Cubanelle

Cubanelle Pepper Seeds

Cubanelle is a classic mild frying pepper in the Capsicum annuum family. The pods are long, pale green to yellow, slightly wrinkled, and fairly thin-walled. Heat is very low, usually around 500 SHU or less.

The texture is a big part of the appeal. The peppers soften quickly in a skillet without turning into mush. They also develop a nice mild sweetness once cooked.

Flavor and Uses

Cubanelle peppers are widely used in Italian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican cooking. Frying and sautéing are probably the most obvious uses, but they also work well for stuffing with cheese, rice, meat, or simple herb mixtures.

You can eat them raw, though I think they are better cooked. The thin walls pick up oil and seasoning nicely, and they do not take forever to soften.

If you like Anaheim peppers but want something milder, Cubanelle is worth a look. They are also much thinner-walled than a Poblano or Corno di Toro Rosso. Compared with Jimmy Nardello, Cubanelle has a less sugary sweetness and a more traditional frying-pepper texture.

Growing Cubanelle Peppers

Plants are dependable and handle our southwest Ohio summers without much fuss. Give them full sun, regular water, and decent drainage. Like most annuums, they are fairly straightforward once the weather warms up. Technically you can plant them outside as soon as the threat of frost has passed.  Realistically, you’ll see larger healthier plants if you hold off until nighttime temps are consistently 55F or higher.

The plants can produce a good number of peppers through the season. Pick them pale green or yellow for the classic use or leave them longer if you want to see how the flavor changes as they continue to mature.

Isolated seed stock