Pimiento Peppers – Sweet, Red Pimentos

Pimiento peppers, or pimento peppers, are a common pepper variety with a very low heat level. They ripen from green to red and have thick, juicy flesh. The cherry or pumpkin-shaped pods are commonly pickled, stuffed with cheese, or used to stuff olives.

About Pimiento Peppers

There are many different types of peppers that fall into the umbrella category of pimientos. One is the ‘Lipstick’ variety, with a bright red color and 3-4″ long pods. Another is the more squat ‘Red Ruffled Pimiento’ pepper, with a more pumpkin-like shape.

Most pimiento pepper varieties have European origins, owing to centuries of cultivation and culinary use.

The pimiento pepper is commonly confused with the Cherry pepper, a different cultivar that can be much more spicy.

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Pimento Pepper Flavor

Pimiento pepper flavor is very sweet and rich, similar to a red bell pepper when full ripe. When stuffed in olives, they add a nice sweetness to offset the olive’s saltiness.

Pimento peppers can also be eaten fried, chopped in salad, or pickled for a great sandwich topper. Other pimento pepper varieties are dried and made into powder.

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Pimento Pepper Scoville and Heat Rating

Pimentos are not very spicy and are commonly used to add sweetness, not heat. Pimiento peppers have little or no heat, with Scoville ratings between 0-500 SHUs.

Fun fact: The Pimiento de Padrón pepper plant produces peppers with varying heat levels. Some peppers are not hot at all, while others are surprisingly spicy!

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Pimiento Pepper Seeds

There are many varieties that fall into the ‘Pimiento’ category of peppers. Try using some of our favorite online seed stores to search for the various pimento pepper varieties that you can grow at home.

Get pimiento pepper seeds on SeedsNow.

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Other Pepper Varieties:

• Ghost peppers
• Serrano vs jalapeno peppers
• The 5 major pepper species

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