People across the world use many types of peppers to make their food tasty, spicy and hot with more flavor to it. one of the popular type of pepper is jalapenos which you will find in many types of Italian food items prominently besides other cuisines also. here we will discuss about substitute for jalapeno to use them when you are out of jalapenos in your kitchen and nearby market.
people use jalapenos to make jalapeno cheese poppers, jalapeno pickles, fried jalapenos, jalapeno fritters in air fryers etc. people across the world use jalapeno now days due to its hot and sweet taste which enhances the dish flavor. they comes in red and green color with hotness range from 2500 to 8000 SHU (Scoville heat unit) to measure the hotness of peppers.
These jalapenos substitutes will help you make tasty recipes whenever you want by adding a quotient of hotness and spiciness in the dishes. you can use different substitute for jalapeno in various dishes as per the requirement to give them unique and good flavor for everyone i your friends and family to enjoy with you.
jalapeno substitutes and alternatives
Fresno pepper
Fresno peppers are a good alternative to jalapeno due to the similarity in looks and flavor. it can go up to 10000 SHU in hotness range. so if you want something hot and spicy to replace your jalapeno then this is for you to try out and see if your taste buds like it or not.
they possess fruits and Smokey in them and works great with dishes like chili, soups, salsa etc. to make then spicy and hot. add gradually to get the hotness up to the level that you can take in and dishes don’t get too hot.
Bell peppers
Bell peppers seems to be a good alternative for jalapeno for people who want something not to spicy as it comes with mild flavor. if you want low heat and low hotness in dishes then this the pepper to add in your dishes in place of jalapenos. they are crispy like jalapenos and have thick walls resembling them.
When we tend to talk about benefits of bell peppers then its important to note that it is rich in many antioxidants and vitamins like vitamin c which makes it excellent food item to improve your overall eye health and prevent you from other diseases thus making your immune system strong within.
If you have bell peppers with 3 lobes then it has less unwanted seeds and are great when roasted or grilled for cooking which makes an excellent choice for using when jalapeno is not in sight. its mild in hotness so if someone is looking for something mild with less heat then bell peppers can be ideal substitute for them to enjoy with different recipes.
Hot sauce
normal hot sauce can be used as alternative to jalapeno peppers if you don’t have them as hot sauces already contains peppers in them and would help you make your food spicy. you can buy hot sauce of any brand from super market including popular ones like tabasco’s etc. to get your spicy flavor in the favorite dishes.
Anaheim Pepper
Anaheim peppers come with sweet taste and milder hotness than jalapeno peppers making it an good substitute for people wanting less spiciness in their dishes. the heat range in this peppers is from 500 to 3500 Shu
it is longer in size than jalapenos and give similar taste to them with less hotness. you can chop them or dice them to add in your pies, taco’s, salsa etc.
serrano pepper
it is quite similar taste with jalapeno peppers making it a good substitute for the same. the hotness range in these peppers varies from 10000 to 24000 SHU which makes it quite hot so it is advised to wear some kind of gloves while handling serrano peppers as it can give burning sensation to your skin after some time and if your hand drenched in chili get to your face or eyes then it will start to burn also, so stay vigilant while making recipes with serrano peppers.
they are green in color and originates from mountain areas of Mexico which makes it it little less popular but if you get it then you can try it to replace your jalapenos and have a great spicy recipe with serrano peppers.
people enjoy it in tacos and tortillas with some lime juice, cheese of your choice, other veggies mixture and fruits like avocado puree to balance the hot flavor and make a delightful dish to enjoy with mint sauce, dijon mustard, ketchup, chopped pearl onions etc.
you can also pickles out of serrano peppers by mixing carrom seeds, salt and other spices of your choice for tasty pickles made in 2-3 weeks to enjoy with your lunch and dinner meals. some people also like to add lemon juice or vinegar in their pepper pickles to add the tangy flavor, if optional you can add if you like else skip.
cayenne pepper powder
It is easy to find in market can be used in place of jalapenos when you don’t have them. the hotness level of this powder is at 50000 SHU making it much hotter and spicier than jalapenos. the amount of powder required in any recipe would depend on your hotness tolerance level and how much spicy you want to make your dishes.
in general about 1/2 spoon cayenne pepper powder should be added in recipes in place of 1 jalapeno pepper.
banana peppers
banana peppers also serves as a good alternative for jalapeno peppers. They are mild in taste and comes with little tangy flavor. they are medium size and comes in yellow color or sometimes red or orange. they are less hot and spicy and comes with hotness index ranging from 0 to 500 SHU.
it is not hot so can be used in dishes and recipes in which you don’t want hotness and spiciness of jalapenos. you can also freeze banana peppers to to store and use later when you require to add them in place of jalapenos in your dishes.
