The piquillo is a small, sweet, barely hot Capsicum annuum pepper from Lodosa in Navarre, northern Spain, roasted whole, peeled by hand and jarred, and famous stuffed with salt cod or meat.
What it is¶
The piquillo is a variety of Capsicum annuum grown in the Ebro valley of Navarre, in northern Spain. The pods are small, 7–9 cm long, triangular and tapering to a curved point, which gives them their name: piquillo means "little beak". They ripen to a deep, glossy red and have thin but firm, meaty walls.
Almost nobody outside Spain meets a fresh piquillo. The pepper's identity is the jar: whole pods roasted over a flame or embers, peeled, deseeded and packed in their own juices, with no added oil or vinegar in the best brands. The roasting gives a smoky sweetness and a silky, supple texture, and the pods keep their shape well enough to be stuffed.
The best known are sold as Pimiento del Piquillo de Lodosa, a protected designation of origin covering Lodosa and a handful of neighbouring villages along the Ebro. The heat is very mild, roughly 500–1,000 SHU, and many pods taste simply sweet; an occasional one carries a gentle warmth at the back of the throat.
Origins and history¶
Peppers reached Spain first of any European country, carried back from the Americas after 1493, and the fertile irrigated lands of the Ebro valley in Navarre and La Rioja became one of the country's great vegetable gardens. The piquillo is a local selection from that tradition, grown around Lodosa for generations.
Its reputation as a delicacy outside Navarre is more recent. The Lodosa designation of origin was established in the late 1980s and later recognised by the European Union, and in the following decades the jarred peppers became a staple of Spanish delicatessens, tapas bars and eventually supermarkets across Europe and North America. Demand now outstrips the protected area: many jars labelled simply "piquillo peppers" contain the same type grown in Peru or China, which is why the designation seal matters to those who care.
Flavour and aroma¶
A good piquillo tastes sweet and concentrated, like the best roasted red pepper, with a clear smoky note from the fire and a faint, pleasant bitterness from the charred skin that clings to it. The flesh is dense and velvety rather than watery. Heat, where present, is a light warmth that fades quickly. Cheaper jars, especially those roasted industrially without flame, are softer and blander, and some are packed in acidic brine that dulls the sweetness.
In the kitchen¶
Piquillos are ready to eat from the jar and need only draining. Keep the juice: it is sweet and smoky and good in dressings, sauces and stews.
- Pimientos del piquillo rellenos: the classic Navarrese and Basque dish. The pods are stuffed through their open tops with a creamy salt-cod brandada, a béchamel of cod or crab, or minced meat, then baked or fried and served in a sauce made by blending more piquillos with cream or stock. Allow two or three peppers per person as a starter.
- Tapas and pintxos: laid on bread with tuna belly (ventresca), anchovies or goat's cheese; or simply dressed with olive oil, garlic slices and flaky salt.
- Sauces: blended with olive oil, garlic and a little sherry vinegar for a quick red pepper sauce for fish, eggs or grilled meat.
- Salads and eggs: torn into salads with white beans or chickpeas, folded into tortilla or scrambled eggs, or served alongside grilled lamb chops.
💡 Gently does it
Piquillos are already cooked, so they need warming rather than cooking. Stuffed peppers need only 10–15 minutes in an oven at 180°C (gas 4) to heat through; longer and the delicate walls split.
Buying and storing¶
Look for jars labelled Pimiento del Piquillo de Lodosa with the D.O.P. seal, and for whole, unbroken pods in natural juice. A label saying asado a la llama or asado con leña (flame- or wood-roasted) and pelado a mano (hand-peeled) is a good sign. Unopened jars keep for several years in the cupboard. Once opened, keep the peppers covered in their juice or a layer of olive oil in the fridge and use within a week.
Substitutes¶
- Roasted red bell peppers, charred, peeled and cut into strips: sweeter and less smoky, and too large to stuff the same way.
- Jarred roasted red peppers from anywhere: the easy stand-in for sauces and salads.
- Small sweet pointed peppers, roasted at home: the closest shape for stuffing.
- For the dried, pounded role in some Spanish sauces, use ñora instead.
Pairs well with¶
Salt cod, tuna, anchovies, crab, eggs, goat's cheese, white beans, lamb, olive oil, garlic, parsley, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika and saffron.
Growing your own¶
Piquillos grow like other sweet C. annuum peppers and are an easy, compact plant. Sow indoors in February–March at 20–25°C, pot on, and grow in a greenhouse or a sunny, sheltered spot after the last frost. Plants reach 50–70 cm and carry many small pods. Let them ripen fully to deep red on the plant, which in Britain may not be until September. To finish them as the Spanish do, char whole over a gas flame or barbecue until blistered, sweat in a covered bowl for 10 minutes and peel without rinsing, which would wash away flavour. See growing chillies.