Mild Pepper Pasilla Bajio Seeds

About Mild Pepper Pasilla Bajio Seeds

'Pasilla Bajio' is the classic chilaca chile (Capsicum annuum) that dries into the richly flavored pasilla pepper of Mexican cuisine. These Pasilla Bajio pepper seeds grow into tall plants bearing long, slender 8–10 inch pods that ripen from dark green to chocolate brown, with gentle heat (about 1,000–2,500 Scoville) and deep, raisiny flavor perfect for moles and sauces.

Who it's for

Ideal for cooks who make authentic Mexican mole and sauces and want to grow and dry their own pasilla chiles.

How & when to plant

Start indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost. Sow 1/4 inch deep in warm soil at 75–85°F; germination takes 10–21 days. Transplant after nights stay above 55°F, spacing plants 18–24 inches apart in full sun. Grow as an annual; best in USDA zones 4–11 with a long, warm season.

Harvest

Pods mature in about 80–90 days from transplant. For fresh chilaca, pick dark green; for dried pasilla, let pods ripen to dark brown, then dry them fully. Harvest with scissors and pick regularly to keep plants producing.

Benefits & uses

Pasilla Bajio is essential for mole negro, enchilada sauces, and adobos, and its dried pods add smoky, dried-fruit depth to countless Mexican dishes. Fresh chilaca pods are also good roasted and peeled.

Frequently asked questions

How hot is Pasilla Bajio?
Mild—about 1,000–2,500 Scoville, gentle with rich flavor.

What's the difference between chilaca and pasilla?
Chilaca is the fresh pod; pasilla is the same pepper once dried.

When do I harvest for drying?
Let pods ripen to dark brown, around 80–90 days, then dry them completely.

Growing guide: New to this variety? Read our full guide, How to Grow Pasilla Bajio Pepper From Seed, for step by step sowing, spacing, and harvest tips.