Home›Ingredients›Chili PepperIngredientsChili PepperCitation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextFood and Drink Atlas. "Chili Pepper." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://food.interactiveatlas.org/ingredients/chili-pepper.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextFood and Drink Atlas. (n.d.). Chili Pepper. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://food.interactiveatlas.org/ingredients/chili-pepperCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{foodanddrinkatlas-chili-pepper, author = {Food and Drink Atlas}, title = {Chili Pepper}, year = {2026}, url = {https://food.interactiveatlas.org/ingredients/chili-pepper}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXReference and ClassificationVerifiedThe fruit of Capsicum species, native to the Americas and the source of the capsaicin that gives Mexican, Sichuan, Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine much of their characteristic heat. Unknown outside the Americas before European contact, it spread with extraordinary speed after the Columbian Exchange and was fully naturalized into cuisines across Asia and Africa within a few centuries, to the point that several of those cuisines are now unimaginable without it.FactsCross-Tradition ConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsEarliest Documented Use, From (Year)Well-attested6000 BCE to 4000 BCE 1Origin RegionWell-attestedThe Americas 1Cross-Tradition ConnectionsExpresses TraditionPickling, Food Traditions Well-attested Source On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the KitchenHarold McGeetier 1Spice Trade Traditions, Food Traditions Well-attested Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Used ByBibimbap, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Biryani, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Caribbean Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested ConnectedScotch bonnet chili is central to Caribbean seasoning.Source Caribbean Cuisine (Wikipedia)tier 2Ceviche, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Couscous, Dishes Well-attested ConnectedTraditionally served alongside couscous as harissa rather than cooked into the grain itself.Source Harissa, Knowledge, Skills and Culinary and Social Practices (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, RL 01710)tier 1Doro Wat, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Ethiopian Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hungarian Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested ConnectedPaprika, the defining Hungarian spice, is ground from a dried chili pepper cultivar.Source Hungarian Cuisine (Wikipedia)tier 2Indian Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Jollof Rice, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Kimchi, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Korean Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Kung Pao Chicken, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Mexican Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Mole Poblano, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1North African Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested ConnectedChili pepper reached North Africa only after the Columbian Exchange and is most closely associated with harissa rather than being a founding ingredient of the cuisine.Source Harissa, Knowledge, Skills and Culinary and Social Practices (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, RL 01710)tier 1Pad Thai, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Peruvian Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1South African Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source The Complex History of Cape Muslim Cuisine (Daily Maverick)tier 2Tacos al Pastor, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Tandoori Chicken, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Thai Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Tom Yum, Dishes Well-attested Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1Vietnamese Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1West African Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested Source Larousse Gastronomiquetier 1Sources1. The Oxford Companion to Foodtier 1Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press, 2014On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchentier 1Harold McGee, Scribner, 2004Expresses Tradition: Pickling, ch. on vegetables and fruit, picklingEncyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Expresses Tradition: Spice Trade Traditions, s.v. Columbian ExchangeView the SourceLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Indian Cuisine, entry: ChilliLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Mexican Cuisine, entry: ChilliLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: West African Cuisine, entry: ChilliLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Ethiopian Cuisine, entry: ChilliLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Korean Cuisine, entry: ChilliLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Thai Cuisine, entry: ChilliLarousse Gastronomiquetier 1Hamlyn, 2009Used By: Peruvian Cuisine, entry: ChilliA Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)tier 1Thuy Diem Pham, National Geographic, 2023Used By: Vietnamese CuisineView the SourceHarissa, Knowledge, Skills and Culinary and Social Practices (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, RL 01710)tier 1UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2022Used By: North African CuisineView the SourceHarissa, Knowledge, Skills and Culinary and Social Practices (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, RL 01710)tier 1UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2022Used By: CouscousView the SourceThe Complex History of Cape Muslim Cuisine (Daily Maverick)tier 2Daily Maverick, 2020Used By: South African CuisineView the SourceCaribbean Cuisine (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaUsed By: Caribbean CuisineView the SourceHungarian Cuisine (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaUsed By: Hungarian CuisineView the SourceComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year