5+ Best Cubanelle Pepper Substitutes

Whether you’re making Puerto Rican, Cuban, or other Caribbean dish at home, cubanelle peppers are almost certainly called for. Cubanelle peppers are tiny and delicious. Its green tint and small bend at the tip help you identify them at the store.

Cubanelle peppers are named after the island of Cuba, but they are also popular in other Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries and even Italy. They are quite adaptable. The sweet and spicy pepper is often used in traditional Puerto Rican sofritos, gently fried as an appetizer or side dish, in sandwiches, and even on pizza.

Cubanelle peppers are tasty, but they may be difficult to get outside of specialist stores. Here are some alternatives if you can’t locate these little veggies.

1. Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are the most prevalent kind of pepper seen at a typical grocery. The name comes from the bell-shaped form of these peppers. They come in green, yellow, red, and even orange variations. Regardless of hue, most bell peppers have a mild, sweet flavor.

Bell peppers, like cubanelle peppers, are diverse but easy to locate. They may be used as an alternative for cubanelle in sofritos, sauces, and stews. Bell peppers, like cubanelle peppers, are excellent raw, so slice them up and toss them into a salad. Nevertheless, bell peppers are not spicy at all, which might be a gain or a disadvantage depending on your tastes.

2. Anaheim Peppers

The Anaheim pepper, often known as the Anaheim chile, is a common component in Southwestern American cooking. Although being named after the Californian city of Anaheim, the pepper is native to New Mexico. Anaheim peppers are often offered when still green. They resemble cubanelle peppers in appearance; they are long, thin, and have a little curve.

Anaheim peppers, like cubanelle peppers, may be used in spaghetti sauces, stews, and any other recipe that requires taste. When roasted, they taste fantastic. Anaheim peppers, on the other hand, are somewhat hotter than cubanelle peppers, so avoid them if you have a poor spice tolerance.

3. Poblano Peppers

Poblano peppers are a cornerstone of Mexican cuisine, as are cubanelle peppers in Caribbean food. Poblanos are huge, slightly spicy green peppers. Their skin is thick and green.

In filled pepper dishes, poblano peppers work best as a replacement for cubanelle peppers. Stuffing cubanelle peppers is a typical southern Italian and Caribbean dish, but you can stuff a poblano instead. Since it has a thicker shell and a significantly hotter taste, a poblano pepper does not serve as a cubanelle alternative in other recipes.

4. Banana Peppers

Banana peppers are medium-sized peppers with an elongated form and brilliant yellow hue, however they may also be red or green. These, like cubanelles, are popular in Italy. Banana peppers may be fresh or pickled, however fresh banana peppers are the finest substitution for cubanelle peppers.

Banana peppers may be used in place of cubanelle peppers since they have a moderate, sweet taste with a touch of heat.

5. Italian Sweet Peppers

Italian sweet peppers are a common ingredient in Italian cooking. These long, thin peppers come in a variety of hues, the most popular of which is red. They are equally adaptable as cubanelle peppers, and may be stuffed, fried, or roasted.

Italian sweet peppers lack the spice of cubanelle peppers, which will mask some of your dish’s tastes.

If you don’t have cubanelle peppers on hand, use these replacements to prepare your favorite meals.