If you've harvested green peppers due to frost or timing, don't worry, they can often continue to ripen off the plant under the right conditions.
It’s the end of chili pepper season, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve just harvested the last of your peppers before the frost sets in. A hard frost will destroy anything left on the plant, so sometimes you have no choice but to pick them early, even if they’re still green.
Now you’re staring at a bag full of unripe peppers and wondering: what do I do with these unripe peppers?
Yes, you can eat them green. They’re still perfectly edible, though the flavor is sharper and “greener” than when fully ripened. Some people like that raw bite, but many prefer the sweetness and depth that comes with color and maturity.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to toss them. With a little patience, you can still ripen green peppers off the plant. Just remember, the very best way to maximize flavor and heat is to leave them on the plant as long as possible. When that’s no longer an option, you’ve got some simple tricks to finish the job indoors.
Warm, Sunny Location (Best Method). Place your peppers in a bright, warm spot, such as a sunny windowsill or sheltered outdoor table, at around 70°F (21°C) or higher.
They may begin to change color within a few days, though full ripening can take up to one to two weeks. Peppers ripen slower off the vine compared to tomatoes.
The Branch Method. If harvesting late-season, you can hang pepper-laden branches (roots removed) upside down in a warm indoor space. They’ll often continue to ripen, although taste and heat may differ slightly from vine-ripened fruit.
Room Temperature in a Bin or a Box. Place the peppers loosely in a bin or cardboard box in a room-temperature spot. Leave them undisturbed, check periodically, and expect ripening over about one to two weeks.
Skip the Paper Bag Trick. While placing fruit like tomatoes in a paper bag often helps ripen climacteric fruits via ethylene, peppers are non-climacteric. That means they do not ripen faster with ethylene exposure. This method is not effective for chili or bell peppers.
Don't Refrigerate Prematurely. Cold storage stops the ripening process. If your goal is to ripen the peppers, keep them warm. Only refrigerate once they’ve reached the color and firmness you want.
I'd love to hear your personal experience ripening peppers using the paper bag method.
Let me know what methods work best for you!
Enjoy your bountiful pepper harvest! Check out other methods for Preserving Chili Peppers.
Deb says
Can I pickle the peppers before they turn color?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You surely can! Enjoy!
Laurie Van Unen says
I have picked 6 gallons of mixed chile peppers. I have read your advice on ripening. What do you think about fermenting green chile peppers for hot sauce
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely, Laurie! Perfect for fermenting. See my post on Fermenting Chili Peppers to help you get started: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-fermented-pepper-mash/
Joe says
I just picked my green fruit, since it’s supposed to be in the low 30’s here in Nebraska tonight. Have about 30 peppers that I put in a open Tupperware tub to ripen. Should this work?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
It can work, Joe. Maybe try adding a tomato to the mix if you can. Place it close the window with some light, if possible. Let me know how it goes. If you see signs of softening or rot, refrigerate immediately.
Don says
I've got 4 habanero plants in pots on my deck. Two of the plants have nice sized fruit...all green. The other two are farther behind...still with flowers and very small fruit just coming on. Will the fruit continue to develop if I just keep them indoors in the pots?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Don, yes, though you'll need to make sure the plants have plenty of light and warmer temps. They should continue to ripen so you can pick them.
Bob Jones says
Hey CPM!,
I pick my "green" hotties when there is extended mid -low 40° Temps forecasted.
I've hung them, placed them on windowsills (all over the house, lol) and paper bagged them. For the past several years, I lay them out on MANY tables in several tents with grow lights, heat, fans, etc in my basement lab. I get it, some folks don't do what I do & don't need or have the these specialized resources. Folks that are sane, only have 8 or 10 pepper plants. Ive NEVER been called sane! Lol
Whichever ripening method a person uses, there's NOTHING better than doing a little research & figuring out what's best for them or their circumstances.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for your input, Bob.
Mike says
Ed... that do cross pollinate but parent plants will still be what you planted. Like in your example your habenero would still produce habenero peppers and same with ghost. The next generation or seeds would be reapers since that is how they were originally
made.
