0-999 SHU

Mild Peppers

Mild peppers range from 0-999 SHU. Bells, banana peppers, pimientos, and shishitos focus on sweetness, texture, and color over heat.

45
Varieties
6
Comparisons
0-999 SHU
Heat Range
Mild Medium Hot Extra-Hot Super-Hot
Featured Mild Pepper

Jimmy Nardello

0-500 SHU Mild

Pull a ripe Jimmy Nardello off the vine and you'll notice the deep crimson skin before anything else — thin, wrinkled…

View Full Profile
Jimmy Nardello
Origin
Italy
Species
C. annuum
sweet fruity
Mild-tier peppers arranged as a tier overview with shishito, banana pepper, cubanelle, and pepperoncini peppers

Route-owned image for the mild heat band.

Image credit: KnowThePepper

Quick Facts: Mild Peppers

0-999 SHU range
Bell peppers have zero capsaicin
36M+ metric tons produced annually
Safe for baby food
Valued for texture and sweetness
Route Guide

Choosing Within Mild

Use this tier to narrow 45 peppers by heat range, kitchen role, format, and substitution fit.

Choose by Kitchen Job

Choose mild peppers by shape and sweetness rather than SHU. Bells and other blocky peppers are best when you need cavity, crunch…

Substitute Across Nearby Tiers

When you need to substitute within the mild tier, preserve texture first and flavor second. A bell can replace another bell…

For a faster decision, use the substitutes hub or pepper comparisons.

What the Database Shows

45 peppers, 28 comparisons, and 147 related guides feed this tier.

Top edge: NuMex Suave Orange. Gentler edge: Fushimi Pepper.

Browse

Cultivars in This Tier

45 varieties

These are the named cultivars and canonical profiles that currently define the mild band on Know The Pepper. Open any card when you need the full route-owned profile for flavor notes, growing behavior, or a closer substitute.

NuMex Suave Orange
Mild

NuMex Suave Orange

USA

800 SHU fruity
Holy Mole Pepper
Mild

Holy Mole Pepper

Unknown origin

800 SHU
Santa Fe Grande
Mild

Santa Fe Grande

New Mexico, USA

700 SHU mild
Peppadew Pepper
Mild

Peppadew Pepper

South Africa

650 SHU sweet, tangy,
Mariachi Pepper
Mild

Mariachi Pepper

Unknown origin

600 SHU
Banana Pepper
Mild

Banana Pepper

USA

500 SHU mild
Pepperoncini
Mild

Pepperoncini

Italy

500 SHU tangy
Pimento Pepper
Mild

Pimento Pepper

Spain

500 SHU sweet
Cherry Pepper
Mild

Cherry Pepper

USA

500 SHU sweet
Corno di Toro
Mild

Corno di Toro

Italy

500 SHU sweet
Jimmy Nardello
Mild

Jimmy Nardello

Italy

500 SHU sweet
Trinidad Perfume
Mild

Trinidad Perfume

Trinidad

500 SHU fruity

How Mild Peppers Compare

Visual breakdown within the 0-999 SHU range

NuMex Suave Orange 0-800
Holy Mole Pepper 700-800
Santa Fe Grande 500-700
Peppadew Pepper 280-650
Mariachi Pepper 500-600
Banana Pepper 0-500
Pepperoncini 100-500
Pimento Pepper 100-500
Cherry Pepper 100-500
Corno di Toro 0-500
Deep Dive

The Science of Mild Heat

Capsaicin at Mild Level

Capsaicin content below 70 ppm. Bell peppers produce zero capsaicin due to a recessive gene that blocks the biosynthetic pathway…

Capsaicin activates TRPV1 pain receptors.

Species in This Tier

Primarily C. annuum. Bell peppers are the most economically significant Capsicum crop globally, with worldwide production…

Cooking with Mild

Valued for texture, sweetness, and color rather than heat. Bell peppers are the third-most-consumed vegetable in the United…

Roasted = sweeter. Raw = brighter. See fresh vs dried.

Safety & Handling

No heat precautions needed. Mild peppers are used in baby food and are safe for young children.

See the burn relief guide for handling advice.

Breeding & Cultivar History

Bell peppers have been bred for size, wall thickness, sweetness, and color variety. Modern bell peppers are 3-4x larger than…

One tier can still contain 45 very different kitchen profiles.

Tier Snapshot

45 profiles, 28 comparisons, 147 guides.

Upper edge: NuMex Suave Orange. Gentler edge: Fushimi Pepper.

Head-to-Head

Mild Pepper Comparisons

View All

Side-by-side breakdowns of heat, flavor, and culinary uses for mild-tier peppers.

VS
800 vs 3K

Holy Mole vs Pasilla: Heat, Flavor & Key Differences
VS
650 vs 500

Peppadew vs Cherry Pepper: Heat, Flavor & Key Differences
VS
650 vs 1K

Peppadew vs Piquillo: Heat, Flavor & Key Differences
VS
500 vs 650

Biquinho vs Peppadew: Heat, Flavor & Key Differences
VS
500 vs 8K

Banana Pepper vs Jalapeño Showdown: Heat, Flavor & Uses
VS
500 vs 500

Banana Pepper vs Pepperoncini: What's the Difference?
Learn More

Related Guides

All guides →
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Best Soil for Growing Peppers
The ideal soil mix for pepper plants: pH range, drainage needs, organic amendments, and container vs ground differences. Find your perfect heat level.
Dried Mexican Chiles Guide
Identify all the dried Mexican chiles: ancho, guajillo, pasilla, mulato, cascabel, and more. Find your perfect heat level.
Easiest Peppers to Grow for Beginners
The 12 easiest pepper varieties for beginner gardeners. Detailed guide with expert tips and practical advice.

Pepper Tools & Resources

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Substitute Finder

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Side-by-side comparisons

Full Database

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Frequently Asked Questions

What SHU range defines mild peppers?
Mild peppers measure 0-999 SHU on the Scoville scale. This range is determined by capsaicinoid concentration measured via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which replaced the original organoleptic Scoville taste test in the 1980s.
What is the hottest mild pepper?
The hottest mild pepper in our database is NuMex Suave Orange at 0–800 SHU. It's followed by Holy Mole Pepper (800 SHU).
How many mild pepper varieties exist?
We currently track 45 mild varieties. Globally, hundreds more exist as regional landraces that haven't been formally cataloged. New cultivars are bred each year, particularly in the commercial agriculture sector.
Are mild peppers safe to eat?
Yes. Mild peppers are widely consumed daily by millions of people. Bell peppers are among the most popular vegetables worldwide and contain zero capsaicin.
What species are most mild peppers?
Most are Capsicum annuum, the world's most widely cultivated pepper species. Annuum peppers dominate commercial agriculture and home gardening because they grow faster, tolerate more conditions, and produce higher yields than other species.
Sources & References
Explore

Other Heat Levels

The Scoville scale spans from 0 SHU to over 3 million. Each tier serves a different culinary purpose.

Medium

2.5K-30K SHU
48 varieties

Hot

30K-100K SHU
63 varieties

Extra-Hot

100K-350K SHU
34 varieties

Super-Hot

350K+ SHU
28 varieties
View Heat Level Overview →