Sure enough, it might be hard to distinguish between banana pepper and pepperoncini. Still, worry not as some points might help you how to tell their differences. In fact, the taste of the said peppers is considered a small differentiating criterion only. In such a case, the pepperoncini vs banana pepper post might help you a lot.
What Is Pepperoncini?
Let us begin by defining both these peppers. First, what are pepperoncini? Well, these peppers were first cultivated in Northern Europe and are popular in most Italian food. They will finally turn red once left on the vine and the shape would be more bulbous at the bottom.
Nevertheless, most are picked once still bright green or just beginning to yellow. If you are interested in growing pepperoncini, there is a need to learn that the longer they ripen, the thinner their flesh will be. So, picking them when they are bright green offers juicy crunch and great moisture intended for pickling.
Plus, they are said to grow up to 2 to 3 inches in size. Pepperoncini is available all the time and almost anywhere too. Besides, they are rich in Vitamin C and are a great help in boosting your immune system. And they are also filled with Vitamin A and could reduce the risk of diarrhea.
How About Banana Pepper?
On the other hand, banana peppers are thin and long pepper which is mainly straight and relatively smooth too. They were first cultivated in the Americas like most pepper plants but have spread across the planet because of their prolific growing habits as well as excellent flavor.
It is also quite simple to grow banana peppers at home. Once the growing season is short, start growing them indoors. The banana peppers would require 70 days to mature and be ready to harvest.
The pickled banana peppers are a popular choice for most sandwiches to provide the extra kick and could be made at home or be brought. You should also take note that some banana peppers are a lot hotter compared to others.
In addition, a cup of chopped banana peppers has 33 calories only. Plus, banana peppers include a hearty dose of Vitamin K, C, and A. And a quite lot of fiber is guaranteed with banana peppers too.
Compared to pepperoncini, they are a lot longer and resemble the look of a banana. They are curved in shape, and 4 to 5 inches long. Banana peppers are as well available in different colors such as yellow, green, and red.
Pepperoncini Vs Banana Pepper: What’s the Difference?
And now, for the pepperoncini vs banana pepper comparison, you should know that they offer specific differences along with some similarities too. Though both of them provide a bit of a similar look, differentiating them could be easy. There are numbers of criteria to use to separate them from one another.
Out Look
These two peppers look the same, that’s why many people get confused. Both of them grow to almost alike lengths and also share the same shade of color. Look at their skin to differentiate their look. The surface of the pepperoncini has a number of wrinkles compared to banana pepper.
Meanwhile, the banana pepper offers a smooth and skin that glows. The bottom shape is another way for you to distinguish their looks. The pepperoncini have a round bottom while the banana pepper has a more pointed end.
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Also called durian yema, durian pastillas, durian chocolate, or whatsoever, this dessert is perfect for those who want to try the taste of durian without having to go through the whole experience of eating the fruit.
Heat
With regards to the heat that these peppers could offer, on the Scoville scale, the pepperoncini are rated to be 100 to 500 SHU, but the banana pepper is measured to be 0 to 500 SHU. Through these figures, you might understand that the heat of the said chilies is almost the same.
Also, we could say that they are incredibly mild chilies or a little hotter than the bell pepper. Therefore, the pepperoncini will have some hotness in it and the banana pepper can only have zero.
Taste
Regarding taste, they are very much similar too. Both the peppers are sweet and tangy. The only difference is that the pepperoncini render more tanginess than the banana peppers. And this is the reason why pepperoncini taste better as pickles.
Uses
Banana peppers are utilized in an omelet, stir-fries, salads, ice creams, sandwiches, and pizza, the Pepperoncini are used as pickles or with scrambled eggs, salads, Turkish kebabs, and many more.
Plant
The plant of the banana pepper could be grown in the USDA zone, and the cultivation is considered best when the weather is a bit warmer. Its plant could grow from 12 to 24 inches. On the other hand, the pepperoncini plants are a lot taller and could grow better than the banana pepper plants.
Maturity
With regards to maturity, both of them are different during the ripe stage. The ripe banana pepper would turn to be sweeter than the raw ones acquiring yellow, green, and orange to red colors. The pepperoncini turn in dark red once ripe and offer stronger flavors than the banana peppers
Calories
Let us also consider the calories of these peppers. The calories of the banana peppers are said to be slightly less than the calories offered by Pepperoncini. If you have four pieces of pepperoncini, you’ll have ten calories. On the other hand, the banana pepper lack behind with nine calories.
Health Benefits
Though banana peppers have fewer calories, they are also rich in minerals and vitamins. They also provide low-fat content that makes them a great choice to be included in your diet food. And pepperoncini offer the same benefits, but they aren’t correctly reaped as they are consumed in the form of pickles which make them a high source of sodium.
From the above information, pepperoncini vs banana pepper might not be a complicated issue to tackle at all. You might now be able to distinguish between the two easily. These peppers are found in almost all grocery stores, however, if you can’t find one in your area, purchasing them from online stores is possible.
Final Thoughts
Are you now enlightened whether what is the difference between pepperoncini vs banana pepper? I assumed you are! With the details, I discussed above, distinguishing pepperoncini from the banana pepper isn’t a big problem by the majority at all. You can quickly decide which pepper suits your needs best.
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