Ají Amarillo
Also known as: aji amarillo pepper, yellow chile, Peruvian yellow pepper
The backbone of Peruvian cuisine, the ají amarillo is one of the most flavorful peppers in the world. Its combination of tropical fruit notes and bright heat is unlike anything in Mexican or Asian pepper traditions.
Scoville
30K–50K SHU
Heat
Hot
Origin
south america
Species
C. baccatum
Type
Fresh pod
Plant height
36–60 in
Heat profile
Hot heat — 30K–50K SHU
Step milder
Cayenne
30K–50K SHU
This pepper
Ají Amarillo
30K–50K SHU
Step hotter
Thai Bird's Eye
50K–100K SHU
Flavor profile
Uniquely tropical and fruity — passion fruit and mango notes — with a clean, vibrant heat.
No single ingredient says Peruvian cooking more than ají amarillo. It appears in ceviche leche de tigre, papa a la huancaína, causa, and lomo saltado — essentially the foundation of the national cuisine. The heat is real but secondary to the flavor: passion fruit, mango, citrus, and a brightness that other peppers simply don't carry. Ají amarillo paste is the format most accessible outside Peru and it's one of the most culinarily rewarding specialty ingredients you can add to your pantry.
Color
Bright orange-yellow
Did you know
The Peruvian word 'ají' predates Spanish colonization — it comes from the Taíno language of the Caribbean and was one of the first chili-related words European explorers learned.
How to use it
- —Peruvian ceviche — leche de tigre marinade
- —Papa a la huancaína sauce (Peruvian potato dish)
- —Lomo saltado stir-fry base
- —Blended into causa (cold potato terrine)
- —Ají amarillo mayonnaise for grilled fish
Pairs well with
Substitutes
Can't find ají amarillo? Try one of these.
Habanero
Use ½ habanero per ají amarillo100K–350K SHU
Habanero is much hotter — use less to avoid blowing out the dish. Habanero brings similar tropical fruit notes but more aggressive heat.
Scotch Bonnet
Use ½ scotch bonnet per ají amarillo100K–350K SHU
Same family of fruit notes at higher heat. Reduce quantity and you'll get a recognizable approximation of the ají amarillo profile.
How to grow it
Growing ají amarillo at home
USDA zones
Perennial in 10–11, annual in 4–9 with effort
Germinate
14–28 days
To harvest
~110 days from transplant
Plant height
36–60 in
Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Container
Garden bed preferred
Capsicum baccatum plants grow tall — often 5+ feet — which makes them awkward for small containers. Stake them. They need a longer growing season than annuum peppers, so start indoors 12 weeks before last frost and consider a covered structure or greenhouse in zones cooler than 8. The wait pays off: a mature ají amarillo plant produces dozens of bright orange-yellow pods.
Where to find it
Buying ají amarillo
Fresh
Extremely rare in fresh form outside Peru. Latin grocers in major US cities occasionally stock them; otherwise unavailable.
Dried
Dried whole ají amarillo (called ají mirasol when dried) is more available than fresh. Latin grocers and online specialty stores carry it.
Seasonality
Imported product is available year-round; fresh local production peaks late summer to fall in growing regions.
Seed sources
- Baker Creek
- Refining Fire Chiles
- Pepper Joe's
- Native Seeds/SEARCH
The most accessible form is ají amarillo paste in jars (Inca's Food, Goya, Doña Isabel brands). One jar lasts months in the fridge and is the easiest way to add authentic Peruvian flavor to home cooking. Far better than trying to source fresh peppers outside Peru.
History & origin
Where ají amarillo comes from
Ají amarillo is one of the oldest cultivated chiles in the Americas, sacred to the Inca and a foundational ingredient in Andean cooking long before the Columbian Exchange. The word 'ají' itself comes from the Taíno language of the Caribbean and was one of the first chile-related words Europeans learned. In Peru today, ají amarillo is considered one of the three pillars of national cuisine alongside potato and corn — all three Andean in origin and all three completely embedded in Peruvian identity.
Cook with it
Recipes that use ají amarillo.
american · mild
Jun 2, 2026Old Bay Butter Shrimp with Paprika and Cayenne
Tender shrimp bathed in a fragrant butter sauce that marries Old Bay's distinctive tang with the gentle warmth of paprika and just a whisper of cayenne. 18 min · 0 saves.
mexican · reaper
May 30, 2026Pulpo en Salsa de Chile Reaper
Tender octopus simmered in a Carolina Reaper-spiked Mexican chile sauce with tomatoes, onions, and bay leaves 115 min · 0 saves.
american · mild
May 25, 2026Cajun Spiced Pan-Seared Salmon with Poblano Butter Sauce
Pan-seared salmon fillets dusted with aromatic Cajun spices, then crowned with a velvety poblano butter sauce that brings gentle warmth and smoky depth to every bite. 35 min · 0 saves.
From the blog
Editorial that references ají amarillo.
science
Jun 2, 2026Why Peru's Spiciest Dishes Hit Different: The Science Behind Ají-Forward Cooking
From anticuchos to ají de gallina, Peruvian cooks have cracked the code on irresistible heat—building warmth that calls you back for more instead of punishing your palate. Here's how they do it.
science
May 22, 2026Why Peruvian Spice Blends Create the Most Craveable Heat
From ají amarillo's honeyed fire to rocoto's sneaky punch, Peru's native chiles and generations-old techniques create the kind of heat that keeps you coming back for more—here's why their approach to spice feels so right.
culture
May 20, 2026Three Peruvian Heat Styles Taking Over Restaurant Menus Right Now
From ají amarillo's golden warmth to rocoto's sneaky punch, discover the Peruvian pepper traditions that are reshaping how restaurants approach spice.
Similar peppers
Other hot peppers
Frequently asked
Common questions about ají amarillo
What does ají amarillo taste like?
Genuinely tropical — passion fruit, mango, citrus zest, with a clean medium heat that doesn't dominate. Among chiles, it has one of the most distinctive flavor profiles in the world. Peruvian cuisine is built around ají amarillo's combination of fruit and warmth rather than around heat alone.
How hot is ají amarillo?
Around 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Heat Units — similar to cayenne or a mild habanero, much hotter than jalapeño but well below ghost pepper territory. The heat is bright and clean rather than building, which makes it easy to balance in cooking.
What dishes use ají amarillo?
Most of Peruvian cuisine: leche de tigre (ceviche marinade), papa a la huancaína (cold potato dish with creamy yellow sauce), causa (cold layered potato terrine), lomo saltado (Peruvian-Chinese stir-fry), ají de gallina (creamy chicken stew). The pepper is foundational, not garnish — Peruvian cooking really doesn't work without it.
Can I substitute another pepper for ají amarillo?
With caveats. A half habanero or scotch bonnet brings similar fruit notes at higher heat. Yellow Fresno or yellow bell + a small amount of cayenne approximates the color and heat without the tropical flavor. The honest answer: ají amarillo paste is widely available online and at Latin grocers, and substituting badly hurts traditional Peruvian dishes more than waiting for the real ingredient.
Pantry examples
If you want to taste ají amarillo in a bottle or pantry product
These are optional examples of how this pepper shows up in real products. The profile above stands on its own even if you never shop from this section.
Bright finisher
Tajin Clasico Seasoning
Citrusy chile seasoning for fruit, grilled corn, rims, cucumbers, and the kind of summer snacks that disappear fast.
View example ↗Everyday bottle
Yellowbird Habanero Hot Sauce
Bright carrot-habanero heat with enough body to work on eggs, tacos, and roasted vegetables.
View example ↗