Jalapeño peppers are hands down the most popular hot pepper around, but do you know it comes in different shades? That’s right — there are green jalapeños and red jalapeños. What’s the difference? Is one spicier than the other? Do they taste different? Are the red versions hard to find? Let’s break down both the similarities and differences.
Red and green jalapeños: What makes them different colors?
The big difference between these two peppers is simply age. They are the same pepper, just a green jalapeño is picked early in the ripening process, while a red jalapeño is left on the vine to mature. During the ripening, jalapeños, like most other chilies, turn red. The process takes time so many jalapeños end up multi-hued, various shades of green and red, during the aging process. And the same pepper plant may have some green, some red, and some mottled both green and red.
Is a red jalapeño spicier than a green jalapeño?
It typically is. The additional ripening on the vine means more capsaicin in the pepper itself. Capsaicin is the compound that gives hot peppers their spiciness. Now that’s not to say a ripened red jalapeño is going to jump out of its typical range on the Scoville scale (2,500 – 8,000 Scoville heat units). It’s not. You’re not about to get one that’s as hot as a serrano (10,000 to 23,000 SHU). It is, though, likely to sit at the top level of that spread compared to a younger, green-colored jalapeño.
Does a red jalapeño taste different from a green one?
There is a slight taste difference. A green jalapeño has a fresh, grassy, and crisp taste, whereas a red jalapeño has a bit more sweetness to it. This can make a difference in recipes. Some prefer red jalapeños in hot sauces. In fact, Sriracha Hot Sauce, one of the most famous hot sauces in the world, uses red jalapeños as its base.
And the green jalapeño flavor, bright and grassy, makes it a favorite with sandwiches and salads. It pairs so well with other greens, and that fresh flavor makes them amazing for pickling, too.
So while they share similar levels of spiciness, green and red jalapeños aren’t the best overall substitutes for one another. The flavor is just different enough to make other fully mature, red-hued chilies around the same heat level the better options.
Learn More: What’s The Best Red Jalapeño Substitute?
Can you mature a green jalapeño to red when the pepper is off the vine?
The short answer is not easily, but it is possible — particularly if the pepper has already started the color change. It’s much harder, if not impossible, to get a fully green jalapeño to mature once it’s picked.
But if the chili has some evidence of color change, you have some options. None are guaranteed success, but they can work. Take a look at our post on your best options for ripening peppers off the vine for a full breakdown.
How hard is it to find fresh red jalapeño peppers?
It’s a lot harder than finding the green versions. Green jalapeños are a staple in supermarkets around the world. They are the most common chili pepper that you’ll find in produce sections and on store shelves. You’ll typically not see red jalapeños around at anywhere near the same level. As they have a much longer growing cycle, they aren’t as common. They are more expensive to grow (increased labor and maintenance costs, more lost produce due to disease and other problems), so growers lean more into the safer, faster-to-market green variety.
And then there’s the confusion that the color creates for a lot of buyers. Many people aren’t aware that a jalapeño can come in a different color, which makes them question whether these chilies are mislabeled, overly ripe, or even going bad.
But when you’re knowledgeable about these two jalapeño shades, you can use that knowledge to your culinary advantage. These red versions bring a little extra kick and a hint of sweetness that works well with citrus salsas and tropical hot sauces. Keep in mind the kitchen possibilities the next time you come across them.
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- Our Hot Sauce Rankings: We rank 100+ hot sauces to help you find your next new favorite. Our rankings even let you search by the chili pepper used.
- Serrano Vs. Jalapeño: Two chilies with similar bright bite (when green), but how do they differ?
I’ve never had trouble turning a fully green, (picked way before the turning stage) jalapeño red. Just leave them set on the counter and after a few weeks they turn color
I have kept green jalapenos on the counter for a while and they turn red on their own. Would the taste be the same as buying ones that are already red?