Serrano Pepper

The serrano is a slim, bullet-shaped chilli that packs noticeably more heat than a jalapeño — roughly two to five times as much — while maintaining a bright, crisp flavour that doesn’t linger too heavily on the palate. It’s one of the most commonly used fresh chillies in Mexican cooking.

Serrano chillies are typically used raw in salsas, pico de gallo, and guacamole, where their clean heat and fresh vegetal flavour shine. They can also be roasted, pickled, or sliced into stir-fries and salads. The seeds and inner membranes carry most of the heat, so removing them tames the intensity.

In Australia, serranos are available at specialty grocers and some farmers’ markets. Where they’re hard to find, a combination of jalapeño and bird’s eye chilli can approximate the heat level, though the flavour differs.