Chili peppers are more than good eats. There’s a whole world of ornamental peppers out there that are hallmarks of edible landscaping. From multi-colored beauties to fruits that are black as night, these hot peppers are bred to accentuate their looks, adding a real sense of drama to a space. Our ornamental peppers guide showcases some of the best for both outdoor use and container gardening. Click on any of the profile links to get an even fuller sense of what each of these chilies is all about.
Matt Bray
Spicy Pomodoro Sauce
The fresh taste of tomato and basil with heat!
Sometimes it’s the simple sauces that make the best meals. Case in point: spicy pomodoro sauce. It’s the fresh taste of tomato, basil, Parmigiano Reggiano, and garlic (plenty of garlic) and then there’s that kick. A little crushed red pepper turns things up a notch.
Try it with any pasta . You can also add chicken or shrimp to make it into more of a meal. Pomodoro sauce also works very well as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, and other fried foods.
NuMex Big Jim Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
What are NuMex Big Jim peppers? New Mexican peppers are often big-bodied — from Anaheim peppers to Hatch chilies they are meaty and thick. But none hold a candle to the likes of the NuMex Big Jim. It’s the giant of the pepper world topping …
Filius Blue Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
What are Filius Blue peppers? Shades of blue are one of the least common color schemes of pepper plants. The Filius Blue, therefore, stands out among ornamental peppers, with its tiny chilies taking on deep dark indigo blue and purplish hues. It’s a compact chili …
Spicy Glazed Carrots
A sweet and spicy side…
Matching the earthy sweetness of carrots with butter and brown sugar is already a delicious pairing. But when you add in some chili powder and a pinch of cayenne powder? Now we’re talking a spicy side delight.
This is a great side dish for roasted turkey, ham, or even steak, so keep it at hand during holiday season or for dinner parties. It’s a quick recipe to make that has a lot of flavor for the effort. The cayenne pepper powder is optional, but just a little pinch brings a nice warmth to the carrots.
Apache Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
What are Apache peppers? Best known for its compact shape, the Apache pepper is a dwarf plant perfect for container gardening, both indoors (in a sunny corner or window sill) and out. But don’t let the size of the plant lull you into thinking there’s …
Papa a la Huancaina
A popular Peruvian appetizer…
Who doesn’t love the idea of potatoes with a spicy cheese sauce? That’s simply what the popular Peruvian recipe papa a la Huancaina is: boiled potatoes topped with a cheese sauce spiced up by the deliciously summery-sweet aji amarillo pepper. It’s made all the better by the addition of hardboiled eggs and black olives – very rustic in flavor.
Papa a la Huancaina is typically served as an appetizer, but it’s so heavy it can also work as meal in its own right. The recipe calls for Huancaina sauce (which you can find the recipe for here).
Naga Viper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
What are Naga Viper peppers? What do you get when you cross three super-hots? The Naga Viper. It sounds like a crazy pepper joke, but this extreme chili – a wicked offspring of the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Naga Morich, and ghost pepper (Bhut Jolokia) – …
Explosive Ember Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
What are Explosive Ember peppers? Ornamental peppers come in many colors, often brightening up landscaping like Christmas lights, but few have the sense of drama of the Explosive Ember pepper. It’s a bold look – pods in shades of jewel-tone purple and red against dark …
Huancaina Sauce
A delicious Peruvian cheese sauce…
Peruvian huancaina sauce is a must for the delicious traditional potato dish papas a la huancaina. But this mix of queso fresco, sunny aji amarillo peppers, and onions has more culinary options that that. Use it as a veggie dip, as a side to salsa for Mexican and Peruvian meals, or pour it over cooked veggies as you would any cheese sauce.
Aji amarillo peppers provide a cayenne pepper level heat and a tropical-sweet undertone to the sauce. It’s a unique, summery taste making for one terrific alternative to typical (and often boring) cheese sauces.