The Anaheim pepper is a mild chili pepper that is popular in a variety of Mexican and South American foods. Its mild heat makes it a versatile pepper, as even people who don’t like spicy foods can handle the slight kick of Anaheim peppers. Like Poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers can be used in a variety of dishes including chile rellenos and stuffed peppers. Although the shapes and sizes of these two peppers vary, they are among the most popular peppers used in cooking because of their mild heat level. Anaheim peppers average about 500 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which is similar to the world famous Hatch pepper and Padrón pepper. The highly prolific Anaheim pepper plant produces long thick peppers that mature from green to red. Anaheim peppers can be used green or red, but their heat level is spicier when they’re red.
The name "Anaheim" derives from Emilio Ortega, a farmer who brought the seeds to the Anaheim, California area in the early 1900s. It is one of the most popular peppers for roasting. The Anaheim pepper is a close relative of the world famous Hatch (New Mexico) Green Chile pepper.