Faye says
I have a lot of green pimentos. How do I ripen them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Faye, probably best to just leave them on the windowsill in the sunlight to let them ripen.
Ed says
Dont plant different peppers next each other. I planted a Ghost pepper next to my older Habernero and they cross pollinated, producing bastard unusable fruit
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Peppers can cross-pollinate, but the results don't show up until you plant the seeds from those pods.
Cred says
Yessss! People really struggle with this concept. The fruit are not the current plant's 'offspring', it's the seeds within the fruit. The fruit will be the genetic makeup of the parent plant.
V says
Yeah your right. Not sure what that guy was on about. If his chillis were inedible then they were always going to be, regardless of pollination.
charles R Murray says
I did exactly that and had no problems,,,. Hmmmm
Mark Zambelli says
Ed, did you mean that you saved the seed and the next year you got some unusable fruit indicating the two plants had cross-pollinated the previous year?
I had a cross-pollination 'incident' this year with my Jalapenos... fortunately it wasn't bust. In 2021 my Cayenne must've pollinated my Jalapenos (my other chillis were far enough away) and as I always save seed for my crops each year I got quite the surprise... I'm not getting Jalapenos this year for sure. Instead, my Jalapenos are producing wonderful pods.
Each pod is longer than a Jalapeno, curved and pointy like a Cayenne and they have all gone bright red just a day or two after stating to darken as a Jalapeno does. There is no corking but the flesh is as thick as a Jalapeno with a kick more like a Cayenne.
I'm loving these 'Jalap-eyennes' and I'm keeping the seeds to see what they'll be like next year. Fortunately, my Serrano's will stand-in instead for pickling... my Habaneros, Scotch Bonnets and Nagas are ear-marked for sauces only!
Take care all... hope the season was kind to you (we had a better year this year in the UK)
Pete says
Hi,
I live 800feet, 244m above sea level in the Pennines, N England . This is the first time I've grown chillies. There are lots of green chillies in my greenhouse. With the weather set to get cold in the next month or so, how can I ripen them? Average temp is 13degC and 10 hours of daylight, 4 hours of sun if I'm lucky.
Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Pete. There isn't much you can do to ripen them faster on the plants, but you can pick them green and try to ripen them indoors. Check out my page on How to Ripen Unripe Chili Peppers. Let me know if this helps. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/how-to-ripen-unripe-peppers/
Wayne L smith says
I have ghost pepper growing outside here in Oklahoma, it's been hot and all of my habaneros have turned red and the ghost peppers are still green. Both types of peppers became peppers at the same time. Will the ghost peppers eventually turn red
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Wayne, yes, some peppers ripen at different times from others.
Erik Williams says
Can the seeds be saved still for planting if it has to finish ripening off of the vine?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Erik, you can, though you'll have more success with ripe pods. Check out my Saving Chili Pepper Seeds for Growing Later page. I hope this helps!
Carlo says
Hi,
I'm in Dallas and it was a hot summer with little rain. I was growing Habenaro's Ghost Peppers, 7 Pot Douglahs, and Chocolate Carolina reapers. Didn't get any flowers until the heat broke and that was September. I got plenty of peppers but hardly any ripened. Picked all the green ones today as we are getting a freeze. I will try the apple in a bag method. I would hate to lose all these peppers. 16 plants in all. My chocolate reapers are the size of a plum to peach.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Carlo. Yeah, that's a lot of peppers. I hope you can save some of them. You can still process some of them green, but they won't be as good as ripe. I hope they ripen up for you! Good luck.
Dave says
Thanks for the tip! I have two plants full of ghost peppers, and a pretty good bundle of halbaneos, which are still on the plants, here in Delaware. I've managed a total of about three red ghosts this year, and while the halbaneos have yielded like crazy, I still have plants full of green peppers. That's my high-class problem. The japapaneos, bells, and poblanos barely had any fruit this year.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glad to help, Dave! Gotta save as many peppers as we can!