25 Poblano Pepper Recipes + Produce Guide

Poblano peppers are mild chili peppers that originated in Puebla, Mexico.  They’re in the capsicum family, which includes chili peppers and bell peppers. 

When poblanos are dried, they’re referred to as ancho chilis.   

Poblano peppers are some of the most mild chili pepper varieties.  They have a deep flavor with mild heat, which makes them a great family-friendly choice.

How hot are poblano peppers exactly?  According to the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency or spiciness of chili peppers, poblano peppers are between 1,000 and 2,000.  

Below you can see the comparison between the heat of poblano peppers vs. jalapeños, and a few others:

Serrano:  8,000-22,000
Jalapeños:  2,500 – 10,000
Poblanos: 1,000-2000
Anaheim:  500 – 1,000
Shishito peppers:  500
Green bell pepper:  0

Every now and then, a chili pepper may be much hotter than it should be, so if you’re feeding spice-intolerant people or children, proceed with caution!

Anaheim chilies are the best substitute for poblano peppers as they’re also mild in heat, and on the larger side.

You can grow poblano peppers from seed or plant, and grow in full sunlight in raised beds or containers.   Plant in damp organic potting soil or mulch.

See this guide if you’d like to know how to plant poblanos from seed.

I chose to plant my poblano from plant, and I dug a large enough space in my raised bed to plant the entire bottom third of the plant.  Planting it deeper helps make the plant sturdier, as it will become top heavy when the peppers come in and grow larger.

The poblano pepper plant will grow to be about 2 1/2 feet tall, and will begin to produce peppers in about 65 days.  

Harvesting poblano peppers is very easy.  When your peppers are about 4-6 inches in size, snip the the stem about an inch from the top of the peppers.

Poblano peppers are low in calories and fat, low carb, and are a good source of fiber, Vitamins A and B-6, iron, and potassium.

One poblano pepper includes:

48 calories
1.4 grams of fat
9 grams carbohydrates
3.7 grams of fiber
410 mg of potassium
69% Vitamin A
30% Vitamin B-6

Look for glossy, dark green peppers without discoloration or bruises. The peppers should be smooth and firm to the touch, with no wrinkles.

Store poblano peppers in a paper bag or plastic in the crisper section of the refrigerator for up to one week.

Absolutely! You have a few options when it comes to freezing poblano peppers:

1. Chop the peppers and freeze raw.
2. Roast the poblanos, then chop and freeze.

With either method, store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Poblanos aren’t generally eaten raw as the outer skin is a bit tough, so cooking them is your best bet.

The most popular poblano pepper recipes are stuffed poblano peppers and roasted poblano peppers, but they’re also amazing in soup, chili, salsa, sauces, and any recipes that include chili peppers as an ingredient.