Varieties›C. frutescens›Superhot›Malagueta pepper
SuperhotC. frutescensBrazil

Malagueta pepper

Malaguetinha · Piri Piri · Jindungo · Ndongo · Nedungo · Pripíri · M'lagueta · Margueta

100,000Scoville Heat Units

Heat context

Carolina Reaper
Ghost Pepper
Habanero
Malagueta pe…
Growing guide
Botanical data
Heat (SHU)100,000
SpeciesC. frutescens
OriginBrazil
Days to mature90
Plant height60–120 cm
Wall thicknessThin
Ripe colourred
YieldHeavy
Growth habitBush
Germination7-14
FoliageGreen
Unripe colourgreen

About this variety

Malagueta is a small, pointed chili pepper from Brazil that grows 2-5 cm in length and is a cornerstone of Afro-Brazilian cuisine. Despite sharing names with African piri piri varieties, the Brazilian malagueta is distinctly Capsicum frutescens with thin-walled, extremely pungent pods. The peppers grow upright on compact, highly productive bushes and are traditionally preserved in vinegar or oil-based sauces.

Flavour profile

fruitycitrusysharp heatbright
Culinary scores
Sauce
9/10
Drying
7/10
Pickling
8/10

Culinary uses

Essential in Brazilian moqueca and vatapá, preserved in cachaça or vinegar as molho de pimenta, used fresh in Caribbean and Lusophone African cuisines for seasoning rice, beans, and seafood dishes

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Quick reference

Heat100,000 SHU
SpeciesC. frutescens
OriginBrazil
Days to ripe90
Ripe colourred
Best forSauce, Drying, Pickling, Essential in Brazilian moqueca and vatapá
Data confidence: 4/5. Sourced from community submissions and verified references. Suggest a correction