# Pimiento
**Pimiento** (also spelled pimento, from *pimiento*, the Spanish word for pepper) is the name for mild cultivars of the pepper plant *Capsicum annuum*, a member of the nightshade family, [Solanaceae](https://www.edgepedia.org/solanaceae). The peppers are sweet rather than hot, heart-shaped, and are best known in jarred, roasted form, in stuffed green olives, and as the namesake ingredient of pimento cheese.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical identity | Mild cultivars of *Capsicum annuum*, family Solanaceae; not a single varietal but several varieties with similar flavor and very little heat[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) |
| Heat level | 500 to 1,000 Scoville heat units, against 2,500 to 8,000 for a jalapeño[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) |
| Fruit size and color | Up to 4 inches long and 3 inches wide; red or maroon, sometimes yellow or green[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) |
| Shape | Smaller than a bell pepper and heart-shaped, with a more aromatic flavor[2](https://www.chowhound.com/1663423/difference-roasted-red-peppers-pimentos/) |
| Typical form sold | Most often roasted, peeled, and sold in a jar or can; also pickled[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) |
| Signature uses | Stuffing Manzanilla olives and pimento cheese (cheddar, mayonnaise, and diced pimentos)[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) |
| Paprika link | Pimento-type sweet red peppers are among the peppers dried and ground to make paprika[2](https://www.chowhound.com/1663423/difference-roasted-red-peppers-pimentos/) • [3](https://knowthepepper.com/peppers/pimento/) |
## The plant and its fruit
Pimento is a horticultural category rather than one variety. Several cultivars share the same flavor profile of sweetness with very little spice, heat, or depth of pungency; commonly cited ones include Spanish cherry peppers, Santa Fe Grande, Floral Gem, and European paprika peppers.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) When ripe, the pimento's color ranges from red to maroon, with yellow and green occurring occasionally; the pepper reaches lengths of up to 4 inches and widths of up to 3 inches.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) Compared with a bell pepper, the fruit is smaller and heart-shaped, and its flavor is described as more aromatic and slightly sweeter.[2](https://www.chowhound.com/1663423/difference-roasted-red-peppers-pimentos/) • [1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
On the [Scoville scale](https://www.edgepedia.org/scoville-scale), which measures the pungency of peppers, pimento registers between 500 and 1,000 Scoville heat units, which places it among the mildest peppers grown; a jalapeño, for comparison, registers from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
## Naming and related terms
The English word comes from *pimiento*, the Spanish word for pepper.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) A United States government crop publication likewise lists pimiento among the names for the pepper crop *Capsicum annuum*, alongside bell pepper, chili, paprika, and capsicum.[4](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-A-PURL-gpo87416/pdf/GOVPUB-A-PURL-gpo87416.pdf) The overlapping vocabulary explains a common confusion: the fresh mild pepper, the jarred preserved product, and the ground spice all carry related names while describing different things.
