Chile Cheat Sheet

Fresh: Anaheim

Like things on the mild side? Then sweet, juicy Anaheims are for you. Mix them into omelets or scrambled eggs, or use them to up your home fries game.

Dried: Chile California

Dehydrating ripe Anaheims turns their sweetness tart, a flavor that we love in a pork stew or an enchilada sauce.

Fresh: Poblano

Fresh poblanos taste grassy and a little bitter and have a mild heat. They’re great for stuffing with cheese and then baking. Or broil, peel, and chop them, then add to taco fillings or cornbread batter.

Dried: Ancho

Drying ripe poblanos turns them into chewy, raisin-sweet anchos. Toast them briefly in a dry skillet, soak in water until soft, then puree into salsas. Anchos are also our secret weapon for making the best homemade chili.

Fresh: Cayenne

The intense heat of a cayenne pepper is unmistakable: It hits right away and burns long and clean. Use cayennes (with restraint!) whenever you want to up the spice factor without altering a dish’s fundamental flavors.

Dried: Cayenne

This one’s easy—the name’s the same! Mix a pinch of ground cayenne into marinara sauce; add to a dry rub for steak; or throw a handful of pods into the pan to level up a stir-fry. 

Fresh: Jalapeño

The workhorse of the chile world can be used in tons of ways. Dice some and add to salsas; slice and add to soups; or stuff with cheese and deep-fry. The heat varies widely, so have a taste before adding them to your dish.

Dried: Chipotle

When jalapeños are smoke-dried, they become luscious, intense chipotles. Available whole or ground or canned in adobo sauce, they add a woodsy heat to everything from barbecue sauce to sweet potatoes.