Cascabel Chile (KAS-ka-bel), Capsicum annuum, are mild chiles and measure 1,500-2,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). They are also called cascabel pepper, cascabel chili, or chile cascabel. These peppers are mahogany brown, thick skinned, and have a light and nutty aroma. 

These peppers are round like a ball and are roughly 1½  inches in diameter. 

The word cascabel means “jingle bell”. It is called this because the seeds of this dried pepper rattle around inside the pepper when you shake it. It almost sounds like a maraca. 

There are approximately 10 chiles per ounce.

Businesses that frequently purchase Cascabel Chiles are Mexican restaurants and cafes, spice shops, breweries and distilleries.

One whole Cascabel pepper equals 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of powder. 

Flavor Profile

This chile isn’t sweet but a bit acidic, slightly smoky, and woody, with undertones of tobacco and nut.

Heat Level

At 1,500-2,500 SHU, Cascabels have a friendly, mild level of heat.

How To Use

Cascabels go well with acidic foods like tomatoes or tomatillos, so stir them into Roasted Tomato Salsa or Roasted Salsa Verde. Pair them with other chiles for complex flavor profiles, and amp up Red Enchilada Sauce. Give even more depth to Pozole Rojo. We love Cascabel chiles in Birria Stew.

Its nutty, woody, acidic flavor is a terrific complement to sweeter and fruitier peppers and helps create complex flavor profiles like Ancho, Pasilla Negro, Guajillo, and de Arbol.

Use Cascabel peppers in casseroles, enchiladas, fajitas, salsas, sauces, soups, stews, tamales and tacos.