Are you lost when it comes to chilis? There are quite a few out there, so don’t be embarrassed if you are. However, if there’s a chili pepper that shouldn’t give you trouble, it’s the poblano. These mild, dark green peppers are supremely low key. Not to say that they’re not complex! Poblano peppers contain multitudes–just read on.

What are poblano peppers?

Poblanos are a species of the chili pepper genus Capsicum that is native to Puebla, Mexico. If you’ve never been to Puebla, it’s a state in the South on the highlands in between the Sierra Nevada and the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains. There, the 1-2 foot tall pepper plants that produce poblano chilis have been cultivated for centuries. The chilis themselves are dark green, red, or brown when ripe, and are quite large: 3 to 6 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, and quite thick-walled as well. Their size is important: when poblanos are sold dry, they’re often just marked “chile ancho,” meaning “wide pepper.”

What do poblano peppers taste like? 

Poblano peppers aren’t exactly spicy. Well, they’re no sweet bell pepper, but they are decidedly mild. If you’re familiar with Scoville Heat Units, poblanos ring in at 1,500 SHU. Compared to your average 8,000 SHU jalapeño, poblanos don’t have much heat at all. This lack of heat lets the earthy flavors shine through with just a hint of spice.

How should I use poblano peppers? 

The thick skin and large size makes these bad boys perfect for stuffing! They’ll hold up even when roasted for relatively long periods of time. Here’s a tip: many people roast poblanos–often over open flame–so that the slightly waxy outer layer of their skin can be easily peeled off. Drying poblanos (AKA ancho chilis, as we mentioned earlier) and making sauces like mole is also a great use for the base of mild flavor they provide. Check out rajas poblanas while you’re at it for a classic cheesy Mexican dish.

We happen to make a mean poblano salad...

Why all the love for poblanos? They’re on our menu! The midwest’s finest all-vegan bagel sandwich includes a smoky, flavorful poblano salad as its shining ingredient. Combined with vegan scallion cream cheese, avocado, tomato, and arugula on your choice of bagel–and accompanied by Gotham's Finest Pickle–you don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to be awestruck. The “V” sandwich is available for you to try if you live near the great cities of Madison or Chicago. It’s simply an excellent showcase for poblano peppers.