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Home » Chili Pepper Types » Guindilla Pepper - All About Them

Guindilla Pepper - All About Them

by Mike Hultquist · May 8, 2018 · 13 Comments

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.

Guindilla Peppers

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.

A Pile of Guindilla Chili Peppers

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. 

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  1. John says

    July 20, 2024 at 4:21 am

    Hola.....I live in Spain (Valencia region) & the only guindilla I see in supermarkets are green. I pickle my own & share them with spanish friends who luv them....I must be doing something right
    Just preparing my next batch.
    Thanks for a great website Mike, it's always my go to site for my next recipe.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 20, 2024 at 7:25 am

      Thanks so much, John! Glad you're enjoying the site!

      Reply
  2. m. u. says

    June 05, 2023 at 12:03 am

    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,

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      June 05, 2023 at 5:32 am

      Thanks for sharing this!

      Reply
  3. Martin Bywater says

    September 13, 2022 at 9:03 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 13, 2022 at 11:22 am

      Martin, you can pick them when they are bright green, as they will ripen to red, but they are good then as well.

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    August 31, 2022 at 8:33 am

    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

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 31, 2022 at 10:56 am

      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/

      Reply
  5. Mark Galipeau says

    October 21, 2020 at 8:15 pm

    Im looking fo commercial or home growers int eh USA who have had success. I am in Coastal Northern California.

    Reply
  6. Robert Grant says

    September 28, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 29, 2020 at 6:00 am

      Thanks, Robert!

      Reply
  7. Michelle Hunt says

    May 02, 2020 at 7:49 am

    Do you know how large the plants get?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      May 02, 2020 at 12:13 pm

      Michelle, the plants can reach over 2 feet tall (60-70 cm).

      Reply

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