smoked paprika powder
it can also be used in place of jalapeno as its mild in hotness and gives good flavor along with color to our dish. it is made from grounding the dried paprika to make the powder. its it will help you make tasty salsa, sauces and other similar dishes.
cubanelle peppers
cubanelle peppers is also a alternative to jalapenos used by some people. they are called cuban peppers in local language. they are little sweet and mild peppers with hotness level not similar to jalapenos making it good substitute if you want something mild for your dish. their outer layer is thinner than bell peppers and comes in yellow and green color which may turn red upon ripening completely.
you can make stir fried salad dish with different veggies and cubanelle peppers with some olive oil and herbs of your choice to make a great tasting healthy snack salad to enjoy in morning or evening.
due to its low hotness levels and less bitter taste people like to stuff it with cheese of their choice and bake to make tasty snack which is enjoyed with any kind of dip like yogurt mint, tamarind dip, flavored mayonnaise etc.
it is packed with folate which helps to form new RBC’s in body for fighting illness and anemia and prevent disability formation during pregnancy. you will also find vitamin c in it which helps body fight infections and form collagen for healthy body with good metabolism without any unwanted problems.
pepperoncini
they are also mild in terms of hotness and spiciness with hotness index at 100-500 SHU. they are also popularly called as Tuscan peppers and more popular in us region in many dishes like pickles, tacos etc. you can find them easily in market as they are not expensive, in super markets you can also find them in pickle jars which you can buy if you like them. they are are mild and will complete your food to give it a good pairing for it when eaten together if you are looking something of mild hotness.
it comes with good amount of vitamin A and C besides being good source of fibers. it has also being found that potassium is also present in pepperoncini peppers which good for proper heart function along with muscle protection and working.
as you might have come to know that they are less spicy when compared to other kinds of peppers which means it can be placed in sandwiches, chopped and added to soups, chili recipes, stews and some people also like to make pickles out of them or stuff them with veggies mix or cheese then roast and eat in evening making them one of the most sought after and popular alternative to jalapenos for people who like less spicy and hot food in general.
Frequently asked Questions
what are popular health benefits of jalapenos?
Jalapenos comes packed with lots of vitamins and mineral like vitamin A and vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin K, iron, potassium etc. it also comes with antioxidants like beta carotene, folates etc. which helps to prevent unwanted cell damage. it contains capsaicin also which makes it hot and is very powerful to reduce unwanted inflammation in your body.
can i use red pepper to replace jalapenos?
yes you can use fresh red pepper and red pepper flakes in your meals to ad spiciness in absence of jalapenos but keep in mind they can make the dish hot if used in access so use in moderation or gradually. with red peppers can also make use of sumac with or without jalapenos to make the dish more tasty and tangy.
Does jalapenos get more spicy and hot when cooked?
cooking, grilling and roasting of jalapeno peppers brings out it sweet taste in undertones for the consumer to enjoy it. when we tend to expose the jalapenos to heat the outer membrane cells get broken down and the inner side of the jalapenos including hot seeds and hot membrane comes in contact with outer cell membrane and then the whole jalapeno pepper become hot which some people don’t like. you can reduce it hotness by enjoying it with some sweet tamarind dip, mint sauce etc. or stuffing it with cheese and other toppings for overall great taste.
can i use green chilies to replace jalapenos?
yes you can replace jalapenos with green chilies. they are little mild than jalapenos so you can add more if you like spicy and hot food. green chilies look similar to jalapenos but are thin in structure so they form a good substitute for jalapenos.
what’s the difference between jalapeno and poblano peppers?
When we compare jalapeno and poblano pepper then let me tell you the jalapenos are pod shape like and poblano peppers are long and wide like normal bell peppers. both of them are quite popular in Mexican dishes and comes in red to green color variants.
Jalapeno peppers comes in range of 2500-8000 SHU which are mild to moderate and poblanos on the other hand are much lighter in hotness quotient with Scoville Heat Units ranging from 1000-1500 points.
Both the peppers are hollow from inside with some seeds and has thick walls so they can used to make stuffed recipes which people enjoy like cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers, roasted and veggie filled poblano peppers.
As far as availability is concerned bell peppers are quite popular and easy to find in all kinds of grocery stores in fresh produce section but poblano peppers has less buyers so they are not easy to find in all stores but in grocery market you can find them in few shops, so you can checkout few shops and areas if your are keen to use poblano peppers instead of jalapenos to make tasty recipes and dishes with mild hotness levels.
Conclusions
hope you liked our collection of jalapeno alternatives to make your dishes and recipes spicy and hot with its substitutes at hand. let me know which one you like the best and in which all recipes you use it in comments below.
share this post with all your hotness and spice lovers friends in dishes to help them make spicy recipes at home without any issues when the jalapenos are absent from fridge.
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