The Guindilla chili pepper is grown and processed in the Basque region of Spain. It is narrow and long, with a mild heat level and is usually pickled.
Scoville Heat Units: 1,000 - 2,000 SHU
Capsicum annuum
The Guindilla pepper is a chili pepper grown and processed primarily in the Basque Country, which straddles the borders between France and Spain, both of which influence the area’s cooking techniques.
It is a popular pepper used in cocktail making, or often served alongside cheeses and paired with white wine as an appetizer or snack. It is considered a spicy treat and highly valued in the Basque region, and while the region loves a big variety of local peppers, guindillas are among the most popular.
The peppers are usually picked early to be pickled in white wine vinegar, giving them their desirous tang.
Guindilla Pepper Appearance
These peppers are thin and long, growing around 1.5-4 inches (4-10 cm) in length. The color is typically green to greenish-yellow. The skin is somewhat shiny and smooth with an absence of wrinkles.
They look a bit like a green variety of a long red cayenne pepper, though much milder in heat and flavor.
What Does a Guindilla Pepper Taste Like?
The flavor of a Guindilla pepper is bright, slightly sweet, yet mild in heat, with a soft crunch.
The pickled peppers, which are much more common, are tangy and light. The pepper flesh is tender and the skin quite thin, making them ideal for garnishing certain cocktails, especially a Bloody Mary drink.
They are also popular as part of a tapas platter and often used for flavoring oils.
How Hot is a Guindilla Pepper?
These peppers are considered fairly mild, though they do have a small amount of kick. They measure from 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale. By comparison, the jalapeno pepper averages about 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, making the hottest guindilla pepper 2.5 milder.
They are more comparable in both heat and flavor to banana peppers, though more delicate in flavor.
The Name "Guindilla"
The word "guindilla" translates from Spanish to "chili pepper" in English, making it for a rather generic moniker. When pickled, they are known as "piparras", which is interchangeable with "Guindillas la Vasca".
Where to Buy Guindilla Peppers?
Outside of Spain, you can purchase guindilla peppers in pickled form for incorporating into various dishes. Do a search for "Guindilla peppers", "pickled guindilla peppers", or "piparras" for purveyors.
Or, try this link - Buy Guindilla Peppers (affiliate link, my friends!)
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime.
m. u. says
Hello Mike,
Just to let you know, that in Spain, Guindillas are mainly red all over (we've never seen a single green one EVER), and they are enjoyed all over Spain.
They are not particular to any part of the country, such as the Basque country. You can see them hanging on many people's rafters in the country homes.
They are an 8/10 on the burn scale (reportedly).
Kind regards,
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing this!
Martin Bywater says
hi, you mention that they are picked early to be pickled, roughly at about what stage/age would this be as have purchased some seeds and would love to try it next season? Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Martin, you can pick them when they are bright green, as they will ripen to red, but they are good then as well.
Jennifer says
Hi, Would you give me some more information on how to use dried red Guindilla Pebrera that I have brought in my local shop these are in a jar and very small
Many thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Jennifer, dried pods can be rehydrated in hot water and used in many different recipes, so many from this site. Also, you can crush them into chili flakes and sprinkle them onto foods. Also, see my post on how to make hot sauce from dried pods: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/
Mark Galipeau says
Im looking fo commercial or home growers int eh USA who have had success. I am in Coastal Northern California.
Robert Grant says
These are a very light and tasty pepper, I used them to spice up my dilly beans. They were the first ones in my garden that were ripe, and a very high producer. I will be putting in a few more next year as well.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Robert!
Michelle Hunt says
Do you know how large the plants get?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Michelle, the plants can reach over 2 feet tall (60-70 cm).