Chile Pasilla
Chile pasilla is the dried form of the chilaca chile, a long, narrow pepper that turns from dark green to blackish-brown as it dries and wrinkles like a raisin, which is where the name comes from (pasilla means "little raisin" in Spanish). It has a mild-to-medium heat, around 1,000 to 2,500 Scoville units, and a deep, earthy flavor with notes of dried fruit, licorice, and mild coffee. It's one of the three chiles, along with ancho and mulato, that make up the classic "holy trinity" used in many mole sauces.
Varieties
Fresh chilaca chiles are the unripe/undried form of the same plant and are sometimes mislabeled "pasilla" fresh in U.S. grocery stores. In some parts of the U.S. and even some Mexican markets, fresh poblano is also mistakenly sold as "pasilla," which causes real confusion since poblano dries into ancho, not pasilla, and the two dried chiles taste distinctly different.
Buying tips
Look for chiles that are pliable and bend without snapping, with a deep brownish-black color and no dusty white bloom or brittle, cracked texture, which signal age. Avoid packages with visible mold spots near the stem.
Substitutes
Ancho chile — 1:1
Sweeter and fruitier with less bitterness; a common stand-in in mole and adobo recipes since it's more widely stocked.
Mulato chile — 1:1
Very close relative with a smokier, chocolate-like depth; works almost interchangeably in slow-simmered sauces.
Guajillo chile — 1:1
Thinner-fleshed with a brighter, tangier, less sweet flavor and slightly more heat; blend with a splash of extra liquid since it yields less body.
Dried New Mexico (chile colorado) — 1:1
Milder and fruitier with less complexity; a reasonable emergency swap in salsas but flattens the flavor of a mole.
Pasilla chile powder — 1 tablespoon powder per 1 whole dried chile
Skip the toasting and rehydrating step, but the flavor is noticeably flatter since the powder loses aromatic oils quickly.
Storage
Keep whole dried pasilla chiles in an airtight bag or container away from light and heat; they hold their flavor for up to a year in a pantry and even longer in the freezer. Once toasted or rehydrated into a paste, refrigerate and use within about a week.
How to use
Toast whole chiles briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant and pliable (not blackened), then soak in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before blending into mole, adobo, or enchilada sauces. Also good simmered directly into pots of beans or braises for depth, or blended raw after soaking into a smooth table salsa.
What it pairs with
Pairs well with chocolate, cinnamon, and toasted nuts in mole, and with pork, chicken, and hominy in braises and pozole.
Nutrition
Dried chiles are concentrated in capsaicin and carry meaningful amounts of vitamin A and iron relative to their weight, though they're used in small quantities per serving.
FAQ
Is chile pasilla the same as chile negro?
Yes, chile pasilla is commonly sold as "chile negro" in parts of the U.S. and northern Mexico; it's the same dried chilaca pepper under a regional name.
How hot is a pasilla chile compared to a jalapeño?
Pasilla tops out around 2,500 Scoville units, well below a jalapeño's 2,500 to 8,000 range, so it reads as mild with gentle warmth rather than sharp heat.
Can pasilla and ancho chiles be used together in the same recipe?
Yes, and many traditional mole recipes call for both alongside mulato specifically because their flavors overlap but each contributes something different: ancho brings sweetness, mulato brings smoky depth, and pasilla adds a raisin-like, slightly bitter backbone.
Do pasilla chiles need to be seeded before use?
Most recipes remove the seeds and stem before toasting and soaking, since the seeds can add a gritty texture and slight bitterness to the finished sauce.
Have chile pasilla on hand? Find recipes with our Recipe Generator →