21 serrano pepper recipes

A delicious salsa made with juicy tomatoes and a variety of peppers which make it perfect for homemade tacos or tortilla chips.

Bert Greene's peppered chili layers ground beef and beef shoulder strips with three different chiles (mild ground, caribe, fresh serrano). Slow-baked three hours with red wine, fresh tomatoes, and herbs. Kidney beans go in last. A serious cook's chili.

This stir fry is sweet and as fiery as you want to make it with Sriracha sauce. This recipe uses beef, but you could substitute chicken or shrimp. It's quick and easy to make, and is impressively attractive.

Stir-fried tofu and bean sprouts with serrano chiles, oyster sauce, and fish sauce. A fast Thai-style wok dish that's vegetable-forward, protein-rich, and ready in 10 minutes.

Fresh pico de gallo with tomatillos, serrano chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. A chunky Mexican salsa with a tart twist, perfect on fajitas.

Vietnamese stir-fried blue crabs with lemongrass, garlic, ginger, serrano chiles and scallions. Mama Lan's famous fiery seafood feast served in crispy fried shells.

Mexican cebiche with mackerel fillets cured in fresh lime juice for five hours with serrano chiles, tomatoes, olive oil, and oregano. A no-cook seafood dish that lets citric acid do the cooking.

A Vietnamese twist on meat sauce with ground pork, fresh tomatoes, fish sauce, lime, and serrano chilies served over steamed rice. Ready in 30 minutes flat.

Fresh chile and corn fritters made with Anaheim and serrano chiles blended into sweet corn purée, pan-fried in ghee and served with sauteed apples. A Southwestern vegetarian main with sweet-hot-savory balance.

Layered Creole vegetable casserole with okra, lima beans, corn, peppers, and tomato, topped with crumb-coated sautéed okra. A vegetarian gumbo-inspired bake that gets better the next day.

A cozy vegetarian pasta soup loaded with sliced meatless sausage, serrano chiles, red bell pepper, and sweet peas in a lemon pepper broth. Hearty, spicy, and ready in an hour.

Acapulco-style ceviche with lime-cured turbot, avocado, green olives, capers, serrano and jalapeno chilies, and a splash of white wine and ketchup. A no-cook Mexican seafood appetizer.

Slow-simmered beef chuck chili with layers of dark chili powder, serrano peppers, and sazon. A bold, beanless Texas-style bowl that builds heat in stages.

Fiery Thai chicken coconut soup loaded with seven types of chiles, lemongrass, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms simmered gently in coconut milk and chicken broth.

Crunchy Thai chicken salad with crispy wonton strips, bean sprouts, and peanuts tossed in a zesty lime-fish sauce dressing with fresh mint, basil, and lemongrass.

Authentic enchiladas verdes with poached shredded chicken, fresh tomatillo-serrano salsa verde, Monterey Jack, and sour cream. A from-scratch Mexican classic.