Hatch Chile vs. Poblano: Heat, Flavor and When to Use Each
One is mild and rich, the other lets you pick the heat. Here is which to use, and when you can swap.
- Mole, rajas, stuffedPoblano1,000–2,000 SHU
- Stew, sauce, enchiladasHatchMild to X-Hot
- Recipe calls for poblano?Use Hatch?Usually
A poblano is a mild Mexican pepper, about 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville units, with thick walls and a rich, earthy taste. Hatch chile is a long New Mexico green chile grown in the Hatch Valley. It tastes earthy, smoky and a little sweet, and you pick the heat: Mild, Medium or Hot all year, and X-Hot fresh in season. Use poblano for mole, rajas and Mexican-style stuffed peppers. Use Hatch for green chile stew, sauce and enchiladas.
Poblano peppers
A mild Mexican pepper. Short, with thick walls.
- Heat 1,000–2,000 SHU
- Tastes rich, earthy
- Size 4–6 in
Thick, sturdy walls hold a stuffing well. Use it for Mexican rellenos, mole and rajas. Dried, a ripe poblano is called an ancho.
Want more heat or a smoky roast? See Hatch chile.
Hatch chile
A long New Mexico green chile, grown in the Hatch Valley.
- Heat Mild to X-Hot
- Tastes earthy, smoky, a little sweet
- Size 6–10 in
The variety sets the heat and the valley sets the flavor. Use it for green chile stew, sauce, enchiladas and New Mexico-style rellenos.
Cooking from a poblano recipe? Here's how to swap.
Side by side
| Poblano | Hatch chile | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | 1,000–2,000 SHU | Mild 0–2,000 up to X-Hot 11,000+ SHU |
| Tastes | Rich, earthy | Earthy, smoky, a little sweet |
| Size | 4–6 inches | 6–10 inches |
| Best for | Mexican rellenos, mole, rajas | Green chile stew, sauce, enchiladas, New Mexico rellenos |
| Dried | Ancho | New Mexico red chile pods |
Can you swap them?
- Hatchfor poblano
- Yes, in most recipes. For the same gentle heat, pick Mild Hatch, which runs 0 to 2,000 Scoville units. Expect a smokier, brighter taste.
- Poblanofor Hatch
- It works in mild stuffed dishes. If the recipe names Hatch, the swap will change the dish: you lose the smoky Hatch flavor, and any heat above Mild.
Can't find Hatch where you live? It ships roasted and frozen all year, in Mild, Medium and Hot.
Hatch, roasted and ready
What to make with each
Poblano: stuffed peppers
A classic stuffing pepper for Mexican rellenos. The thick walls hold the filling.
Hatch: New Mexico rellenos
Long roasted green chiles, stuffed with cheese, battered and fried. Get the recipe.
Questions people ask
Are Hatch chiles hotter than poblanos?
It depends on the Hatch you buy. Mild Hatch runs 0 to 2,000 Scoville units, about the same as a poblano at 1,000 to 2,000. Medium, Hot and X-Hot Hatch are hotter.
Which is hotter, a jalapeño or Hatch chile?
It depends on the variety. Most grocery-store jalapeños run 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units. Mild Hatch sits below most jalapeños, Medium (2,000 to 7,000) lands in the middle of that range, and Hot and X-Hot go past it.
What do you call a dried poblano?
An ancho. A poblano that ripens red and dries becomes an ancho chile.
Is Hatch chile the same as Anaheim?
No. Anaheim peppers came from New Mexico chile seeds but are grown elsewhere, and they run milder. See Hatch chile vs. Anaheim.
Poblano heat and ancho: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, Peppers by Scoville Units. Hatch heat levels and availability: our Heat Level Guide. Hatch flavor: What Are Hatch Chiles. Sizes, plus poblano flavor, walls and uses: our Hatch vs. Anaheim comparison.
Cook with real Hatch
Flame-roasted, partially peeled and frozen, ready for stew, sauce or rellenos. Mild is close to a poblano's heat.
Shop roasted Hatch chileMore comparisons: Hatch vs. Anaheim. Hatch vs. serrano. Guajillo vs. ancho vs. New Mexico red.