Best Green Chilies Substitutes to Use in Recipes

If you are wondering why someone would look for green chilies substitute, you are not the only one! Green chilies are used in many dishes and they are generally pretty accessible. So what is the deal, then?

There are several reasons why someone might need a substitution for green chilies, as you will see a bit later. But for now, we are going to tell you why we started looking for it. After spending several months in India, we fell in love with Indian cuisine! If you ever tried Indian dishes, this doesn’t come as a surprise, does it?

When we came back, we wanted to share with our family and friends the pleasure that comes with spices, etc., so we started to organize little brunch or dinner parties almost every weekend. As you can imagine, it was nice to finally be able to relax with friends, and enjoy good food, after a year of measures, restrictions, etc. So we were preparing to host one of these parties when a friend called us to say that he is intolerant to chilies. It sounded like a joke! But it wasn’t, and we had to figure out how to prepare food without adding chilies.

That is when we began to look for a green chili substitute. We have to say that we were pretty astonished by how many options exist out there. Honestly, it wouldn’t ever even cross our minds. We knew, however, that many people don’t have time for this kind of research. Hence, we decided to put all of our findings in this text about a replacement for green chilies: from jalapeno, banana peppers, and green fresno to pasilla peppers and chili powder.

Generally, most people know what green chilies are, right? But just in case, you never tried them or something like that, we are going to break it down for you. So peppers are divided into two categories – hot and sweet. Sweet peppers have a thick, juicy body.

• Bell peppers are, for example, sweet.
• Hot peppers have a thin, elongated body.

Any type of chili that you harvest while it is still young and green and with a tender texture is considered as a green chili. After, as they get more mature, they change color. Now, there are many varieties of green chilies. The most popular are Anaheim/California, Mexican green chilies, Habanero, Serrano, etc. At first sight, you won’t see big differences between them. However, many experienced cooks and chili fans will tell you that there are essential differences in texture, taste, and culinary uses. For example, people refer only to large New Mexico chili (Anaheim) as green chili. They are pretty mild and thus used in many recipes. Jalapenos, which are often seen as green chilies, are much hotter and eaten more as a condiment.

Green Chilies vs. Red Chilies: What Are the Differences?

Before we say anything else, it is necessary to understand they are the same plant. Red chilies are nothing but the older variation of green chilies. However, green chilies have higher water content and are milder in taste. People usually eat red chilies in the form of powder. The problem with red chilies is that as they are losing water they also lose all the nutrients. Besides that, since they are hotter, they may lead to gastrointestinal problems if you eat plenty.

How Green Chilies Are Used in Cooking?

As we said, green chilies are a staple of Indian cuisine. As you can imagine, you can find them in a plethora of curries where they add not just the heat, but also intense depth. Besides curries, they are used in nearly every chutney. Apart from Indian, they are used in Mexican and Thai cooking too. They are found in egg dishes, appetizers, soups, stews, main courses, snacks, etc.

How Do You Take the Heat Out of Green Chilies?

The best way to counteract the effects of capsaicin is to cook with dairy products. Whether you use milk, yogurt, sour cream, etc., it will be effective in making your meal milder. Vegans can use coconut milk to deal with a meal that is too hot. Sugar and honey can also be used to neutralise capsaicin. You can also try to solve the problem by adding some lemon/lime juice, vinegar, or chopped tomatoes.

Why You May Need a Substitute?

Okay, so we already mentioned that some people may be intolerant to some ingredients in chilies. Another, and probably the most common, is the heat in chilies that causes problems. Even though green chilies are milder than red, some people can’t eat anything even if it is just a bit hot. In that case, you may want to use green chilies substitute. Finally, in some places, it is impossible to find fresh green chilies all year round.

Banana Peppers

Banana peppers are middle-sized, mild chilies. They are sweeter than standard green chilies and thus milder too. They are usually yellow, but you can find them red or green as well. You can often see pickled banana peppers. However, they can be used for cooking and eaten raw. They are also excellent diced green chilies substitute.

Red Chilies

If you like your food a bit hotter, then you can use red chili as a substitute. As we mentioned, they are ripe green chilies, and thus the content of capsaicin is higher. Italians often use Calabrian red dry chilies in addition to a ragu or other types of sauce for pasta.

Anaheim Pepper

Anaheim pepper in chili too. However, it is a bit hotter than green chilies. But they can still be a good substitute for those who don’t want their meals to be too hot. They are bigger than green chilies, so they are good as chopped green chilies substitute.

Green Fresno

Green Fresno pepper is similar to green chilies in many ways. In the beginning, they can also become red over time. They can be mild to medium-hot. You can use them in soups, stews, dips, and sauces.

Jalapeno

There probably isn’t anyone who hasn’t heard of jalapenos. When wondering what can I substitute for green chilies, many people think first of jalapenos. They are not extra hot, and they are medium-sized. Plenty of people can eat jalapenos regardless of problems they may have with other chilies. Thus you can use them in salads, soups, curries, etc.

Pasilla Peppers

These are very popular chilies in Mexico, and you can find them in many dishes. People also call them little raisins because they are dry and nearly black. They are excellent to use when roasting meat. They are also a phenomenal Calabrian chili substitute.

Chili Powder

Chili powder is also a good replacement when you can’t find the chilies. It can even be a chili paste substitute. It is often combined with garlic, cumin, oregano, and other spices and, as such, makes a perfect seasoning.

Like many of you, we love green chilies, and we use them in our daily cooking. However, as you know, there are some situations when it is not possible to use them. Fortunately, there isn’t a reason to despair because there are plenty of green chilies substitute options. Do you know other substitutes for green chili?