Guajillo Chilli Recipes

Pronounced gwah-HEE-yoh

A Guajillo chilli (chile Guajillo in Spanish) is a variety of chilli pepper of the species Capsicum annuum, which is widely used in the cuisine of Mexico.

Chiles, the classification of peppers to which Guajillo's belong, are frequently used in American, South
American, and Asian cooking.

Spice levels vary from an almost unnoticeable level of heat, such as those found in cubanelle peppers, to what many consider an excruciating level of heat, such as that of the bhut jolokia, or "ghost chile." Others are considered mild.

The Guajillo chile has a fairly low heat level. Chiles offer some health benefits, such as the ability to increase metabolism and an abundance of vitamin A and other nutrients.


A typical Guajillo chile has an elongated shape, often with a slight curve, and comes to a point. Individual peppers are usually between 4 and 6 inches long (10 to 15 cm), with a reddish or brownish colour when fully ripened.

Green, unmatured Guajillo’s may also be harvested and used in cooking.

When cooked, the mature peppers tend to give foods a yellowish colour.

The Guajillo chile is closely related to the Anaheim chilli, though boasting a somewhat sweeter and hotter flavour.

Guajillo’s rate between 2,500 and 5,000 units on the Scoville Scale, which is approximately the same heat level as a jalapeno.

The Scoville Scale measures the spiciness of peppers, as measured by examining how many units of sugar water to pepper mass would be required to eliminate heat.

Those who cook with Guajillo chiles enjoy the slightly fruity, berrylike sweetness and medium spice of the peppers, along with tannic and
piney hints.

Because of this pepper's sweetness to spice ratio, Guajillo chiles are often used in the Mexican sauce known as molé. This type of sauce often contains bitter chocolate, raisins, and several other ingredients.

Ancho, Pasilla and Guajillo chiles are popularly categorized as the "holy trinity peppers," and are considered among the best for making authentic molé sauce.

This chile requires a longer soaking