Anaheim Peppers – All You Need to Know | Instacart Guide to Fresh Produce

While California is largely known for its sandy beaches, gorgeous vineyards, and glittering Hollywood lifestyle, most people may not know that California—particularly Anaheim, California—is known for its anaheim peppers.

What are anaheim peppers?

Thanks to its mild heat and pop of sweetness, anaheim peppers are incredibly versatile and widely used across many dishes. You can often find anaheim peppers gracing the plates of Mexican and Southwestern dishes like the popular chile relleno, a roasted and stuffed pepper filled with cheese, dipped in egg, and fried.

Anaheim peppers can be either green or red in hue. Both green and red anaheim peppers are ripe for eating. They are commonly harvested when green and about 6-10 inches in length. Green anaheim peppers will be sweeter in taste in comparison to their red counterparts.

Anaheim peppers will blossom into a red color when they reach their final matured stage. Red anaheim peppers will be spicier than green anaheim peppers. You’ll often see red anaheim peppers that have been dried and strung together to form a ristra, an arrangement of dried peppers that can be eaten later or hung as a decoration to bring good luck and good health.

How hot are anaheim peppers?

Anaheim peppers lean more on the sweeter side with a little kick of heat. Anaheim peppers have a Scoville heat unit (SHU) rating of 500-2,500 SHU. While this may sound like a lot to those unfamiliar with the Scoville scale, a typical jalapeño ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 SHU, making anaheim peppers more approachable to beginners wanting to dabble in spice.

Where do anaheim peppers originate from?

Contrary to its name, Anaheim peppers actually originate from New Mexico. These peppers are still grown in New Mexico but may go by different names (i.e.: New Mexico chilies or Hatch chilies) and vary in spice level depending on where they were grown.

In 1894, these peppers were brought to Anaheim in Southern California. It was Emilio Ortega, who first grew the peppers commercially, that made Anaheim peppers popular and maintains its popularity to this day.

What is the nutritional value of anaheim peppers?

Anaheim peppers are low in calories and high in vitamin C and vitamin A. Eating 75 grams worth of anaheim peppers will offer 219% of your daily vitamin C serving and 111% of your vitamin A intake. Anaheim peppers also contain vitamin B6, vitamin K, fiber, and small amounts of iron and potassium. Since the peppers are largely comprised of water, anaheim peppers are great to incorporate in a low-calorie diet.

How are anaheim peppers grown?

Anaheim peppers are a relatively low-maintenance plant. They grow perennially, meaning they typically can live and can produce peppers for more than two years. Seeds from the pepper are planted in soil and grow above ground to about 1.5 feet in height. Although low maintenance, anaheim peppers prefer warm soil and need sunlight to grow.

Seeds can be planted and stored indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost of spring. Germination typically takes around 6-12 days and plants can be transferred outdoors 2-3 weeks after the last frost during spring. Be sure to water steadily and plant in a sunny location. Peppers can be harvested while green in color, approximately 70-90 days after transplanting outdoors, or can ripen on the vine until red.

When are anaheim peppers in season?

Because anaheim peppers are perennial vegetables, they are available year-round and are in their peak season during the middle of summer. See if Anaheim peppers or other fresh vegetables are in season.

What should I look for when buying anaheim peppers?

When shopping for fresh produce at the store or farmers market, check the skin of anaheim peppers for any blemishes. Ripe peppers should be firm to the touch and should have no signs of molding near the stem. Anaheim peppers come in green or red varieties. Both are ripe and ready to eat. If you’re looking for a mild spice profile, choose the green anaheim pepper, and if you’re looking for a bolder level of heat, choose the red anaheim pepper.

If you are looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for anaheim peppers via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products. Shop for Anaheim peppers.

How to store anaheim peppers

Anaheim peppers can be easily stored in the fridge or freezer. They can also be dried, stored, and turned into powder or flakes.

Anaheim peppers can be stored in the produce drawer of your fridge and don’t require a bag. Whole peppers will typically last 1-2 weeks. Chopped peppers stored in the fridge will expire more quickly. Do not wash the peppers if you don’t plan on using them immediately. Rinsing them before fridge storage will encourage bacteria growth and premature spoiling.

For longer storage, place anaheim peppers in the freezer. Whole peppers can be stored in a freezer bag or peppers can be cleaned, seeded, and chopped and then placed in a freezer bag for protection. Anaheim peppers will last 8-12 months in the freezer.

For even more uses, try drying anaheim peppers. Methods of drying include air drying, dehydrating, or drying in an oven. Dried peppers are best stored in an air-tight jar away from sunlight to preserve its color. Dried anaheim peppers are good from 1-2 years and can be conveniently turned into powder or flakes.

How to tell if anaheim peppers are bad

Anaheim peppers that are soft, wrinkled, or discolored have spoiled or are close to spoiling. An expired pepper may also smell “off” in odor. If a pepper has become slimy or has started to mold, discard the pepper.

What can I substitute for anaheim peppers?

Anaheim peppers are often used in substitution for their look-a-like, the Poblano pepper. Poblano peppers range from 1,000-2,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. Poblano peppers are commonly used in the popular Mexican dish, chile relleno. Chile Relleno features a roasted pepper filled with cheese that has been dipped in egg and fried. While most chile relleno dishes utilize Poblano peppers, due to its larger size, Anaheim peppers can be used in substitution.

Depending on your recipe and taste preferences, other substitutions for anaheim peppers include various chili peppers, bell peppers, a tart and sweet pepper with no spice, or cubanelle peppers, a sweeter pepper with a Scoville rating of 0-1,000 SHU.

Where to buy anaheim peppers

You can buy your favorite Anaheim peppers online through Instacart. Select anaheim peppers and other fresh produce from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, same-day delivery or pickup.

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