The Pasilla Pepper (also known as Chile Pasilla or Chile Negro) is the dried form of the chilaca chile, a cornerstone of authentic Mexican cuisine and one-third of the famous “holy trinity” of dried chiles (with ancho and guajillo). It delivers mild-to-medium heat with a rich, raisin-like sweetness, earthy depth, and subtle licorice and berry notes that define mole negro and complex sauces.
Pasilla peppers are long, slender, curved dried pods measuring 6–9 inches long and about 1–1.5 inches wide. They have heavily wrinkled, leathery skin that is dark brownish-black to nearly jet black (hence the name “little raisin”). The flesh is thin and becomes chewy when rehydrated. Heat is mild-to-medium (1,000–2,500 SHU).
No photos of Pasilla here yet. Got one? Share it with us.
The pasilla is the dried version of the chilaca pepper (fresh form also called pasilla bajío or chile negro). Its name comes from the Spanish “pasa” meaning “little raisin,” a perfect description of its wrinkled, dark, sweet-dried-fruit character. Chilacas have been cultivated in central and western Mexico (especially Guanajuato, Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Aguascalientes) since pre-Columbian times. Like other Mexican dried chiles, the pasilla was developed as a preservation method by Mesoamerican peoples. It is irreplaceable in mole negro and other complex sauces, contributing both deep color and layered flavor. True pasillas are distinct from mislabeled “pasilla-ancho” or red pasilla varieties (which are sometimes mature poblanos).
Promote a product tied to Pasilla? This slot is open.
Reach out →Rich and complex with deep earthy sweetness reminiscent of raisins and prunes, layered with subtle smokiness, licorice, dark berry, and faint cocoa notes. The mild-to-medium heat is approachable, allowing the nuanced flavor to remain prominent even after rehydration and cooking.
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.
