Capsicum annuum
Peperoncino - Scoville, Taste & Uses
Peperoncino is Italy’s catch-all name for small hot peppers. Pods dry into slender red flakes that season pasta, pizza, and seafood. Flavor is bright and earthy with quick Medium heat around 8,000 to 25,000 SHU. Southern Italians string peperoncino into “trecce” that dry on balconies. Crushed flakes go into aglio e olio, arrabbiata sauce, and Calabrian-style spreads. Light, lively heat - saluted by the Ministry of Trattoria Flame. Peperoncino typically measures 8,000-25,000 SHU (Medium). Shows up across Italy (general), Mediterranean in condiments, pickles, and marinades. Crumble peperoncino into pasta, pizza, and sautéed greens. Infuse olive oil with dried pods for finishing drizzle. Add it to tomato sauces, seafood stews, and bean soups. Mix with garlic and breadcrumbs for topping casseroles. The pepper also ferments well for Italian hot pepper paste. See sauces using Peperoncino
Also known as: Italian Peperoncino, Diavolicchio (generic)
Species
Capsicum annuum
Heat
Flavour
Medium, Bright, Earthy, thin-skinned, versatile
Origin / Regions
Italy (general), Mediterranean
Colour / Shape
Red when ripe
Pod size
4-6 cm long, 0.5-1 cm wide
Try it in the wild
Get sauces featuring Peperoncino
3 European small-batch sauces - flavour, fire and occasionally a bit of chaos, in a box.
Sauces Using Peperoncino
Explore how makers use Peperoncino across styles and regions.
We have not logged sauces featuring Peperoncino yet.
Flavour & Aroma
Peperoncino is Italy’s catch-all name for small hot peppers. Pods dry into slender red flakes that season pasta, pizza, and seafood. Flavor is bright and earthy with quick Medium heat around 8,000 to 25,000 SHU. Southern Italians string peperoncino into “trecce” that dry on balconies. Crushed flakes go into aglio e olio, arrabbiata sauce, and Calabrian-style spreads. Light, lively heat - saluted by the Ministry of Trattoria Flame.
Crumble peperoncino into pasta, pizza, and sautéed greens. Infuse olive oil with dried pods for finishing drizzle. Add it to tomato sauces, seafood stews, and bean soups. Mix with garlic and breadcrumbs for topping casseroles. The pepper also ferments well for Italian hot pepper paste.
Heat Profile
Scoville range
8,000-25,000 SHU
Heat label
Medium
Harvest window
Late summer to autumn
Sauce Index count
-
History & Culture
Chilies arrived in Italy via Spanish trade routes in the 16th century. Southern regions embraced them, dubbing them peperoncino. Over time, local landraces developed in Calabria, Campania, and Sicily. The peppers became part of daily cooking and folk medicine. Today, Italy celebrates peperoncino festivals, and jars of oil-packed chilies sit on most trattoria tables.
Botany & Growing Notes
▼
Peperoncino grows well in sunny Mediterranean climates. Start seeds indoors 8 weeks before planting. Provide full sun, well-drained soil, and moderate watering. Plants reach 50 cm tall and yield clusters of small pods. Harvest red peppers, then dry them whole or crush them into flakes. For oil infusions, briefly dry the pods before submerging to prevent spoilage.
Trial Box visual placeholder
- 3 × 100 ml sauces (varied styles)
- Tasting card & pairing pointers
- Ships EU-wide; limited runs
Trial Box
One-off box to explore heat and flavour across different sauce styles. No commitment; just taste and take notes.
Buy Trial BoxFAQ
Peperoncino typically measures 8,000-25,000 SHU (Medium). Ranges shift with cultivar and growing conditions.
Medium, Bright, Earthy, thin-skinned, versatile
Italian Peperoncino, Diavolicchio (generic) show up as common aliases depending on region. This pepper's alternate names mostly come from regional dialects.
Consider Aleppo, Cherry Pepper, Chipotle, Espelette for comparable heat or recipes.
- Aleppo - Medium
- Cherry Pepper - Medium
- Chipotle - Medium
- Espelette - Medium
Crumble peperoncino into pasta, pizza, and sautéed greens. Infuse olive oil with dried pods for finishing drizzle. Add it to tomato sauces, seafood stews, and bean soups. Mix with garlic and breadcrumbs for topping casseroles. The pepper also ferments well for Italian hot pepper paste.
Peperoncino grows well in sunny Mediterranean climates. Start seeds indoors 8 weeks before planting. Provide full sun, well-drained soil, and moderate watering. Plants reach 50 cm tall and yield clusters of small pods. Harvest red peppers, then dry them whole or crush them into flakes. For oil infusions, briefly dry the pods before submerging to prevent spoilage.
Use gloves, ventilation, and soap to remove capsaicin oils.
Sources
- Republic of Heat tasting lab field notes
- Producer dossiers submitted through Directus
- Open cultivar registries & academic pepper research
We cross-reference seed banks, peer-reviewed literature, and reputable producer data for SHU and origin claims.
Reviewed by Republic of Heat - last updated 2025-11-10