Tobago Seasoning
Also known as Tobago Seasoning Pepper · Trinidad Seasoning Pepper
A traditional mild Capsicum chinense from Tobago, grown as a seasoning pepper for its smoky tropical fruit flavor with almost no heat.
About 1/194 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).
Growing
~95 days to maturity
Fruit size
5–7.5 cm
Flavor & Use
smoky tropical fruit with habanero-like aroma and almost no heat
Culinary
About
Elongated, slightly wrinkled pods ripen from green through orange to red. The flavor is smoky and tropical-fruity, close to a habanero but far milder. Plants stay compact and productive, making them useful for sauces, mild jerk, salsas, and fresh seasoning where aroma matters more than burn.
Backstory
Collected from a street market in Scarborough, Tobago in March 1999 by Dr. Jeff Nekola. Local cooks use these mild chinense fruits as a seasoning pepper in everyday Caribbean dishes and jerk preparations, valuing the fruity aroma without the heat of full-strength Scotch Bonnets or habaneros.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreTobago Seasoning is a traditional landrace.
1999
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Tobago Seasoning?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 129 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 Tobago Seasoning taste like?
- smoky tropical fruit with habanero-like aroma and almost no heat
- How do I grow Tobago Seasoning?
- Tobago Seasoning: about 95 days to maturity, tropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Tobago Seasoning?
- Trinidad Perfume, Ají Dulce