Since “Amarillo” is the Spanish word for yellow, and “Ají” is the term for chile in South America, this pepper is also appropriately known as the “yellow chile.” The Ají Amarillo is grown in all areas of Peru. Used by the Incas, it is still the most common and popular chili pepper in that country.

It may be said that is it possibly the most important ingredient in Peruvian cuisine, as it is incorporated in a number of national dishes. You’ll find them at Peruvian markets in many forms, including fresh but also dried, canned or chili paste.  The famous Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio recently named Aji Amarillo the most important ingredient in Peruvian cooking. Aji Amarillo is used in many classic Peruvian dishes, such as the famous Papas a La Huancaina and Aji De Gallina.

Aji Amarillo chili paste is very common and used in many recipes as well, including the famous and wonderful Aji Amarillo sauce, which is a national Peruvian favorite.

Its taste is like other peppers from this area, the Aji Amarillo has a fruity, berry-like flavor. It is medium in heat level, but it does not leave your mouth burning. It is also great as a condiment.

The flavor is quite vibrant, which makes them great for making sauces, salsas, or drying and grinding into powders.

Aji Amarillo ranges from 30,000 – 50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which is about as hot as a serrano pepper. Compare this to a typical jalapeno pepper, it can be up to 10 times hotter.

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
aka: yellow chile
Origin: Peru
Notes: Kosher Certified. Non-irradiated. Non-GMO. Specifications are subject to change without notice.