Cascabel
Also known as Cascabel Chile · Cascabel Pepper · Chile Bola · Chile Cascabel · Rattle Chile · Cascabelillo
The Cascabel is a small, round Mexican chile, sold mostly dried, whose loose seeds rattle when the pod is shaken. The flavor is nutty and earthy, with a little wood and smoke, and the heat stays mild.
About 1/11 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).
Growing
~85 days to maturity
Fruit size
2–4 cm
Flavor & Use
Nutty, close to walnut, with earth, wood, and a little smoke or toast. A mild acidity shows up in some lots. The heat comes on gently and fades, so the flavor stays in front.
Culinary
About
Fresh fruit is a globe about 2 to 3 cm across, green then red, with thin flesh. Dried pods keep that round shape instead of flattening. The skin turns a glossy reddish brown to mahogany, smooth and leathery, with a few creases. Toasted and soaked, they go into everyday salsas, soups, and stews. Plants are open-pollinated and grown like other mild Mexican chiles.
Backstory
Cascabel is a long-kept Mexican bola chile, grown for drying in Jalisco, Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, and Coahuila. Fresh pods are sold as chile bola. The dried name comes from the rattle of loose seeds, a sound cooks use to check that the pod is still good. It is toasted, then soaked, and used in ordinary salsas and stews rather than in complex moles.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreCascabel is a traditional landrace.
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Cascabel?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 2,192 SHU (Lab-verified). 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 Cascabel taste like?
- Nutty, close to walnut, with earth, wood, and a little smoke or toast. A mild acidity shows up in some lots. The heat comes on gently and fades, so the flavor stays in front.
- How do I grow Cascabel?
- Cascabel: about 85 days to maturity, subtropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Cascabel?
- Guajillo, Ancho, Pasilla