Cascabella
Cascabella peppers are small, conical hot wax-type chilies (Capsicum annuum) that ripen from creamy yellow through orange to red. With a medium heat level similar to jalapeños and a crisp, fruity flavor, they are especially prized for pickling and are a regional staple in California cuisine.
About 1/5.6 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).
Growing
~80 days to maturity
Fruit size
4.4–5.1 cm
Flavor & Use
Fruity and tangy with a subtle sweetness and bright, building heat; the crisp texture holds up well when pickled or fresh in salsas.
Culinary
About
These thick-walled, waxy-skinned peppers grow to about 1.75 to 2 inches long and 0.75 inches wide on compact, productive plants reaching 18-24 inches tall. Typically harvested and eaten in the yellow stage for pickling or fresh use, they develop more sweetness and color as they ripen to red. Plants are heavy yielding and suited to home gardens and commercial pickling.
Backstory
Cascabella is an open-pollinated hot wax pepper grown and pickled in California. Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers are cascabellas, and Sandia Seed notes those pods are grown in Northern California. Pickled yellow cascabellas have also been reported at West Coast burger counters, including In-N-Out and Tommy's. A Kokopelli listing dates the variety to California around 1950 and names Clarence Brown, but no release note or parentage backs that line.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreNothing reputable documents a pedigree for this pepper.
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Cascabella?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 1,500–6,000 SHU (Vendor Claim). 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 Cascabella taste like?
- Fruity and tangy with a subtle sweetness and bright, building heat; the crisp texture holds up well when pickled or fresh in salsas.
- How do I grow Cascabella?
- Cascabella: about 80 days to maturity, warm temperate climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Cascabella?
- Capsi does not have that recorded yet.