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Scotch bonnet pepper

Vegetables · Chillies

Scotch bonnet pepper

Squat, fruity, very hot Caribbean chilli; dropped whole into curries and stews or blended into jerk and pepper sauces.

Also called: scotch bonnet, scotch bonnet chilli, habanero, congo pepper, bonney pepper, piment bouc, wiri wiri

Around the world: piman bouk (ht) · piment antillais (fr)

A kind of fresh red chilli

4 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Temaciejewski, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

A Capsicum chinense chilli shaped like a little tam-o'-shanter cap, ripening from green to yellow, orange or red. It is closely related to the habanero, with similar heat but a sweeter, fruitier flavour. Trinidad's congo pepper and Guyana's wiri wiri are local relatives.

Capsicum chinense

How it’s used

  • Added whole to curries and stews for flavour with controlled heat
  • Blended into jerk marinade and Caribbean pepper sauce
  • Chopped into escovitch, pikliz and salsas

Characteristics

Taste
Fierce heat with a sweet, fruity, almost tropical flavour.
Aroma
Fruity and floral.
When cooked
Left whole and unbroken it perfumes a dish with moderate heat; once burst or cut the heat spreads.
Sold as
fresh, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Mainly a seasoning

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep in a paper bag in the fridge for 1–2 weeks; freeze whole for longer.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Wear gloves to cut, and keep hands away from eyes.
  • Fish out whole peppers before serving to sensitive eaters.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
40 kcal
Protein
1.87 g
Carbohydrate
8.81 g
Fat
0.44 g
Fibre
1.5 g
Sugars
5.3 g

USDA FoodData Central: Peppers, hot chili, red, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with scotch bonnet pepper