HotPepperIndex
Capsicum annuum

Corno di Toro

Italy
Mild
Also known asBull's Horn Pepper · Cowhorn Pepper · Corno di Toro Rosso · Corno di Toro Giallo
Scoville
0SHU
Heat0%
0–500 SHU · Chili Pepper Madness and Specialty Produce

Corno di Toro, meaning 'horn of the bull,' is an Italian heirloom sweet pepper known for its long, curved shape and mild fruity flavor. It ripens in vibrant colors and excels in roasting and grilling applications.

Corno di Toro peppers are elongated, curved pods averaging 20 to 25 centimeters in length and 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter, with a conical shape tapering to a rounded point. The glossy, smooth, thin skin ripens from green to dark red, yellow, or orange depending on the variety. The flesh is thick, crisp, and lightly striated, encasing a central cavity with pale ribs and cream-colored seeds. They offer a sweet, fruity flavor with mild heat that gradually increases as the pepper matures, ranging 0-500 SHU. These peppers are traditional Italian roasting varieties, ideal for raw use in salads or cooked preparations like grilling, frying, stuffing, and sauces. Nutritionally, they provide excellent amounts of vitamins A and C, potassium, manganese, vitamin K, fiber, and folate. As an heirloom developed in Italy from Central and South American peppers introduced in the 15th and 16th centuries, they were later brought to the US by Italian immigrants and remain popular in gardens and markets today.

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Backstory

Italian heirloom developed from peppers introduced from the Americas in the 15th-16th centuries; popular among Italian-American gardeners with seeds passed down generations.

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Flavor

Sweet and fruity with a mild heat that builds slightly with maturity, reminiscent of a red bell pepper but with more complexity and thinner walls suited to Italian cooking.

sweetfruity

Culinary uses

roastinggrillingfryingstuffingsaladssauces

Q&A

Substitutions

CubanelleBell pepperItalian frying pepper

Related variants

Appearance

Skin
glossy thin
Flesh
thick crisp
Shape
long curved tapered horn
Width
5-7 cm
Length
20-25 cm
Color changes
green to red, yellow or orange

Growing

Sun
full sun
Soil
rich well-drained
Notes
Early maturing; performs well in cooler conditions; best harvested at full color
Plant height
tall upright
Days to maturity
70-90

Nutrition

Other
fiber, folate, vitamin K
Minerals
potassium, manganese
Vitamins
high in A and C

Origin detail

Region
Italy
Country
Italy

Tags

heirloomsweetitalianroastingmildbulls-hornfrying-pepper

Sources

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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.

3 sources · Added May 12, 2026, 09:53 UTC
Origins
A World of Capsicum
Peppers and their homelands. Tap a marker.
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