Ancho peppers are one of the most common and important ingredients in Mexican cuisine.
They are mild on the Scoville Heat Scale, which means that everyone can enjoy dishes cooked with them.
Ancho peppers are the dried form of the poblano pepper. They are between 1,000 and 1,500 SHU on the Scoville Heat Scale, which is relatively mild to medium heat. Ancho peppers are often used in sauces, such as mole or adobo, chili powders, or general seasonings.
The rest of this article will detail what ancho peppers are and how they differ from poblano peppers.
I’ll also discuss their Scoville Heat range and how to cook with ancho peppers.
What Are Ancho Peppers?
Originally from Puebla, Mexico, ancho peppers are made when poblano peppers ripen until they are red before harvesting, then dried. They have a rich, smoky, earthy taste that is versatile and terrific in a variety of Mexican and Tex Mex dishes.
Here are some fast facts about ancho peppers:
| Origin | Puebla, Mexico |
| Scoville Heat Range | 1,000 – 1,500 SHU |
| Spice Level | Mild |
| Main Use | Cooking |
| Flavor | Sweet, smoky, earthy, sometimes chocolatey |
| Size | About 4 – 6 inches (10.16 – 15.24 cm) long, wide, and dried |
| Common Substitutes | Guajillos (whole), paprika (ground) |
How Ancho Peppers Differ From Poblano Peppers
In Mexico, it is common for the dried version of pepper to have a different name from the fresh version.
That’s why when the poblano pepper is dried, it is called an ancho pepper.
Also, the poblano pepper is picked while still green before it is completely ripe.
Because of this, poblanos also have a milder heat than ancho pepper, despite having a similar Scoville heat range.
Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) of Ancho Peppers
The Scoville Heat Scale is the general measurement guide for how spicy a pepper is.
Measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), peppers range from zero, such as the bell pepper, to over three million, like the Carolina Reaper.
Ancho peppers range between 1,000 and 1,500 SHU, which is relatively low.
In comparison, the jalapeño pepper ranges from 2,500 SHU to 10,000 SHU.
Thus, jalapeño peppers are 2 to 8 times spicier than ancho peppers.
Cooking With Ancho Peppers
As already mentioned, ancho peppers are extremely common in Mexican, Tex Mex, and southwestern USA foods.
From use in thick sauces, like mole or adobo, to seasonings, ancho peppers are one of the most versatile peppers.
Ancho peppers have a sweet, smoky, earthy, and sometimes chocolatey taste.
The taste, and spice level, depend on what meal they are in.
The flavor is so complex that it is impossible to recreate exactly with other ingredients.
Common Dishes Featuring Ancho Peppers
Often when cooking with ancho peppers, it is best to rehydrate or reconstitute the pepper beforehand.
The pepper is easier to stem, seed, and grind after rehydration.
To rehydrate, all you need to do is soak the ancho pepper in very hot water for 15 – 30 minutes until it is softened.
Adobo Sauce
I’ve mentioned that ancho peppers are a popular pepper used in thick sauces.
Perhaps the most popular sauce ancho peppers are used in is adobo sauce.
Adobo sauce is a thick sauce traditionally used to season meats or as flavors in stews.
Mexican Please has an excellent recipe for adobo sauce for anyone who wants to make it.
Mole Poblano
For fans of chicken, try making mole poblano.
This sauce is made with chilis, nuts, fruit, and Mexican chocolate.
There are many different versions of mole made throughout Mexico, with mole poblano originating in Puebla.
Puebla, Mexico, of course, is where poblano, thus ancho, peppers originally come from.
Mole sauces are often served at Mexican celebrations. Mexican Food Journal has a great mole poblano recipe.
The Best Substitute for Ancho Peppers
The best substitute for ancho pepper depends on whether you want the substitute to be ground or whole.
Try a guajillo pepper if you need a substitute for a whole ancho pepper.
These Mexican peppers are about twice as spicy as an ancho pepper, so if you don’t want it too spicy, half the guajillo pepper you use.
Paprika is a great choice if you need a substitute for ground ancho peppers.
It is on the sweeter side of spices and has a terrific flavor profile.
Where To Buy Ancho Peppers
Ancho peppers are commonplace in most grocery stores in the USA.
There are a few places to check when at the grocery store, primarily either with the fresh produce or in the aisle with Mexican foods.
You can also buy ancho peppers on Amazon, both whole or ground.
Final Thoughts
Dried poblano peppers, also known as ancho peppers, are a versatile pepper used in many traditional Mexican dishes.
They are mild to medium in spice level, generally between 1,000 SHU and 1,500 SHU.
Ancho peppers are most commonly used in thick sauces, such as adobo or mole.
Sources
- PepperScale: Ancho Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
- Mexican Please: Ancho Chiles – What You Need to Know
- Mexican Please: Easy Adobo Sauce
- Mexican Food Journal: Mole Poblano
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.