Pimento—which originates from pimiento, the Spanish word for pepper—refers to mild cultivars of the Capsicum annuum plant, which is part of the nightshade family, Solanaceae.
While technically not a single varietal, pimento peppers are made up of several varieties that feature similar flavor characteristics, but very little spice, heat, or depth of flavor.
On the Scoville scale, which measures the heat/spice level of a pepper, pimento registers between 500 and 1,000 Scoville units, making it one of the mildest peppers grown.
A fresh pimento pepper can be red or maroon, and sometimes yellow or green, and grows up to 4 inches long and three inches wide.
They are most often roasted and peeled, then sold in a jar or can, but can also be pickled.
While jarred pimento peppers are near-doppelgangers of roasted peppers, they are not the same thing.
Roasted peppers are usually made from bell peppers while pimentos are slightly sweeter.
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