Banana Peppers: Here’s Everything You Need To Before Trying Them

Banana peppers are so called because of their bright yellow color and long, banana-like shape rather than their taste.

They are also called banana chilis or a yellow wax pepper and have a sweet, mild taste. They're about five times milder than the average jalapeno which for some people is still too hot. However, to call them "spicy" would be a stretch, as their flavor sensation is more of a subtle tang.

To quantify it, banana peppers offer about 500 Scoville units while a jalapeno ranks somewhere between 2,500–8,000.

Raw or Pickled?

Banana peppers can be eaten raw or pickled, but the pickled version is more common among consumers who don't grow their own produce as it is more readily available.

If you do your own gardening, you can grow your own banana peppers and enjoy them raw, grilled, baked, or pickled.

Are Banana Peppers the Same as Pepperoncini Peppers?

Pickled banana peppers and pepperoncini peppers can be confused for one another, but they are not the same.

They are from the same family of peppers — Capsicum annuum and in terms of heat, they hover around the same, mild range of 100 to 500 Scoville units.

They are also similar when it comes to flavor, but you may notice a slight bitterness with pepperoncini that you don't get from banana peppers. The two peppers are close enough in taste that they can be used interchangeably.

They have similar appearances, which is likely why they are confused for each other but note that pepperoncini peppers are slightly more green in color and have a wrinkly texture while banana peppers have a brighter yellow color and smooth exterior.