalapeno peppers. However, many other variations can do the same job as Jalapeno or even better. To learn more about these variations, let’s keep reading this section.
1. Jalapeno Peppers
Let’s first start with Jalapeno peppers since it’s the most famous substitution for Fresno peppers. Besides, having Jalapenos brings many health benefits, such as increasing fat burn and decreasing appetite (2).
Jalapeno peppers are a native Mexican species. The name is derived from the Spanish phrase “from Xalapa,” which refers to Veracruz, Mexico’s capital city. Huachinango (red version) and Chile Gordo (fat chili) are the other names of this pepper.
Jalapeno is a medium-sized hot pepper belonging to the Capsicum Annuum species. Usually, it is about 2-4 inches long with smooth and thick flesh. However, the pepper can reach 6 inches long.
These peppers have 4,000-8,500 SHU on the Scoville scale. Because they have similar heat levels, Jalapeno is the best substitute for Fresno peppers. However, Jalapeno is typically smaller than Fresno in terms of size.
Furthermore, green Jalapeno has the same vegetal flavor of bell pepper as the Fresno pepper, with a light heat level. Unlike ripe Fresno, red Jalapeno is not spicier than green, though it is sweeter and has a fruity flavor.
2. Habanero
This pepper originated from the Amazon and was traded heavily in the La Habana city of Cuba, where Habanero took its name. Currently, Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is the top place in producing Habanero.
You can recognize Habanero in a pod-like shape, and its size ranges from 1-3 inches long. The color of Habanero varies from green when young to yellow-orange or red when it matures. It can also be white, brown, or purple due to hybridization.
Habanero is famous among spicy lovers since it’s one of the hottest chilies, which comes in 100,000-350,000 SHU on the scale. It shares a similar slightly fruity flavor to Fresno but is fiery. Therefore, you must be careful when using it to replace Fresno.
3. Serrano Peppers
Serrano is another pepper that belongs to the Capsicum Annuum family. Serrano shares the same look as Jalapeno and Fresno pepper. It originated from the mountainous region of Puebla in Mexico. The pepper is 1-4 inches long with glossy skin and thick flesh.
Like Jalapeno, green Serrano has a bright, earthy, grassy flavor. As the pepper matures, it turns red with the flavor develops to a sweeter taste. Serrano is a medium-hot pepper, which varies from 10,000-25,000 SHU, hotter than Jalapeno two to five times.
The pepper perfectly matches salsa, salads, or soups. However, you must keep an eye on the spiciness when replacing Fresno with Serrano peppers. It’s best to keep the amount of Serrano in check to control the overall heat level.
Do you want to keep Serrano for a longer time? Let’s learn how to pickle them.
4. Holland Chilies
As the name suggests, Holland chilies are native Dutch peppers. They are a variation of Capsicum Annuum and similar to the red chile from Indonesia. Holland chilies have a milder spice and are slightly acidic, which is favored by Asian communities in Europe.
Aside from the red version, Holland chilies also have green and yellow colors. The chilies are 5-6 inches long with smooth and taut skin. Compared to Fresno peppers, Holland chilies are slender with a slight curve and conical shape.
On the Scoville scale, Holland chilies vary from 5,000-10,000 SHU. Their fruity and sweet taste with a suitable heat level perfectly fits for replacing Fresno in both cooked and uncooked recipes. You can top Holland chilies for salad or pair them with seafood dishes.
5. Scotch Bonnet
Bahamian, Jamaican Hot, and Goat pepper are the common names of Scotch Bonnet. This pepper comes from Amazon and is popular in Caribbean dishes. Scotch Bonnet and Habanero are close relatives of the Capsicum Chinense family.
This pepper is 1–2 inches long and resembles the “Tammie” – a Scottish men’s bonnet. This appearance is also the inspiration for the unique name Scotch Bonnet.
Although the hotter level, raking between 100,000-350,000 SHU, Scotch Bonnet shares the similar flavor of sweet, fruity, and citrusy of Fresno. Therefore, you can replace Fresno pepper with Scotch Bonnet in many recipes, such as soups, curry chicken, and shrimp.
However, because of the different spiciness, you must control the amount of Scotch Bonnet to prevent your dishes from being extra hot.
6. Cayenne Peppers
Cayenne is first a popular pepper in Western countries. Cayenne in French Guiana is the cradle of Cayenne peppers in the documentation. This pepper is a species of Capsicum Annuum, about 2-5 inches long, and varies from green to red.
