HotPepperIndex
Capsicum baccatum

Ají Amarillo

Peru, South America
Hot
Also known asAjí Amarillo · Peruvian Yellow Chile · Yellow Aji · Aji Mirasol (dried)
Scoville
0SHU
Heat0%
30k–50k SHU · PepperScale, Chili Pepper Madness, Wikipedia

The Ají Amarillo (also known as Peruvian Yellow Chile) is a vibrant, medium-hot South American chili famous for its intense fruity-citrus flavor and striking bright yellow color. It is a cornerstone of Peruvian cuisine, especially in ceviche, yellow sauces, and stews.

Ají Amarillo peppers are long, slender, and tapered (3–5 inches) with thin, smooth skin. They ripen to a brilliant golden-yellow. The walls are relatively thin but very flavorful and juicy. Heat is medium-hot (30,000–50,000 SHU) with a clean, lingering burn.

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Backstory

Native to the Andes of Peru and one of the oldest cultivated pepper varieties in South America. It has been a fundamental ingredient in Peruvian cooking for centuries and is essential in dishes like ceviche and aji amarillo sauce. The dried form is sometimes called ají mirasol.

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Flavor

Intensely fruity and citrusy with bright tropical notes (mango, pineapple) and a floral aroma. The heat is clean and builds nicely without being harsh.

fruitycitrusytropicalfloralslightly sweet

Culinary uses

cevicheaji amarillo saucecaucaulomo saltadoyellow ricestewsmarinadeshot saucesdried flakes

Substitutions

habanero (different flavor)ají amarillo paste substitute

Related variants

Appearance

Size
3-5 inches long
Skin
thin, smooth
Color
green to brilliant yellow
Flesh
thin-walled, juicy
Shape
long, slender, tapered

Growing

Sun
full sun
Soil
well-drained fertile
Notes
Thrives in warm, humid conditions. Very productive once established.
Water
consistent
Harvest
pick when fully golden-yellow
Plant height
2-4 ft
Days to maturity
90-110

Nutrition

Per 100g approx
Calories: 40 · Vitamin a: high · Vitamin c: very high

Origin detail

Country
Peru
Breeder
Traditional Peruvian landrace

Tags

peruvianbaccatumyellow-chilefruity-heatcevichesouth-americanmedium-hot

Sources

Huge shout-out to the breeders, growers, researchers, and seed savers linked below — their independent work is what lets us fact-check our own. Go visit them.

These references are used to verify what we publish — not as the source of the content itself. Seed catalogs, breeder pages, research papers, and cultivar databases let us cross-check every fact before it lands here. Open any card to read the original or dig deeper.

4 sources · Added May 7, 2026, 14:50 UTC · Updated May 9, 2026, 13:12 UTC
Origins
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