Poblano Pepper

Poblano pepper is a large, heart-shaped green chile with glossy, dark forest-green skin. It has mild heat and a fresh, green flavor that turns smoky-sweet when roasted; thick walls blister and peel cleanly, making it ideal for charring, stuffing, or dicing into sauces, stews, and salsas. Sold fresh as poblano and dried as ancho, it appears whole, sliced, or fire-roasted in markets.

Originating in Puebla, Mexico, poblanos anchor many central and southern Mexican dishes and spread widely through North American cooking. Farmers harvest them green for fresh use or fully red for drying into anchos, which are then sun- or kiln-dried and sometimes toasted before grinding.