Mild
Ají dulce
Mild, smoky, and aromatic
Capsicum chinenseLatin Americaají cachuchaquechucha
red
0 SHU to 500 SHU
Best known for sofrito, seasoning bases, Caribbean stews.
Peppers ranked by heat.
Explore the full chart, narrow it with filters, and open any pepper for its own reference entry. Learn about the Scoville scale (SHU).
Heat chart
Ranked by maximum SHU
Mild
Banana pepper
Mild, tangy
Capsicum annuumSouthern Mexicoyellow wax pepperbanana chili
greenredyelloworange
0 SHU to 500 SHU
Best known for pickled, stuffed, raw ingredient in foods.
Sweet
Bell pepper
Crunchy, grassy, and mildly sweet
Capsicum annuumMexicosweet pepperpaprika
greenredyelloworangebrownwhitepurpleblack
0 SHU
Best known for fresh salads, stuffing, roasting.
Sweet
Big Jim pepper
Big Jim pepper is a famously large New Mexico chile cultivar bred for long, thick-walled pods with very mild heat. It is commonly harvested green and roasted, making it a staple pepper for classic New Mexican green chile dishes.
Capsicum annuumNew Mexico, United StatesNuMex Big JimNew Mex Big Jim
greenred
0 SHU
Hot
New Mexico chile
New Mexico chile is a regional Capsicum annuum group shaped by Pueblo, Hispano, and university breeding traditions in the American Southwest. The category includes peppers used green or red in iconic New Mexican dishes, with heat levels that range from very mild to distinctly hot.
Capsicum annuumNew Mexico, United StatesNew Mexican chile
greenred
0 SHU to 100,000 SHU
Sweet
Sandia pepper
Sandia pepper is a New Mexico chile cultivar grown for larger pods and more heat than many everyday state varieties. It is commonly roasted green for chile dishes or ripened red and dried for powders, stews, and adovada-style cooking.
Capsicum annuumUnited StatesSandia chile pepper
greenred
0 SHU
Mild
Santa Fe Grande
Slightly sweet and mild
Capsicum annuumNew Mexico, United StatesYellow hot chili pepperGuero chili pepper
redyelloworange
0 SHU to 999 SHU
Best known for fresh roasting, pickling, Southwestern cooking.
Sweet
Shishito
Bright, grassy, and lightly smoky when blistered
Capsicum annuumAsiaShishito pepper
greenred
0 SHU
Best known for blistered appetizers, tempura, skewers.
Hot
Kambuzi
Habanero-like, fruity, and punchy
Capsicum chinenseMalawi
redyelloworange
2 SHU to 175,000 SHU
Best known for condiments, turned into sauces, sandwich spreads.
Mild
Cherry pepper
Sweet, soft, and aromatic
Capsicum annuumMexicoPimientopimento
greenredyellow
100 SHU to 500 SHU
Best known for pimento cheese, stuffed olives, roasting.
Mild
Cubanelle
Tender, sweet, and lightly peppery
Capsicum annuumCubaCuban pepper (ají cubanelathe Cuban pepper
greenredyellow
100 SHU to 1,000 SHU
Best known for frying, stuffing, sofrito.
Mild
Friggitello
Mild, slightly bitter, and sweet
Capsicum annuumItalyGolden Greek pepperSweet Italian pepper
greenredyellow
100 SHU to 500 SHU
Best known for fresh salads, sauteing, stuffing.
Mild
Padrón pepper
Grassy, nutty, and occasionally sharp
Capsicum annuumGalicia, SpainHerbón pepper
greenred
500 SHU to 2,500 SHU
Best known for tapas, pan-frying, blistered peppers.
Mild
Alma paprika pepper
Sweet, crisp, and juicy with mild to moderate heat that becomes more noticeable at full ripeness
Capsicum annuumHungarySweet Apple paprika pepper
whiteorangered
1,000 SHU to 3,000 SHU
Best known for paprika powder, stuffing, roasting, pickling, soups and stews.
Mild
Baklouti pepper
Mild, slightly smoky, and savory
Capsicum annuumTunisia
red
1,000 SHU to 5,000 SHU
Best known for harissa, lablabi, Tunisian sauces.
Medium
Hungarian wax pepper
Tangy, bright, and medium-hot
Capsicum annuumHungary
redyelloworange
1,000 SHU to 15,000 SHU
Best known for pickling, stuffing, paprika-style cooking.
