Mirasol chilli: what it is, taste and link to the guajillo

What is it?

The mirasol chilli is the fresh chilli that gives rise to the famous dried guajillo chilli. Its name comes from the plant's habit of producing fruits that grow pointing upwards, looking at the sun, unlike most chillies whose fruits hang downwards. It is elongated and slender (10-15 cm), with smooth shiny skin, bright green when young and intense red when ripe. It belongs to the species Capsicum annuum and is grown mainly in Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Durango and Jalisco. Its heat is moderate (2,500-5,000 Scoville units). It contributes a fresh herbal flavour with a fruity hint of green red fruits. It is used fresh in salsas, rajas and dishes of the Bajío, although its main use is as the raw material to produce the dried guajillo chilli, one of the most important dried chillies of Mexican cuisine.

Origin and history

The mirasol chilli is a Mesoamerican chilli grown since pre-Hispanic times on the Mexican high plateau. Its name describes the plant's habit -fruits that grow looking at the sun-, a unique characteristic that distinguishes it from the rest of the chillies. When left to ripen to red and sun-dried for several days, it becomes the guajillo chilli, one of the most important dried chillies of Mexican cuisine. The colonial sources mention the mirasol among the everyday chillies of the Bajío. Larousse Cocina and the Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana identify it as the fresh chilli that is the origin of the dried guajillo, although it is also eaten fresh as a regional chilli of the centre-north. SADER recognises it as a regional fresh chilli with production concentrated in Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and Durango. CONABIO includes it within the heritage of native Mexican chillies. SIAP reports Zacatecas as the largest producer of mirasol/guajillo chilli in Mexico, with thousands of hectares dedicated and significant annual production.

Characteristic ingredients

The mirasol chilli is a Capsicum annuum grown on the Mexican high plateau. Its fruits measure 10-15 cm, are elongated and slender, with smooth shiny skin. The distinctive botanical trait is that the fruits grow pointing upwards instead of hanging, which gives it the name 'mirasol' (looks at the sun). The plant is robust and very productive. The fruits are harvested at different stages: green and young (for fresh consumption), ripe and red (for regional fresh consumption or for sun-drying). When sun-dried for 5-10 days in yards or on rooftops, they become the guajillo chilli, with a bright red colour and translucent skin. Its heat when fresh is moderate (2,500-5,000 SHU), similar to the dried guajillo. It contributes a fresh herbal flavour with fruity hints of green red fruits. To use it fresh, it is roasted on the comal or chopped raw for salsas. There are different calibres: the large mirasol, the common mirasol and the small mirasol (puya). When dried, they become respectively the large guajillo, the common guajillo and the puya chilli.

Cultural significance

The mirasol chilli forms part of the repertoire of traditional Mexican cuisine recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although its most widespread use is as the raw material of the dried guajillo, it is also eaten fresh in the regional kitchens of the Bajío, especially in Zacatecas and Aguascalientes, where it appears in fresh salsas and rural dishes. Its production is strategic for the agricultural economy of the high plateau: SIAP reports Zacatecas as the largest national producer of mirasol/guajillo chilli, with thousands of hectares dedicated and associated rural jobs. The large drying yards of Fresnillo, Calera and Villa de Cos form part of the Zacatecan cultural landscape. In the regional markets it is sold fresh during the season and dried (as guajillo) all year round. In contemporary cooking, some Bajío chefs revive the fresh mirasol as an ingredient with its own profile, distinct from the dried guajillo, for fresh salsas and modern offerings.

Frequently asked questions