What type of peppers does Mezzetta use? Cascabellas!

Mezzetta™ Hot Chili Peppers (those jars of spicy yellow pickled peppers) are made from Cascabella peppers. The hot and delicious yellow peppers that they put into jars of Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers are grown in Northern California, but did you know that you can grow them in your own backyard?

They're easy to start from Cascabella seeds!

The bonus to homegrown Cascabella peppers is that you can ensure that they are organic (Mezzetta also has a line of organic peppers goes under the name "Jeff's Garden" but they don't have their Cascabella Hot Chili peppers in the lineup at the moment). If you grow your own, you can also pickle them without any additives like preservatives and food coloring such as Sodium Metabisulfite,or FD&C Yellow #5.  You can use simple ingredients like vinegar, sea salt, fresh garlic and turmeric to give your pickled Cascabella peppers a more golden color to your hot peppers in addition to the vinegar and salt! All-natural pickled peppers is the best way to go!

So making your own homegrown version of pickled Mezzetta hot peppers is a great way to eliminate preservatives and food colorings from your diet.

(no preservatives, refrigerator style)

~ 1 pound of Cascabella Peppers
(we make as many as we have on hand!
You can also use different hot peppers if desired, such as jalapenos) 

2-3 Cloves of Garlic, smashed and peeled

3 cups Distilled White Vinegar

2 cups Water

2 tablespoons Kosher or Pickling Salt (no iodine)

Sprinkle of Turmeric (for color, optional, gives them a nice golden glow)

Cascabella peppers are typically eaten fresh in the yellow stage and are often pickled. Because they are so easy to grow, and productive many home gardeners pickle these whole or sliced in rings. If you enjoy jalapeños, you will love these little yellow chiles! 

Expect heavy yields of tart and crisp 2” long conical-shaped Cascabella peppers. The peppers have thick wax-type skin, which is perfect for pickling, and they mature from creamy-yellow to orange, and then red when fully mature. Sturdy plants grow 18-24” tall with dark green leaves.