The Cubanelle pepper, with its SHU values ranging from 100 to 1,000, is a staple in Caribbean cuisine and known as an Italian frying pepper, cherished for its sweet flavor and mild heat. Recognized by its light green color, elongated and tapered form, it adds a sweet tang and mildly spicy touch to dishes without overwhelming heat. Versatile in use from raw to pan-fried, it’s a beloved ingredient across various recipes. For those seeking a Cubanelle pepper substitute, a range of peppers offer sweet to spicy flavors, ensuring dishes maintain their desired taste profile.
Key Takeaways
- Banana Peppers: With their mild heat and sweet tang, banana peppers are excellent for a subtle flavor boost in stuffed peppers and fresh salads.
- Bell Peppers: Zero heat and a sweet flavor make bell peppers an ideal choice for dishes where a mild and sweet pepper is preferred.
- Poblano Peppers: Their comparably mild heat and earthy flavor enhance stuffed pepper recipes and are great when roasted.
- Anaheim Peppers: A mildly spicy taste with a hint of sweetness makes Anaheim peppers suitable for recipes requiring a mild pepper with a slight sweetness.
- Hungarian Wax Peppers: Offering a moderately hot sensation, these peppers are ideal for those looking for a spicier kick than cubanelle peppers.
- Pimento Peppers: They provide a sweet flavor and mild heat, perfect for those seeking pepper substitutes with a gentle flavor profile.
This selection of cubanelle pepper substitutes spans a range of flavors, from the delicate sweetness of pimento peppers to the moderate heat of Hungarian wax pepper. These alternatives let cooks tweak the spice level in their creations, preserving the essence of cubanelle peppers or exploring new tastes. Whether you’re looking for the heatless bell pepper for a stuffed dish or the slightly spicier Anaheim pepper for a flavorful kick, there’s an option for every palate, ensuring a rich and varied cooking experience.
6 Flavorful Substitutes to Swap for Cubanelle Peppers
1. Banana Peppers
Banana peppers are 2 times milder than cubanelle peppers.
(on average, based on available data)
| Cubanelle pepper | Banana pepper | |
| SHU | 100 - 1,000 | 0 - 500 |
| Median SHU | 550 | 250 |
| Flavor | Mild and sweet, with a slight heat | Sweet and tangy, with a mild heat |
| Species | Capsicum annuum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | South and Central America, but commonly grown in Italy too | South America (believed) |
| Uses | Salads, stir-fries, stuffing, sandwiches, etc. | Pickling, stuffing, roasting, grilling, salads, etc. |
Why are banana peppers a good substitute for cubanelle peppers?
Banana peppers provide a sweet tang and comparable mild heat, making them excellent for stuffed peppers and fresh salads.
Banana peppers, with a Scoville heat range of 0 to 500 SHU, mirror the sweet flavor and mild heat of cubanelle peppers, making them an excellent substitute. Their yellow-green color and banana shape add visual appeal to dishes, while their thin walls are perfect for quick pan frying or incorporating raw into salads. Their versatility shines in stuffed pepper recipes, and they carry a mildly spicy kick with a sweet tang that complements Mexican cuisine, offering a seamless substitution in most recipes.
2. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are significantly milder than cubanelle peppers.
| Cubanelle pepper | Bell pepper | |
| SHU | 100 - 1,000 | 0 - 0 |
| Median SHU | 550 | 0 |
| Flavor | Mild and sweet, with a slight heat | Sweet and mild, with no heat |
| Species | Capsicum annuum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | South and Central America, but commonly grown in Italy too | Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America |
| Uses | Salads, stir-fries, stuffing, sandwiches, etc. | Raw or cooked in a variety of dishes, salads, etc. |
Why are bell peppers a good substitute for cubanelle peppers?
With a zero heat level and sweet flavor, bell peppers are an ideal substitute for cubanelle peppers, especially in stuffed pepper recipes.
Bell peppers, with a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) of 0, are an excellent substitute for cubanelle peppers, offering a purely sweet taste with no spiciness. Their thick walls and vibrant hues, ranging from green to red, contribute aesthetic and textural appeal, making them perfect for stuffed peppers and as a flavor enhancer in various dishes. These sweet peppers are versatile in Italian cuisine and beyond, suitable for eating raw or incorporating into cooking, enriching most recipes with their sweet tang and crisp texture.
3. Poblano Peppers
Poblano peppers are 2 times hotter than cubanelle peppers.
