How to Grow Padrón Peppers from Seed
The Galician tapas pepper, picked small and fried whole until blistered. Mild and nutty, though roughly one in ten will catch you out.
Padrón is the Galician tapas pepper, picked small and fried whole in good oil until blistered, then scattered with sea salt. It is mild and nutty, though the old saying holds that roughly one in ten will catch you out.
Most pods sit at around 500 to 2,500 Scoville units, milder than a jalapeño. The odd hot one can reach jalapeño level or beyond, and pods left to grow large on the plant tend to be hotter. It is prolific, forgiving and quick to crop, which makes it a genuinely good first chilli for anyone who has never grown one.
Species
Capsicum annuum
Heat
500 to 2,500 SHU, with the odd hot one
Sow
February to March
Harvest
July to September
Best Grown
Pots, greenhouse or patio
Difficulty
Full growing method
Padrón is grown like every other Capsicum annuum. Our species guide covers sowing, potting on, feeding and problems step by step.
Read the Capsicum annuum guide →About this Variety
Pick small
Harvest when the peppers are small and green, for classic tapas and the mildest heat.
The flavour
Mild and nutty, with roughly one in ten carrying real heat.
In the kitchen
Fry whole in good olive oil until blistered, then scatter with sea salt.
The plant
Prolific, forgiving and quick to crop. Keep picking to keep it producing.
Sowing & Harvest Calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Sow under cover | ||||||||||||
| 🪴 Final pots | ||||||||||||
| 🌶️ Harvest |
Variety Specifications
Tapas from your own plants
Sow in spring, pick small and often, and fry up bowlfuls of blistered Padrón peppers all summer.
Shop Padrón Seeds →