Poblano peppers are earthy, fruity, and delicious! The Poblano is a mild pepper that originated in Puebla, Mexico. When dried, it is known as ancho or chile ancho. They are so good when stuffed fresh and roasted, and are very popular in chiles rellenos poblanos. Picking these peppers will result in more peppers on your plant, so make sure to harvest them often!
Here are three varieties of Poblano seeds we offer:
Classic Poblano Pepper:
Fresh green poblanos make some of the best rellenos because of their mild heat and heart-like shape. Anchos are the dried form of this pepper, and are used in making many sauces like mole. This heirloom is easy to grow. These poblano peppers usually grow to about 4" long and 2-1/2" wide, and have a mild heat with about 500-1,000 Scoville heat units. They are fast growers, where you can start harvesting Poblanos about 75 days after planting.
Poblano Pepper - Ancho Gigantea Pepper:
This distinctively rich Mexican poblano has a smoky yet sweet flavor. When poblano peppers are dark green-black they can be used for stuffing and roasting. When the peppers ripen to red, they can be dried as ancho chiles and used to make sauces, soups, and meat seasoning. This classic Mexican pepper is heart-shaped and over 4” long by 2-1/2” across at the shoulder. The mild heat level can vary on these poblanos, with around 1,000-3,000 Scovilles. These poblanos take a little longer to mature in the garden, typically they can be harvested about 95 days from planting the seeds.
Poblano Pepper - Mulato Isleño:
A wonderful mild chile with a sweet flavor. It is slightly larger and sweeter than the classic Poblano. It matures to a rich chocolate brown and is sometimes called chocolate poblano. This heart-shaped pepper is 3” wide and 6“ long and has a little more heat than the classic poblano, with about 1,000-1,500 Scovilles. This variety of Poblano is fast growing so you can start harvesting about 76 days from planting.
Here are some answers to common
questions about Poblano Peppers:
Are poblano peppers hot?
While they do have some heat, they are relatively mild in the pepper world. They are spicier than a sweet pepper like bell peppers, but much more mild than a jalapeno (which tend to be 5,000 Scovilles or more). Poblano's heat ranges from 500-3000 Scovilles depending on the Poblano variety as well as the growing conditions. If you want all the mild heat in Poblano peppers, leave the pith and veins inside the peppers. Or these can be removed to make them more mild, if desired.
Are poblanos easy to grow?
Yes, like many peppers, Poblanos are pretty easy to grow from seed. The classic Poblano and the Mulato Isleño Chocolate Poblano are some of the fastest growing peppers, too, harvesting at around 75 days after sowing, so they are great for short season gardening. Make sure to keep the seeds warm when germinating, we recommend starting them indoors with seedling heat mats to keep them at 80-85˚ F for best germination. Poblano plants do well in full sun and grow best when temperatures are between 65-85˚ F. Poblano pepper plants do not do well in temperatures below 50˚ F which will stunt their growth, and even a light freeze will usually damage the plant heavily. It is also important not to over water Poblano peppers, as they suffer when they have soggy roots, so make sure to plant them in containers or the garden with well-draining soil. Poblanos are in the Capsicum annuum family which includes bell peppers, jalapenos, banana peppers and others - so if you've had luck with any of those you can easily grow Poblanos! Find out top Poblano pepper growing tips at the link below:
Learn how to grow peppers from seed »
Are red poblanos hotter than green?
Yes, mature red poblanos are typically hotter and have more flavor than the less ripe, green poblanos.
Which is hotter, poblano or jalapeño?
Jalapenos are hotter than Poblanos, and have a different flavor profile as well.
Are ancho and poblano the same?
Ancho chiles are simply dried poblano chile peppers! They are typically allowed to ripen to their fully mature red color, and then they are picked and dried to become what are known as anchos.
Can you eat poblano raw?
Sure! You can safely eat fresh poblanos from your garden raw in salads, dips or on sandwiches, but they are most often eaten when roasted or cooked. Raw poblano peppers have a crisp texture and a slightly bitter taste. Roasting Poblanos makes them even more flavorful, and it allows for the skin to be easily peeled off, which many people prefer for flavor and to remove the thick skin. But, you can certainly finely slice or dice Poblanos and eat them raw, with the skin on, we've done it many times. You can also blanch them in boiling water for about 30 seconds to remove the skin if desired, and/or add them to soups, sauces, veggies, guacamole, you name it!
Can I eat the seeds of a poblano pepper?
Yes, it is safe to eat Poblano pepper seeds, however many people will cut a slit on one side of the pepper and remove the seeds and veins. Note: by removing the veins, this also removes some of the heat.
What pepper is comparable to Poblano?
If you're looking for a Poblano pepper substitute, there are several options. With Poblano peppers' thick walls that make them good for stuffing, comparable peppers would include the Anaheim chile which have similar heat with 500-1000 Scovilles. You can also try the milder Anaheim Sonora chile which has just 600 Scovilles. And, many of our Green Chile varieties are also great substitutes for Poblano peppers, and you can pick the ones that have the heat level you desire.
Do I need to peel poblanos?
When using for chiles rellenos, rajas con queso, or crema de poblano, it is good to roast and peel them prior to cooking to remove the outer skin. Roasting poblanos also adds a lot of flavor! You can roast Poblanos on a grill, under a broiler in the oven, or even in an air fryer to get the skins to blister and make them easier to peel.
What is the easiest way to get the skin off a poblano pepper?
Roast them first to char the skin, then put them into a glass dish with a lid to steam and let them sweat for about 15-20 minutes. Then, simply peel off the charred skin. Some people like to rinse them under water after peeling, but we think you lose a little flavor that way!
What do Poblano Peppers taste like?
Poblanos have an earthy and somewhat smoky flavor that is sure to please. They have a great flavor that balances fruitiness and bitterness so they provide delicious complexity in many dishes. Enjoy the wonderful Poblano pepper taste by growing them in your garden to have plenty to use in recipes.
One of our favorite ways to enjoy Poblano peppers is to make Rellenos!
Check out our Chile Relleno Recipe »
Check out our Chile Relleno Recipe »
Happy growing and eating!