Mild
Poblano
Earthy, rich, and slightly smoky
Capsicum annuumPuebla, Puebla, Mexico
greenredwhiteblackchocolate
1,000 SHU to 1,500 SHU
Best known for chiles rellenos poblanos.
Mild
Cascabel chili
Nutty, woody, and gently smoky
Capsicum annuumMexicorattle chilithe rattle chili
greenredyellow
1,500 SHU to 2,500 SHU
Best known for mole, sauces, soups.
Mild
Korean chili pepper
Mild, grassy, and slightly sweet
Capsicum annuumKoreaKorean redKorean dark green
greenredmustard
1,500 SHU
Best known for fresh banchan, stuffing, general Korean cooking.
Hot
Capsicum pubescens
Juicy, bright, and apple-like
Capsicum pubescensCoastal Southern CaliforniaRocotolocoto
greenredyelloworangebrownwhitepurpleblack
2,400 SHU to 250,000 SHU
Best known for rocoto relleno, salsas, table sauces.
Medium
Fresno chile
Bright, fruity, and sharper than jalapeno
Capsicum annuumFresno, California, United StatesFresno pepperFresno chili pepper
greenredorangebrownwhiteblack
2,500 SHU to 10,000 SHU
Best known for hot sauces, salsas, ceviche.
Mild
Espelette pepper
Sweet, fruity, and berry-like with a mild heat
Capsicum annuumFrancePiment d'Espelette
redblack
4,000 SHU
Medium
Jalapeño
Bright, vegetal, and slightly grassy
Capsicum annuumXalapa, Veracruz, Mexicojalapeño
greenredyelloworangebrownwhite
4,000 SHU to 8,500 SHU
Best known for salsas, pickling, nachos.
Medium
Fish pepper
Bright, sharp, and moderately hot
Capsicum annuumCaribbean
greenredorangebrownwhiteblack
5,000 SHU to 30,000 SHU
Best known for seafood dishes, hot sauces, pickling.
Medium
Cheongyang chili pepper
Clean, spicy, and brighter than standard Korean chili
Capsicum annuumSouth Korea
greenredpurple
10,000 SHU
Best known for fresh slicing, Korean cooking, drying.
Medium
Serrano pepper
Crisp, grassy, and sharp
Capsicum annuumPuebla, Mexico
greenredyelloworangebrown
10,000 SHU to 25,000 SHU
Best known for hot sauce, fresh salsa, garnishes.
Medium
Chile de árbol
Nutty, grassy, and sharp
Capsicum annuumMexicochile de árbol
greenred
15,000 SHU to 30,000 SHU
Best known for salsas, oil infusions, dry toasting.
Hot
Chiltepin
Chiltepin is a tiny wild pepper widely considered one of the closest ancestors of domesticated Capsicum annuum. Its small, round fruits deliver fast, intense heat and have long been spread through the wild by birds across parts of the Americas.
Capsicum annuumSouthern North AmericaCapsicum annuum var. glabriusculumpiquin
greenredorange
20,000 SHU to 140,000 SHU
Medium
Capsicum baccatum
Fruity, sunny, and slightly raisiny
Capsicum baccatumPeruAji amarillo
greenredyelloworangewhiteblack
30,000 SHU to 50,000 SHU
Best known for aji sauces, ceviche accompaniments, Peruvian stews.
Medium
Cayenne pepper
Lean, dry heat with light fruitiness
Capsicum annuumFrench Guiana
redyellowpurpleblack
30,000 SHU to 50,000 SHU
Best known for spicy dishes, powder, in its whole form, cooking spicy dishes.
Hot
Dundicut
Dundicut is a small, dark red South Asian chili usually sold dried and valued for full-bodied heat rather than sheer intensity. It is used in regional spice blends and cooking where a compact pepper with strong color and punch is useful.
Capsicum annuumPakistanDundicut peppers
red
30,000 SHU to 65,000 SHU
Hot
Pequin pepper
Citrusy and nutty
Capsicum annuumTabasco, Mexicochile pequínchile petín
greenred
30,000 SHU to 60,000 SHU
Best known for pickling, salsas, sauces, soups, vinegars.
Medium
Tabasco pepper
Sharp, juicy, and punchy
Capsicum frutescensTabasco, Mexico
greenredyelloworange
30,000 SHU to 50,000 SHU
Best known for tabasco sauce, followed by peppered vinegar.
Medium
Guntur Sannam
Guntur Sannam is an Indian Capsicum annuum grown around the Guntur region and prized for strong red color, reliable heat, and dried-chile versatility. It is an important trade pepper and carries protected geographical-indication status in Andhra Pradesh.
