Chili pepper seeds are edible, so you can leave them in while cooking, though there may be reasons why you want to remove them. Learn why.
I receive this question occasionally on the Chili Pepper Madness blog in various forms – Should I remove my pepper seeds before eating the peppers? Are chili pepper seeds OK to eat? Do YOU remove your seeds before cooking or do you leave them in?
Because of so many questions, I thought it would be a good time to open a general discussion about chili pepper seeds. Here are some points of interest to consider.
Chili Pepper Seeds Are Edible.
Yes, you can eat chili pepper seeds. Chili pepper seeds will not harm you and will pass right on through your body.
Are Chili Pepper Seeds Toxic or Poisonous?
No, they are not. People eat them every day without issue.
Are Chili Pepper Seeds Spicy?
Chili pepper seeds are actually NOT spicy, as they do not contain capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot. Capsaicin is actually located within the whitish pithy pepper innards, the placenta, which you can remove to make the pepper milder in most cases. Pepper seeds might be coated with some of the oils from this pith, so if you do detect heat, it will be from the pith, not the seeds themselves.
Reasons You May Want to Remove Seeds Before Eating or Cooking with Chili Peppers
All this said, there are a few reason why you may want to remove the chili pepper seeds before cooking with them.
First, some pepper seeds can have a bitter taste, which may affect recipes with subtle flavors. Oftentimes, hotter peppers don’t lend themselves to recipes requiring subtle flavors, as many of them are in your face with heat, but as you cook more and more with peppers and appreciate how nuanced they can be, removing them may benefit the overall flavor.
Also, when removing the inner pith of the peppers, which normally reduces the overall heat, you’ll wind up removing the seeds anyway. You’ll hear some people say, “To reduce the heat of your final dish, remove the pepper seeds”. This is not accurate, as mentioned above. The heat resides within that whitish pith, which holds the seeds, so when removing that for heat purposes, you’ll lose the seeds anyway.
The biggest reason you may want to remove your pepper seeds before cooking with or eating them is TEXTURE. When you are making a pepper sauce, hot sauce, or anything that blends into a thin or creamy texture, you’ll notice the seeds will float throughout your liquid. The seeds themselves easily escape processing, and may throw your smooth texture off balance. It is the same with tomato skins, which are often removed before making a silky tomato sauce.
If your goal is to make a smooth sauce, then you can either remove the seeds before cooking, or better yet, strain the final cooked product after processing to remove the remaining solids, which will contain the seeds.
Do I Remove My Pepper Seeds Before Cooking?
Sometimes. In most cases, I just leave them in. I have no desire to tame the heat with my recipes and the seeds do not bother me at all. I barely notice them in most recipes. But as mentioned, if I’m looking for a smoother sauce, I’ll strain afterward.
Got any other questions? Let me know, or see our Frequently Asked Questions section on the site.
I hope you find this useful! – Mike H.
justice says
its useful information can l get marerial because l want to farm chillies
Mike Hultquist says
Check out my Resources section to find seeds.
Charles Micallef says
will you lose blood thinning properties of Cyeene peppers if you remove the seeds?
thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Not that I know of, Charles, though you might check with your doctor.
paul mauger says
wanted to know what part of a roasted hatch pepper is edible. since i roast a lb or two and freeze them hatch whenever they are available in my area.
i usually skin and deseed the peppers. i read all the comments in reference to my question, and found a few great tips. thank you very much for your blog i learned alot.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glad to be helpful! The seeds are edible, but yes, see the post. The skins are pretty tough but can be eaten. It's a texture thing.
Rosey Carlson says
IMPORTANT: For those who can't do hot (spicy) food, me included, seriously try taking the pith and seeds completely out making sure ALL l white pith is removed and you'll be able to finally know what the pepper actually tastes like.
I was AMAZED! WHAT FLAVOR! I use them in so many dishes now. they're also pack loaded with vitamins and minerals with many other health benefits. Be careful at first because some people I know love hot food but pay for it later. Maybe that's because of the hot pith not being removed. Personally I've had no problems whatsoever and I even deal with stomach problems off and on but never after eating my pepper dishes. What a treat!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Rosey.
L.T. says
Recently while removing seeds from dried gujillo peppers I kept the seeds and ran through a spice grinder as they are a little hard. I found they we’re delightful toasted in olive oil and garlic salt before adding drained canned green beans and would be good over other foods. Had a nice taste similar to sesame seeds and adds fiber. I decided to stop throwing them away. I’m sure they have nutrients. But they would have ruined the taste and texture if left them in my enchilada sauce.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great advice. The seeds are popularly used in making mole sauces as well.
Jackie Davis says
You have never put a seed on your tongue. Every time I have there is heat ,been cooking over sixty years.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jackie, yes I have. Please refer to the section about "Are Chili Pepper Seeds Spicy". Any heat on the seeds does not come from the seeds themselves, but from being surrounded by the whitish pithy innards, which holds the pepper heat. The seeds can get coated in these oils. This is all laboratory tested. Best!
MaryBeth says
I have been cooking with peppers for 40 years. I have tried different things with fresh & dried peppers, and sauces. Your answer sums up the nuances of handling seeds & pith. Thank you!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, MaryBeth! I appreciate you stopping by. Best!
Andrew says
Thanks for the article. I was actually looking for a little information on the manzano pepper when I ran into your site. If you can could you please tell me if you can use the manzano pepper in chilis and other type sauces? I've only found recipes for salsas and relishes. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Andrew, manzano peppers lend themselves nicely to salsas and relishes, but you can use them in any recipe that calls for chili peppers. I used many of them as part of a mirepox, just cook them down along with onion and garlic for recipe bases. Sub them in for any hot sauce recipe. Let me know how it turns out for you. I'm happy to make a more specific suggestion. Check out any of my sweeter sauce or hot sauce recipes on the site. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/
Paul Lamb says
Does Tobasco remove the seeds from their chilli pepper?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I'm pretty sure they do before fermenting.
John says
I make my bloody mary mix using tomatoes, peppers, etc. With a vitamix, seeds literally vanish. No graininess - pure smooth juice. But when I dehydrate peppers, I leave the seeds in during drying, then remove them to make flakes, powders, etc. Usually, crushed red pepper is nearly 50% seeds, which is a waste. Mine has no seeds at all - which is vastly better tasting and gives you the full pepper taste.
Marilyn Clark says
Thank you for the valuable information,!???