If you’re planning a garden and want peppers that add flavor without a lot of heat, these are the five mild peppers I grow every year. They’re reliable, versatile, and easy to use in everyday cooking — from salads to weeknight dinners. I also grow plenty of hot peppers for homemade hot sauce, but these mild pepper varieties are the staples I come back to every season.
1. Bell
Why I Grow It
This one may seem obvious, but it’s also the pepper I’ve struggled with most over the last three years of gardening experiments. Last year was my best year yet, with plants my grandfather started in his nursery, but I’m always open to tips on how to make bell peppers more prolific in my garden. I keep growing them because they’re incredibly versatile in the kitchen.
How I Use It
Great for stir-fries, stuffed peppers, or my husband’s preferred method — eaten raw as part of a veggie plate. They also make a great addition to salads for extra crunch
2. Poblano
Why I Grow It
One of my absolute favorite peppers. I love how the mild smokiness of a poblano enhances the natural pepper flavor. They’re also one of the best peppers to cook with.
How I Use It
My all-time favorite use for poblanos is poblano soup — so creamy, so flavorful, so delicious. They’re also great roasted and blended into sauces or stuffed and roasted as chile rellenos.
3. Anaheim
Why I Grow It
These peppers have a versatile flavor and can grow to an impressive size. They’re a staple in my garden because they work beautifully in a wide range of dishes.
How I Use It
My dad loved to cook Cajun food when I was growing up, so Cajun cookbooks and meals are staples in my house. Anaheim peppers work well in stuffed pepper recipes and are great additions to gumbos or étouffées when I’m cooking from old family favorites.
4. Banana
Why I Grow It
The slightly tart flavor of this pepper gives it a totally different profile from other mild peppers. I also love the unique yellow color banana peppers add to the garden.
How I Use It
These are a pickling must! Pickled banana peppers sing on salads, sandwiches, or even pizzas.
5. Shishito
Why I Grow It
These little, wrinkly peppers are prolific and don’t take up much space in the garden. Watch out, though — although they’re mostly mild, about every tenth pepper packs a surprise heat punch.
How I Use It
My favorite way to enjoy shishitos is blistered on our Yak charcoal yakitori grill. It really brings out a smoky flavor and changes the texture of the pepper until it almost melts in your mouth.
This year, I’m planning to try a few new mild varieties, including some Italian and Caribbean types, to experiment with different cuisines. But the five peppers listed above are my go-to mild peppers and perfect staples for any kitchen. Happy growing!
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