Hatch Green Chile
Also known as: New Mexico chile, Hatch chile, New Mexico green chile
The soul of New Mexican cooking, the Hatch green chile is grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico and is legally protected as a geographic indicator. The roasting ritual — massive drums over open flame at harvest time — is a cultural event as much as a cooking technique.
Scoville
500–3K SHU
Heat
Mild
Origin
north america
Species
C. annuum
Type
Fresh pod
Plant height
24–30 in
Heat profile
Mild heat — 500–3K SHU
See the full scoville scale →Flavor profile
Earthy, roasted sweetness with a gentle, lingering warmth and a hint of smokiness.
Hatch chile is not just a pepper variety, it's a geography and a tradition. The alluvial soil and climate of the Hatch Valley produces a pepper with a specific sweetness and earthiness that can't be replicated elsewhere — growers in other states have tried. The annual harvest ritual, when rotating metal drums roast peppers by the bushel at every grocery store parking lot in New Mexico, is one of the defining sensory experiences of the American Southwest. The Hatch Chile Festival exists because this pepper matters to people in a way few ingredients do.
Color
Green (unripe) or red (ripe)
Did you know
New Mexico is the only US state with an official state question: 'Red or green?' — referring to which chile sauce you want on your food.
How to use it
- —Green chile cheeseburgers — the New Mexico state dish
- —Stacked enchiladas with green or red chile sauce
- —Chile rellenos stuffed with cheese
- —Green chile stew with pork and potatoes
- —Roasted and frozen for year-round use
Pairs well with
Substitutes
Can't find hatch green chile? Try one of these.
How to grow it
Growing hatch green chile at home
USDA zones
Perennial in 9–11, annual in 4–8
Germinate
10–20 days
To harvest
~80 days from transplant
Plant height
24–30 in
Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Container
Container-friendly
You can grow the cultivars (Big Jim, NuMex 6-4, Sandia) anywhere in zones 4–11. You won't get true 'Hatch' flavor outside the Hatch Valley — terroir matters here as much as for wine grapes. Best to grow for general green chile use; for authentic Hatch flavor, buy roasted and frozen from New Mexico producers in the fall.
Where to find it
Buying hatch green chile
Fresh
Limited to harvest season (August–September). Available fresh at Southwest grocers and shipping nationally during the season. The Hatch Chile Festival in Hatch, NM (Labor Day weekend) marks peak season.
Dried
Dried red chile (the ripe version, called chile colorado) is sold whole and powdered year-round. Authentic source: Buenos Aliados, Bueno Foods, Los Chileros.
Seasonality
Fresh harvest is sharply seasonal — August through September. Roasted-frozen Hatch chiles are sold year-round to fill the off-season.
Seed sources
- Plants of the Southwest
- Native Seeds/SEARCH
- Sandia Seed Company
Buying frozen roasted Hatch chiles in bulk during peak season (most NM grocers stock 5-lb bags) is the standard year-round strategy. Mild, medium, and hot heat levels are graded at harvest based on cultivar and timing.
History & origin
Where hatch green chile comes from
The Hatch chile isn't a single variety — it's a geographic designation for chiles (typically New Mexico 6-4, Big Jim, or Sandia cultivars) grown in the Hatch Valley along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico. The combination of high elevation, mineral-rich soil, dry climate, and irrigated river water produces a chile with flavor characteristics that don't replicate elsewhere — growers in Arizona and Texas have tried and failed. The annual fall harvest is one of the defining cultural events of the American Southwest.
Cook with it
Recipes that use hatch green chile.
mexican · reaper
Jun 4, 2026Diablo Carnitas Rice Bowl with Carolina Reaper Salsa
Tender slow-cooked pork carnitas meets the wild, fruity fire of Carolina Reaper peppers in this rice bowl that's built for serious heat seekers. 225 min · 0 saves.
mexican · hot
Jun 1, 2026Habanero-Glazed Wings with Cilantro-Lime Crema
Crispy baked chicken wings tossed in a glossy habanero-honey glaze with cooling cilantro-lime crema for dipping. 60 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.
Similar peppers
Other mild peppers
Frequently asked
Common questions about hatch green chile
What's the difference between Hatch chile and Anaheim?
Anaheim and Hatch are closely related — Anaheim was bred from a Hatch Valley cultivar transplanted to California in the early 1900s. Today they're considered distinct: Anaheim is milder, sweeter, more uniform; Hatch chiles vary by cultivar and have more flavor complexity and a smokier character. Hatch is also typically hotter, especially the Big Jim and Sandia varieties.
When is Hatch chile season?
August through mid-September is peak. The Hatch Chile Festival is held Labor Day weekend in Hatch, NM. After the harvest, peppers are roasted in massive rotating drum roasters and either sold immediately or vacuum-packed and frozen. Roasted-frozen Hatch chiles sell year-round but the fresh window is narrow.
How spicy are Hatch green chiles?
Mild Hatch chiles are 500–2,500 SHU — well below jalapeño level. Medium runs 1,500–4,500 SHU. Hot Hatch (Sandia cultivar) can reach 6,000–8,000 SHU, similar to a hot jalapeño. The variety is graded at harvest. Most retail offerings let you choose your heat level.
Why do New Mexicans ask 'red or green?'
Red or green refers to the chile sauce you want on your food — green chile sauce (from unripe Hatch chiles, roasted) or red chile sauce (from ripe red Hatch chiles, dried). They taste fundamentally different. The question is so culturally embedded that it's the official state question of New Mexico. The third answer — 'Christmas' (both) — is widely accepted.
Pantry examples
If you want to taste hatch green chile 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.
Fresh verde
Cholula Green Tomatillo Hot Sauce
Tangy tomatillo base with a brighter, greener heat than the red. A natural pour on fish tacos, avocado toast, huevos rancheros, and grilled corn.
View example ↗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 ↗Smoky shortcut
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
The pantry move for smoky mayo, burger sauce, taco braises, and chili that tastes like you actually thought ahead.
View example ↗