Trending Peppers Heating Up Today’s Menus

Over the past year, hot sauce consumption has grown more than any other condiment.¹ About one-quarter of heat lovers report consuming more hot sauce, while salsa ranks as the second-fastest-growing condiment.¹ Among all generations, 47% of Gen Z and 45% of millennials favor toppings or condiments with a moderate to maximum level of heat.¹

Chile peppers are an easy way to bring flavor and heat to your dishes—and with so many different varieties, restaurants can use them across cuisines and dayparts. In fact, 71% of menus today feature the word “spicy” in either a dish, a sauce or a beverage.³

When adding peppers to your menu, your preparation method should dictate which chile variety to use. A longer cooking time will bring out the smokiness of dried peppers like chipotles, while acidic peppers—like chile de árbol or guajillo—are great for salsa cruda.⁴

Sweet-spicy pairings are also emerging as a trend in baked goods and desserts, with bakeries adding 138% more spicy flavors in 2022.⁵ Peppers are finding their way into a range of treats, including cakes, brownies, ice cream, sauces and ganache. While chocolate remains the most prevalent pairing, peppers are also being combined with other flavors like coffee, caramel and various fruits.

TYPES OF TRENDING PEPPERS

Jalapeño (Scoville: 6,000 to 11,000)

Often the most-used pepper on menus across the U.S. (with 45.2% menu penetration⁶), jalapeños have a moderate spice that lends itself to virtually any type of food.

While they are an essential to Mexican cuisine, jalapeños can be added to just about anything. Popular dishes include jalapeño popper appetizers, sushi rolls, specialty burgers, chicken sandwich and nachos.⁶ Some top LTOs featuring jalapeños in 2023 used them as a topping on loaded fries and pizzas, in spicy sauces like jalapeño aioli or BBQ, or to add a kick to margaritas.

Chipotle (Scoville: 2,500-10,000)

Chipotle peppers are made when red ripened jalapeños are smoked and dried. The fastest growing applications on menus are dressings, fish tacos and chicken sandwiches.¹

There are two main types of chipotles:

Morita Peppers

Morita Peppers are forecasted to grow 133% by 2025.⁶ Morita peppers have a soft texture, a deep red color and a sweet, fruity flavor.

Meco Peppers

Meco chipotle peppers are smoked twice as long as moritas, turning a light brown color with an earthy, smoky flavor and hint of grassiness. They can be used for sauces, dips, marinades, dry rubs, soups and stews.

Habanero (Scoville: 100,000-325,000)

Habanero peppers are the ideal choice when you need to add a substantial amount of spiciness to your dish. Beyond the heat, these peppers also boast vibrant citrus notes that make them a perfect match for Latin American and Caribbean cuisine- which the National Restaurant Association listed as one of the top three global trends in 2023.⁷

Habanero is also emerging as one of the fastest-growing flavors in salsa products across the country. Mango-habanero sauce is rapidly gaining popularity as a condiment for wings in the U.S. It's projected that habanero marinades will experience 200% growth by the year 2025.⁶

Some top LTOs in 2023 featuring this pepper include Habanero as a marinade, dipping or wing sauce, and in toppings for sandwiches and bowls.

Guajillo (Scoville: 2500-5000)

For a milder and sweeter pepper, the guajillo takes the spotlight. About three times less spicy than jalapeños, the guajillo is a dried variation of the mirasol chile and is one of the most used dried chiles in Mexico. Alongside its sweetness, this pepper is tangy with a deep smokiness.

Beyond its use in mole sauce and harissa chile paste, the guajillo can be used with everything from sweet sauces to fruits. You can rehydrate the dried chile in water to incorporate it into soups, stews, sauces and marinades or create a powder that can be sprinkled on desserts.

According to the National Restaurant Association's "What's Hot 2023" report, guajillo chile sauce was one of the top three condiments, sauces, spices and seasonings in the U.S in 2023.⁷

Technomic highlighted enchiladas, fish, pork and beef tacos, and shrimp entrées as top dishes that used guajillo peppers in 2023.

Ghost (Scoville: 1,000,000)

At one time, this pepper was the world's hottest until it was surpassed by the Carolina Reaper. The ghost pepper originates from India and is best used with caution due to its potential to overwhelm the flavors of a dish.

Lately, we’re seeing this pepper making noise by popping up on several fast-food and chain menus. It has found its way into applications like chicken wings, specialty burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and even cocktails.

Fresno (Scoville: 2,500-10,000)

Though it resembles the jalapeño, the fresno pepper has a slightly spicier medium heat. In its ripe form, the fresno boasts a fruitier, smokier flavor profile compared to the jalapeño.

According to a Technomic Q2 2023 trend report, the fresno pepper is expected to grow 150% on menus by 2025.⁸ Some of the top dishes that include fresno peppers are specialty burgers, calamari appetizers, non-breaded fish appetizers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, ceviche, pizza and tortilla soup.

TRY THIS

This Birria Beef & Tomato Bowl is inspired by the widely popular Birria taco. It features tender braised beef in a rich tomato and chili sauce made with both guajillo chilis and chilis de arbol, over cilantro rice.

1. Food Business News 2023

2. Kalsec 2021

3. Datassential 2023

4. Ofi 2023 Flavor Trends

5. Mintel 2023

6. Technomic Menu Trend Data Oct 2023

7. National Restaurant Association What’s Hot 2023

8. Technomic Forecasting the Future U.S. 2025 Trend Predictions Aug 2023