The primary flavor of Cayenne is hot and fiery, with a distinct fruity note that makes it perfect to substitute for Fresno peppers. However, the spicy level of Cayenne is relatively higher than Fresno, ranging from 30,000-50,000 SHU.
Therefore, you should start slowly with a small amount of Cayenne pepper to adjust your spiciness choice.
Making Cayenne powder is relatively easy. Let’s try to make it at home.
7. Thai Jinda Chillies
Thai peppers are the best replacement for Fresno peppers, especially the Jinda version. Another name for Thai Jinda is Prik Sod. This chili is oblong with smooth skin, and its color varies from green to red.
Thai Jinda is popular in Thai cooking since it is spicy with an earthy flavor. You can have this chili in Thai soups or raw in a green version.
On the heat scale, Thai Jinda ranges from 50,000-100,000 SHU, which is higher than Fresno. So, just use a small volume of Thai Jinda to replace Fresno peppers.
Furthermore, unlike Fresno peppers, the spiciness of Thai Jinda does not fluctuate with its color. The size of the chili determines this level of heat. The hotter the pepper, the smaller it is.
8. Red Chili Peppers
Last but not least, the last candidate for the fresh substitutes list is red chili peppers. These chili peppers are a variation of the Capsicum Annuum family. Red chili peppers are small and popular in South America, Asia, and the Caribbean.
The taste of red chili peppers is various and a bit complex since you can feel a sweet, fruity, or even smoky flavor. With some similar note in the flavor, red chili peppers, therefore, is a viable alternative option for Fresno.
However, similar to other substitutes, red chili peppers are hotter than Fresno, ranking between 100,000-125,000 SHU. Therefore, you should make sure to reduce the amount when substituting.
Dry Substitutes
Sometimes, finding fresh peppers for cooking is pretty hard. Therefore, filling your kitchen with dried ones is recommended.
Below are some suggestions for Fresno substitutes in dry versions. Like fresh chili peppers, these dried peppers preserve the same nutrition and flavor and have a longer storage time. Let’s discover them now!
9. Guajillo Chilies
Guajillo chilies are the dried form of Mirasol chilies that you can find in most Mexican recipes. Usually, you find this dried version mostly in central and Northern Mexico. Guajillo chilies have a brown-red color, 4-6 inches long.
In terms of flavor, Guajillo has a complex flavor profile. Since it is dried, the flavor is more concentrated with a fruity, tangy, and smoky note. On the Scoville scale, Guajillo has 2,500-5,000 SHU, which is a mild heat for your dish.
Therefore, you can completely replace Fresno pepper with Guajillo chilies in some urgent cases. The spiciness and fruity note of Guajillo is fit for your salsas and stir-fries.
10. Tien Tsin Peppers
Tien Tsin peppers, or Chinese red peppers, are popular chilies in Chinese cooking, especially in Hunan or Szechuan cuisines. This pepper has a petite body 1-2 inches long, usually in a dried version. Besides, Tien Tsin is also famous for making infused oil.
However, the flavor of Tien Tsin peppers is a bit neutral and isn’t as complex as other chilies. Tien Tsin is famous for its hot level range from 50,000 – 75,000 SHU.
Although the Tien Tsin is hotter than the Fresno pepper, it is okay to substitute these two for each other, especially in recipes such as chicken curry and lemon rice.
11. Chipotle Peppers
Chipotle is the dried version of Jalapeno peppers. Instead of having fresh Jalapeno, people made Chipotle by letting the fresh pods on the vine ripen. Then these pods will be smoked and dried to become Chipotle peppers.
In terms of flavor, Chipotle has a smoky taste with a sweetness undernote, resulting from the vine ripening process. On the Scoville scale, Chipotle peppers range from 2,500-8,000 SHU, which is quite similar to Fresno. Therefore, these two can be interchangeable.
If you are curious about how to produce Chipotle, you must take a look at this video.
FAQs
I believe you have learned much about Fresno substitutes. I hope you have enough information to change Fresno peppers with the others. If you still have some unknown questions, let’s look for the answers in this section.
From Fresh To Dry, You Have Many Fresno Alternative Choices
Having some substitutes for Fresno peppers is always helpful for your cooking work. Thus, when you go to supermarkets, let’s pick something new to keep at home. These substitutes, especially the dried versions, can help you win many cooking games.
If you tried and succeeded with the suggested Fresno substitutes, don’t hesitate to share your experiences in the comment section. Besides, please remember to share this article with your friends and family; they will be grateful for this useful information.
References
- Fresno takes another stab at agritourism ANR Blogs.
- Pelegrino, E.N. Health benefits of Jalapeños One should know, National Nutrition Council.
