Calabrian Chili
Also known as Calabrian Chili Pepper · Peperoncino Calabrese · Calabrian Chile · Hot Calabrian Pepper · Diavolicchio · Devil’s Kiss · Peperone Piccante Calabrese
A small chili from Calabria, kept for the fruity, slightly smoky heat used in 'nduja, oil-packed peppers, and southern Italian sauces.
Growing
~90 days to maturity
Fruit size
2.5–8 cm
Flavor & Use
Fruity and a little sweet, with a smoky edge after drying or packing in oil. The heat is direct and stays on the tongue rather than a short flash.
Culinary
About
Calabrian chili is the trade name for several small Capsicum annuum types grown in Calabria, not one pod shape. The cherry form, carasella or ciliegino, is round and about the size of a large cherry. Sigaretta and diavolicchio are longer and pointed, often 3 to 8 cm, with a tip that can curve. Fruit starts green and ripens glossy red. Flavor is fruity and a little sweet, with a smoky edge once the peppers are dried or packed in oil. Cooks use them fresh, crushed into flakes, or preserved in olive oil. The paste supplies the heat and color in 'nduja. Plants are productive in full sun and are often grown for dried braids.
Backstory
Chili reached Calabria in the 16th century after Spanish ships brought Capsicum from the Americas. By the mid-1600s the Calabrian writer Tommaso Campanella was already treating it as a common local crop. Farmers kept seed of several small hot types, later called diavolicchio, sigaretta, and ciliegino, on the region's clay soils. Diamante, on the Tyrrhenian coast, still holds the Accademia Italiana del Peperoncino and its festival. In 2026 the European Union registered Peperoncino di Calabria as a protected geographical indication covering those local types.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreCalabrian Chili is a traditional landrace.
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Calabrian Chili?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 5,000–70,000 SHU (Official breeder). Capsi uses a sourced range and a trust tier, not a single marketing number. How we verify heat: https://web.thecapsi.app/learn/heat-and-capsaicin/how-we-measure-heat
- What does Calabrian Chili taste like?
- Fruity and a little sweet, with a smoky edge after drying or packing in oil. The heat is direct and stays on the tongue rather than a short flash.
- How do I grow Calabrian Chili?
- Calabrian Chili: about 90 days to maturity, Mediterranean climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Calabrian Chili?
- cayenne pepper, serrano (for milder), fresh red chili flakes, Fresno pepper, Cayenne, Fresno, Serrano