Serrano Peppers© Denzil Green
Serrano Chile Peppers can be red or green. They are hotter than jalapeno, fresno or guero chiles.
Serrano chile plants can grow up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall. The peppers can be between 2 to 10 cm (1 to 4 inches) long, and are about 1 cm (1/2 inch) wide.
Most serranos are grown in Mexico; varieties include “Altamira”, “Hidalgo”, “Panuco”, and “Tampiqueño.”
Chile heat: Medium. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Scoville Units.
Cooking Tips
The most prevalent uses of serranos are as pickled peppers in a type of “antipasto” snack mix, or chopped and incorporated into fresh salsas.
Serrano Chile Peppers have thin, tender skins, so they don’t need to be peeled before using.
If you can’t find them fresh, look for them dried, pickled or just tinned.
Substitutes
Jalapeno, with some added hot sauce.
Equivalents
1 whole serrano with seeds and stem weighs approx 10 g
Literature & Lore
Serrano in Spanish means “from the mountains”.