Padrón Pepper
The Padrón pepper, or pimiento de Padrón, is a Spanish heirloom pepper known for its unpredictable heat. While most are mild, a few in every batch can be surprisingly spicy, giving it the nickname "pepper roulette". They are typically fr...
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- Origin
- Spain
- Season
- 2026
- Mild and nutty: When cooked, most Padrón peppers have a sweet, nutty, and earthy flavor.
- Unpredictable heat: About one in ten Padrón peppers is hot, with a heat level comparable to a jalapeño, while the others are very mild.
- Scoville scale: On the Scoville scale, Padrón peppers typically range from 500 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The hotter ones tend to be older or grown under more stressful conditions
- Blistered and fried: The most traditional method involves pan-frying the peppers in olive oil over high heat until the skin blisters and chars. The stems are left on for easy handling while eating.
- Seasoning: After frying, the peppers are transferred to a plate and generously sprinkled with flaky or coarse sea salt. Some recipes suggest a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil at the end.
- Other uses: While best fresh, they can also be grilled or roasted, served alongside other tapas, or pickled for later use.
- 12 ounces (about 340g) Padrón peppers
- 2–4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
- Rinse the peppers and pat them completely dry.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast iron) over high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it is very hot but not smoking.
- Add the peppers in a single layer. Cook for about 30 seconds without moving them, allowing the skin to blister and char on one side.
- Flip and shake the peppers, cooking for another 1–2 minutes, or until blistered on all sides and slightly collapsed.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the peppers to a serving plate.
- Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.
Planning a Canadian pepper garden? Explore more pepper seeds available in Canada and read our guide to the best pepper varieties for Canadian gardens.
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost. Germinate at 26–30 °C on a heat mat; peppers stall below 22 °C. Pot up to 10–15 cm before hardening off outside after nights stay above 12 °C.
Feed balanced through bloom, then bump potassium for fruiting. Stake taller varieties. More detail in our full Canadian growing guide.
Match the pepper to the technique: thin-walled varieties blister fast in a hot pan; thick-walled ones roast or stuff beautifully; fruit-forward ones make balanced sauces and pickles. The variety's flavour profile is your shortcut — see Choosing the right pepper for a use-case guide.
