It’s simple to understand why cooking with rocoto pepper appeals to so many people.
It may be made into everything from soup to salad dressing, but it is best recognized as the key component in Peruvian hot sauce, a fiery condiment.
Locoto peppers are little but very hot.
The Scoville Scale quantifies pepper spiciness, and the Rocoto may range from 2400 to 250000 SHU, depending on where it is cultivated.
The term Rocoto is taken from the word Capsicum in Quechuan, the Inca language.
Don’t worry if you want to cook using rocoto pepper but can’t locate it in shops or online.
Many replacements will make your dish just as tasty.
These are the top five rocoto pepper substitutes for cooking.
Contents
What exactly is Rocoto Pepper?
To begin, Rocoto Pepper is a variety of pepper native to the Peruvian Andes.
It is found mostly in Peru and Chile, with some plants in Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Argentina.
It belongs to the Capsicum pubescens species, which differs from regular peppers in that it grows at considerably higher elevations and colder temperatures and takes much longer to mature.
It is a chili pepper with a distinct flavor and look, being hotter than regular peppers but with a lot more fruity flavor, making it suitable for use in a variety of spicy meals.
Rocoto peppers may be found in a variety of traditional Peruvian meals, including the famed anticuchos dish of roasted beef hearts marinated in a spicy sauce.
The rocoto pepper is so traditional in Peru that it appeared prominently on a 20 Soles currency from 1985 to 1991.
The 5 Greatest Rocoto Pepper Substitutes
Since rocoto peppers are difficult to get outside of South America and the United States, it is useful to know what you may use as a replacement in your cuisine.
It is crucial to note that when we mention replacements, we do not imply that you should use any available chili pepper. They have varied degrees of spiciness, so using a regular red pepper will still taste excellent but will lack the particular flavor that rocoto peppers do.
They are all chili peppers, but they have varying degrees of spiciness, so you may experiment to determine which one tastes best in your dish.
1 pepper, jalapeno
When seeking for a substitute for rocoto peppers, jalapeno peppers are a good place to start.
They have a comparable spiciness but aren’t as fruity or sweet.
This means it doesn’t significantly alter the flavor of your dish; you only receive the heat.
These are rather common, even in supermarkets.
If you’re searching for them specifically, specialized food shops will always offer a variety of pepper alternatives, so they should be simple to find.
Jalapeno peppers are popular throughout South America and the United States.
If you can’t locate jalapenos, another fantastic option is the Poblano pepper, which has approximately identical heat levels to jalapenos.
2 Scotch Bonnet Chili
The scotch bonnet pepper is a very near alternative for rocoto peppers, with the same amount of spiciness and distinct taste that makes them so delicious to cook with.
Scotch bonnet peppers may be found at your local specialty food shop or supermarket, making them fairly accessible.
Skilled chefs prefer Scotch bonnets over rocoto peppers because they are more commonly accessible and much simpler to purchase rather than produce.
They also have a fruitier taste than rocoto peppers, so you don’t have to chop them up and can just add them in your meal whole.
Another advantage is that they are not as hot as other peppers, so if you are cooking for children or others who do not enjoy heat, this is a wonderful alternative.
3 Green Chile Long Peppers
Long green chili peppers are often used in South American cuisines that incorporate Rocoto, although they may be substituted if the original is unavailable.
These will have a more citrus-like flavor than rocoto peppers.
This is because they have a greater sugar content and less capsaicin (the compound that makes peppers taste hot).
This implies that if you want something with a bit more of an orange taste, this is the perfect sub.
Don’t be deceived by the name; they are quite hot.
As a result, proceed with care.
4 Banana and Pepper (aka Pimento)
If you want something with a little more bite than the other options, banana peppers are ideal.
They aren’t as mild as a standard green bell pepper, but they are much gentler than rocoto peppers, so bear that in mind.
Please do not mistake these with the very hot ghost chili pepper, since they are considerably less spicy.
These are somewhat less crisp and acidic than rocoto peppers, but if you want some heat, these will do the trick, and they aren’t too difficult to locate.
They are readily available in supermarkets, but other peppers may be more difficult to locate; nonetheless, major stores like as Pick n Save sell them.
If you can’t locate them, try searching in the foreign area.
5 Fresno Chili
On the fiery scale, Fresno peppers fall between between a jalapeño and a long green chili pepper, making them a decent substitute for Rocoto if you can’t locate one of them.
While they aren’t as widespread in conventional supermarkets, you may have to hunt at an Asian or Mexican food shop for them, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding one near you.
They have a very bright, lemony flavor that is ideal for Asian recipes.
They deliver a fair level of heat when eaten raw, so if you like that, you should try them.
If you want to try something new, pick up some peppers and toss them into your next batch of stir-fried veggies.
Conclusion
Rocoto peppers are a distinct and flavorful pepper that may be utilized in a variety of cuisines. They are not as popular as regular bell peppers, but they have a lot to offer.
That being said, rocoto peppers are not easy to come by (particularly if you reside outside of South America), but there are some excellent replacements.
