The Goathorn peppers are perfect for people who like pickles and tangy flavors. It has become a common part of Northwestern cuisine and is considered a regional delicacy. The peppers are pickled with maple syrup to add crunchy texture as well as tangy and fruity flavors. In simpler words, it’s a fine combination of pleasant sweetness and tangy undertones. However, these peppers are hard to find in local grocery stores, which brings us to substitutes!
Pickled Goat Horn Peppers Substitutes
- Poblano Peppers
If you are looking for the Goathorn peppers substitute, the first option you can use is the poblano peppers. The peppers are known to have thicker walls with a meaty texture – these peppers can hold the structure even when they are cooked. These peppers have huge internal cavities, which makes them suitable for stuffing.
However, these peppers don’t have the grassy flavor that Goathorn peppers are popular for. In addition, the sweetness level is lower, but these differences won’t make it a bad option. These peppers add mild heat to the food, which is why they are easier to use and can be easily found in grocery stores and large-scale supermarkets.
- Cubanelle
These peppers are known for mild heat and have a crunchy texture with a slightly sweeter flavor profile. For this reason, it makes a great addition to casseroles, pizza toppings, and salads. These peppers can be diced and added to mirepoix. These peppers have thinner walls but can still handle the spice, meat, and vegetable stuffing.
Cubanelles are spicier as compared to Goathorn peppers and have a green shade, especially when you purchase them before they are fully ripened. It’s recommended that you add cubanelle to the recipes if you don’t like the pronounced grassy flavor.
- Anaheim Peppers
These peppers are slightly fruity and have a peppery flavor to the recipes. It has a delicious and crunchy consistency when it’s used in raw form. Once the peppers are cooked, the sweetness level is intensified, and curate the tangy and smoky undertones. Anaheim peppers have thick walls, which is why they are perfect for stuffing. It’s important to add that these peppers have a spicier flavor but is still milder – the heat and spice levels are pretty tolerable.
- Pepperoncini
Pepperoncini is a tangy, mild, and sweet pepper variety. These peppers have a green-yellowish appearance and wrinkled skin. In addition, the peppers have a bulbous shape, which is why they are used for stuffing. However, the walls cannot hold the stuffing for too long. Keep in mind that these peppers are different from banana peppers.
- Jalapeno
Jalapeno is one of the easiest and most popular substitutes for Goathorn peppers, especially if you want to add more spice to the food without adding sweet tones. However, it’s not a recommended choice for people who struggle to eat hot food as it has medium heat. On the other hand, if you don’t mind the heat, jalapenos add grassy notes to the recipes.
- Pimiento
Commonly known as pimento peppers, these are heart-shaped peppers that have a slight sweetness. The peppers have a red appearance but remember that you cannot use them for stuffing. However, you can easily slice these peppers and add them to the casseroles, chili beans, and stir-fries to enhance the color. These peppers are available in fresh form, but you can also find them in canned or jar form. You need to remember that the preserved peppers won’t have the same crunchiness and color as fresh peppers.
- Zucchini
If you are looking for a substitute that doesn’t change the color of the dish, you can opt for zucchini. It adds a subtle flavor to the food and is a versatile ingredient, which means you can cook them however you like. The zucchini can be stuffed and adds herbaceous flavor to the food. In addition, it can add color to the stir-fries and adds texture to the casseroles.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that the Goathorn peppers aren’t very popular, which means it’s hard to get hands on these peppers. For this reason, we have added some substitutes to make sure you can resume the cooking process. All these substitutes are easier to find in the grocery stores, but you must add the peppers in moderation.