(on average, based on available data)
| Cubanelle pepper | Poblano pepper | |
| SHU | 100 - 1,000 | 1,000 - 1,500 |
| Median SHU | 550 | 1,250 |
| Flavor | Mild and sweet, with a slight heat | Mild, rich and earthy flavor |
| Species | Capsicum annuum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | South and Central America, but commonly grown in Italy too | Mexico |
| Uses | Salads, stir-fries, stuffing, sandwiches, etc. | Stuffed, roasted, sauces |
Why are poblano peppers a good substitute for cubanelle peppers?
Poblano peppers offer a comparably mild heat and rich, earthy flavor, making them ideal for stuffed pepper recipes and roasting.
Poblano peppers, with a Scoville heat range of 1,000 to 1,500, provide an earthy flavor and a mild heat that’s more pronounced than cubanelle peppers but still moderately hot. Their deep dark green color and thicker walls make them excellent for stuffed peppers, enhancing dishes’ rich flavor without overwhelming the overall flavor. Poblanos are highly versatile and often featured in Mexican cuisine as a robust pepper substitute.
4. Anaheim Peppers
Anaheim peppers are 3 times hotter than cubanelle peppers.
(on average, based on available data)
| Cubanelle pepper | Anaheim pepper | |
| SHU | 100 - 1,000 | 500 - 2,500 |
| Median SHU | 550 | 1,500 |
| Flavor | Mild and sweet, with a slight heat | Mild, sweet and fruity, tangy |
| Species | Capsicum annuum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | South and Central America, but commonly grown in Italy too | USA |
| Uses | Salads, stir-fries, stuffing, sandwiches, etc. | Grilled, stuffed, salsas |
Why are Anaheim peppers a good substitute for cubanelle peppers?
Anaheim peppers offer a mildly spicy taste with less sweetness than cubanelle peppers, suitable for enhancing stuffed pepper recipes with a more moderate heat level.
Anaheim peppers, with a Scoville heat range of 500 to 2,500, offer a mildly spicy and less sweet profile, making them an excellent substitute for cubanelle peppers. Their light green color and sweet flavor make them ideal for dishes that benefit from a mild pepper with a slight sweetness. Anaheim peppers’ thicker walls and ample size are perfect for stuffed peppers, and their versatility extends to various pepper substitutes in recipes that traditionally use cubanelle pepper.
5. Hungarian Wax Peppers
Hungarian wax peppers are 14 times hotter than cubanelle peppers.
(on average, based on available data)
No data found for IDs PE012 and/or PE0..
Why are Hungarian wax peppers a good substitute for cubanelle peppers?
Hungarian wax peppers deliver a moderately hot sensation, suitable for dishes requiring a spicier taste than cubanelle peppers.
Hungarian wax peppers, with a Scoville heat unit range of 5,000 to 10,000, offer a spicier alternative to cubanelle peppers, providing a medium heat level perfect for those desiring a more pronounced spicy taste. Their vibrant yellow-green color and robust flavor make them an appealing substitute, especially in Mexican cuisine, where they can serve as a unique flavor enhancer. These peppers are versatile and suitable for various dishes, from stuffed creations to salads, where they contribute a peppery note and moderately hot experience without overwhelming the palate.
6. Pimento Peppers
Pimento peppers are 2 times milder than cubanelle peppers.
(on average, based on available data)
| Cubanelle pepper | Pimento pepper | |
| SHU | 100 - 1,000 | 100 - 500 |
| Median SHU | 550 | 300 |
| Flavor | Mild and sweet, with a slight heat | Sweet and mild, succulent |
| Species | Capsicum annuum | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | South and Central America, but commonly grown in Italy too | Central America and Europe |
| Uses | Salads, stir-fries, stuffing, sandwiches, etc. | Stuffed in olives, pimento cheese, salads, etc. |
Why are pimento peppers a good substitute for cubanelle peppers?
Pimento peppers offer a sweet flavor and mild heat, making them a perfect substitute for cubanelle peppers in dishes that call for pepper substitutes with a mild pepper profile.
Pimento peppers, with a Scoville rating of 100 to 500, provide a sweet taste and mild flavor, making them a good substitute for cubanelle peppers. Ideal for dishes that benefit from a mild pepper, such as stuffed peppers or sweet chili, these peppers are excellent when served raw, adding a sweet tang to salads. Their sweet flavor acts as a subtle flavor enhancer, perfect for dishes that require a nuanced sweetness without additional heat, contributing to the overall flavor in various culinary applications.