Capsicum annuumIndia
greenredblack
35,000 SHU to 40,000 SHU
Hot
Bird's eye chili
Clean, sharp, and quick-building
Capsicum annuumMexicoThai chili pepperBirds eye chili
greenredyelloworangepurple
50,000 SHU to 100,000 SHU
Best known for stir-fries, curries, fish sauce condiments.
Medium
Siling haba
Fresh, grassy, and moderately spicy
Capsicum annuumPhilippinesespadasiling mahaba
greenred
50,000 SHU
Best known for sinigang, dinuguan, pinangat, kilawin, paksiw.
Hot
Malagueta pepper
Sharp, bright, and punchy
Capsicum frutescensAmazon Basin
redblack
60,000 SHU to 100,000 SHU
Best known for Brazilian sauces, pickling, vinegar condiments.
Hot
Siling labuyo
Sharp, bright, and intensely pungent
Capsicum frutescensPhilippineslabuyolabuyo chili
greenredyelloworangewhitepurple
80,000 SHU to 100,000 SHU
Best known for sawsawan, vinegar condiments, Filipino stews.
Very hot
Adjuma
Fruity, floral, and full-bodied
Capsicum chinenseSurinameadjoemaaji umba
redyellow
100,000 SHU to 500,000 SHU
Best known for fresh sauces, Surinamese dishes, pepper pastes.
Hot
Datil pepper
Both hot and sweet
Capsicum chinenseSt. Augustine, Florida, United Statesdatil
greenredyelloworangebrownmustard
100,000 SHU to 300,000 SHU
Best known for pepper sauces, mustards, seafood sauces.
Hot
Habanero
Tropical, floral, and intense
Capsicum chinenseAmazon Basin
greenredyelloworangebrownwhitepurpleblackchocolate
100,000 SHU to 350,000 SHU
Best known for hot sauces, other spicy foods.
Hot
Madame Jeanette
Fruity, with hints of mango and pineapple
Capsicum chinenseSuriname
redyellow
100,000 SHU to 350,000 SHU
Best known for Surinamese cooking, fresh sauces, stews.
Hot
Scotch bonnet
Sweet, fruity, and floral
Capsicum chinenseAmazon BasinBonney peppersCaribbean red peppers
red
100,000 SHU to 350,000 SHU
Best known for jerk marinades, pepper sauces, stews.
Very hot
Fatalii
Fruity, citrus
Capsicum chinenseAfrica
greenredyelloworangewhitechocolate
125,000 SHU to 400,000 SHU
Best known for fresh salsas, marinades, hot sauces.
Very hot
Red Savina pepper
Fruity, intense, and sharper than standard habanero
Capsicum chinenseCalifornia, United States
redorange
350,000 SHU to 577,000 SHU
Best known for fresh salsas, hot sauces, superhot cooking.
Superhot
Ghost pepper
Smoky, sweet, and deeply lingering
Capsicum chinenseNortheast Indiabhut jolokia (lit
greenredyelloworangepurplechocolate
855,000 SHU to 1,040,000 SHU
Best known for superhot sauces, powders, challenge foods.
Superhot
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T is a superhot Capsicum chinense selection known for aggressive heat and the pointed tail that gives scorpion peppers their name. Named through Butch Taylor and the Hippy Seed Company, it became one of the defining peppers of the early superhot era.
Capsicum chinenseCrosby, MississippiTrinidad Scorpion Butch T
red
1,000,000 SHU to 1,463,700 SHU
Superhot
Trinidad Moruga scorpion
Fruity, floral, and intensely delayed
Capsicum chinenseMoruga, Trinidad and Tobago
yellow
1,207,764 SHU
Best known for superhot sauces, powders, challenge products.
Superhot
Naga Viper pepper
Naga Viper is an English-bred superhot Capsicum chinense known less for culinary use than for its brief world-record fame. Guinness recognized it in 2011, and it remains notable as one of the peppers that pushed the modern superhot arms race forward.
Capsicum chinenseCumbria, EnglandNaga Viper
1,382,118 SHU
Superhot
Carolina Reaper
Sweet upfront, then searing and persistent
Capsicum chinenseFort Mill, South Carolina, United States
red
1,641,183 SHU
Best known for hot sauce, pepper mash, novelty products.
Superhot
Pepper X
Earthy, floral, and brutally hot
Capsicum chinenseFort Mill, South Carolina, United States
red
2,693,000 SHU
Best known for limited hot sauces, novelty products.