## Paprika and the dried spice
Pimentos are among the pepper varieties frequently ground up to create paprika, and pimento-type sweet red peppers are essentially the fresh source material for some paprika blends.[2](https://www.chowhound.com/1663423/difference-roasted-red-peppers-pimentos/) • [3](https://knowthepepper.com/peppers/pimento/) Spain remains known for pimientos used to make smoked paprika, called pimentón, a spice made by drying and grinding specific types of pimientos.[5](https://eathealthy365.com/pimiento-vs-bell-pepper-a-chefs-guide-to-each-pepper/) Commercial paprika, however, typically uses specialized pepper varieties grown and processed for drying, with thinner walls and more concentrated flavor than ordinary fresh-market bell peppers, so paprika is not simply ground bell pepper.[6](https://www.paprikabulk.com/es/is-paprika-bell-pepper/)
## Preservation and culinary uses
Fresh pimentos are eaten far less often than they are preserved. They are most often roasted and peeled, then sold in a jar or can, and they can also be pickled; the jarred product is a pantry staple because it delivers sweet pepper flavor without preparation work.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) • [5](https://eathealthy365.com/pimiento-vs-bell-pepper-a-chefs-guide-to-each-pepper/) Jarred pimentos resemble roasted red peppers closely, but the two are not the same product: roasted peppers are usually made from bell peppers, while pimentos are slightly sweeter.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
Two uses dominate. Stuffed olives: strips of pimento add a mild, sweet note that offsets the saltiness of Spanish green (Manzanilla) olives, along with a visually appealing red color; many commercial products use a pepper paste rather than authentic strips, which the ingredient list reveals through gums, coloring, and minced peppers.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) [Pimento cheese](https://www.edgepedia.org/pimento-cheese): in its most basic form a spread of cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and diced pimentos, a [Southern United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-united-states) classic in which the peppers provide subtle sweetness that cuts the saltiness of the cheese and firm texture that contrasts each bite.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) The spread also appears warmed as a dip, melted on burgers, and mixed into macaroni and cheese, biscuits, and tomato pies.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
Beyond these, preserved pimento strips serve as cocktail garnishes in a martini or Bloody Mary, in summertime relishes, and as stuffings and fillings paired with ingredients such as goat cheese and Gruyère.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
## Production history in the United States
Pimentos were a major crop in the United States in the 1940s, and Woodbury, Georgia, earned the title of Pimiento Capital of the World during that period.[7](https://www.tastingtable.com/1668351/difference-pimentos-roasted-red-peppers/) The crop's Southern association survives in the food culture around pimento cheese, which has seen renewed interest in recent decades as producers moved from heavily processed versions toward higher-quality ingredients and preparations.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
## Selection and storage
For jarred pimentos, the ingredient list should be minimal, since the product is essentially a preserved or pickled pepper; citric acid commonly appears as an acidity regulator, while artificial ingredients, gums, and stabilizers are considered signs to avoid. Quality fruit shows a bright, almost lipstick-red color.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) Because brining adds acidity that influences a recipe, cooks are advised to taste the peppers before using them in dishes such as pimento cheese.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
Once a jar is open, the peppers should keep a delicate, balanced fruity flavor and a texture that is not mushy. The jar should be refrigerated with the peppers submerged in their natural brine; the acid and salt levels are not high enough for the product to be safely left at room temperature.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
## Substitutions
A bell pepper can stand in for a pimento in many contexts, but the result differs: bell peppers are less sweet and less aromatic, and jarred roasted peppers made from them lack the pimento's characteristic sweetness.[1](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344) • [2](https://www.chowhound.com/1663423/difference-roasted-red-peppers-pimentos/) Conversely, paprika powder cannot replace fresh or jarred pimento in dishes that need vegetable texture, such as pimento cheese, because the dried powder contributes color and flavor but no body.[6](https://www.paprikabulk.com/es/is-paprika-bell-pepper/)
## References
1. [What Exactly Is a Pimento? Experts Explain All, Martha Stewart](https://www.marthastewart.com/what-is-a-pimento-8685344)
2. [Are Pimentos And Roasted Red Peppers The Same Thing?, Chowhound](https://www.chowhound.com/1663423/difference-roasted-red-peppers-pimentos/)
3. [Pimento: The Sweet Red Pepper in Your Olives, Know The Pepper](https://knowthepepper.com/peppers/pimento/)
4. [Pepper (Capsicum annuum) crop publication, govinfo](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-A-PURL-gpo87416/pdf/GOVPUB-A-PURL-gpo87416.pdf)
5. [Pimiento vs Bell Pepper: What's the Difference?, Eat Healthy 365](https://eathealthy365.com/pimiento-vs-bell-pepper-a-chefs-guide-to-each-pepper/)
6. [¿El pimentón es pimiento? La verdad sobre de qué se elabora el pimentón, Paprika Bulk](https://www.paprikabulk.com/es/is-paprika-bell-pepper/)
7. [Are Pimentos The Same As Roasted Red Peppers?, Tasting Table](https://www.tastingtable.com/1668351/difference-pimentos-roasted-red-peppers/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Plants and algae › Cultivars and cultivated forms › Vegetable, herb, and staple crop cultivars › Solanaceous crop cultivars*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license