What is the magic behind the Calabrian chili pepper? Here’s more about them and why everyone loves this pepper (plus recipes!).
When it comes to hot peppers, one shines above all: the Calabrian pepper! This spicy Italian chili is a hit among fans, and with good reason. This pepper isn’t just hot: it imparts a fruity and subtly smoky flavor to everything it touches! Although it’s common in Italian recipes, you can use a spoonful of these chopped chilies for just about anything. Find out more about this special pepper, where to find it and how to use it in your cooking.
What is a Calabrian pepper?
Peppers from Calabria are a variety of peppers grown in southern Italy in the Calabria region. They impart a medium heat to dishes, layered with a smooth, subtly smoky and fruity flavor. Calabrian peppers are often used in Italian cuisine in pasta, pizza, tomato sauces, etc. The depth of flavor is what makes this powerful chili so popular and has become a favorite of restaurant chefs and home cooks alike.
how hot is it
The heat of this pepper is hot. In fact, the Scoville heat units for a Calabrian pepper are 25,000 to 40,000 SHU: 10 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper! But the experience of tasting a Calabrian chili in a jar, marinated in oil with a dash of vinegar, tastes like a medium-hot fire. It’s not scorching like you might expect! Again: This chili is more than just hot.
What can you replace Calabrian peppers with? Red pepper flakes are an easy substitute and are equivalent in hotness to a similar Scoville number (15,000 to 30,000). However, remember that red pepper flakes only provide heat: they cannot replace the unique fruity flavor of Calabria.
Calabrian chilies are sold in jars at the grocery store, packaged in olive oil and often with a dash of vinegar. They’re hard to find fresh, although you can grow them yourself! Storing Calabrian peppers softens their flavor a bit, so we recommend buying them in a jar.
You can find jars of whole and chopped Calabria at many major grocery stores. Some brands call it Calabrian chili paste, which contains very finely chopped chilies. Popular brands include Delallo, Divina, Tutto Calabria and Williams Sonoma.
Ways to use peppers from Calabria
Calabrian peppers give dishes a fruity and subtly smoky taste. It is excellent in tomato sauces, ideal in pasta and perfect on a pizza. Because of its unique flavor, it has become a popular addition to restaurant menus. Spoon chopped chillies into bowls, over eggs, as a seasoning for meat, or whipped into salad dressings. Here are some Calabrian chili recipes to try:
Here’s a meal that will impress… with a little kick: Shrimp Fra Diavolo! This Italian dish features tender shrimp swimming in a flavorful garlic and tomato sauce. “Fra diavolo” means “devil’s brother” in Italian and alludes to the intense spiciness of this dish. But make it yourself and you can adjust the spiciness to your liking with Calabrian chili peppers! It’s quick and easy, great for impressing guests, but also simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
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Calabrian peppers are great for pasta! This one comes together so quickly on a weekday, easy but with a few key ingredients it packs a lot of flavor. Chilies offer more than just heat – they give off a nice warm, slightly sweet taste. about Giada de Laurentiis
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Calabrian peppers are ideal on a pizza! Use them fresh or in a glass to rotate Pizza Diavola or Brother Devil pizza. Combine the chilies with Kalamata olives, tomato sauce, sticky fresh mozzarella, and peppery fresh basil.
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Calabrian chilies are ideal for a simple bruschetta, and this one combines whipped ricotta, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a sweet and tangy Calabrian chili honey. You can prepare all the components in advance: whip the ricotta, roast the cherry tomatoes and prepare the spiced honey. Assemble just before serving! by Giada de Laurentiis
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Calabrian chilies are perfect for a drizzle with a touch of spiciness. Try them in a hummus bowl: a dollop of hummus served with crunchy veggies and pita wedges. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare this Mediterranean meal that’s bursting with creamy, flavorful, crunchy, fresh and savory flavors. Top with chopped Calabrian glass to add a fruity, smoky heat to the dish.
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The description
Shrimp fra diavolo is a great Italian dish with a twist! Tender shrimp swim in a tangy garlic tomato sauce.
- 1 Pound large shrimp, deveined (peeled or unpeeled)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, shared
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped white onion
- ¼ cup white wine (or broth of any kind)
- 14– ounce can of mashed fire roasted tomatoes*
- 1 teaspoon chopped or crushed Calabrian peppers
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Optional for serving: 8 ounces of pasta (such as spaghetti, linguine, or Easy Angel Hair pasta) or crusty bread
- Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Cook the garlic and white onion as above.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and cook shrimp, turning with tongs, 1-2 minutes on each side until almost cooked (they will cook fully later). Remove the shrimp from the pan to a bowl, leaving the juice in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the olive oil, chopped garlic and chopped onion. Cook until the garlic starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine to deglaze pan and scrape until pan is smooth. When the wine has almost evaporated, add the tomatoes, Calabrian peppers or red pepper flakes, oregano, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Taste, and if it’s not spicy enough, add more chilies to taste. Simmer, partially covered, for 7-10 minutes, until flavor is smooth and rich (or up to 15 minutes if not toasting tomatoes over heat).
- Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute before serving. Serve with crusty bread or over pasta.
Remarks
* Fire-roasted tomatoes taste sweet and subtly smoky straight out of the can; They are widely available in most grocery stores. If you can’t find any, substitute the best quality crushed tomatoes and simmer longer (see recipe); You can also add ½ tsp smoked paprika powder and ½ tsp sugar to round out the flavor.
** Chopped or shredded Calabrian chiles are available at many grocery stores near Olives and Cucumbers, or you can find them online. We used these chopped calabrian peppers. The taste is fruity and subtly spicy and definitely worth a try! Alternatively, use red pepper flakes. 1 teaspoon of Calabrian chilies results in a medium-hot dish. Adjust the heat level to your liking!
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Italian inspired
- Diet: Gluten free
Keywords: Calabrian pepper
