Aleppo Pepper

Where it comes from

Aleppo pepper — biber or halaby felfel — comes from a Capsicum annuum variety grown in northern Syria and southern Turkey, particularly around Aleppo, Gaziantep, and the Maraş region. The ripe red peppers are dried, deseeded, then coarsely milled with salt and a touch of oil into the moist, glistening flake recognized across the Levant.

Flavor & pairing

Aleppo pepper is moderately hot (around 10,000 Scoville), with a fruity sun-dried-tomato sweetness behind the warmth. The oil and salt amplify the flavor without the harsh bite of dry chili flake. It pairs with olive oil, yogurt, lamb, eggs, eggplant, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses.

How it’s used

Syrian muhammara — roasted red pepper and walnut dip — depends on it. Aleppo is the dust on hummus, labneh, and yogurt-based mezze across the Levant. Kebabs get a generous final flake. Modern American chefs use it as a softer alternative to red pepper flakes on pizza and pasta. Turkish Maraş and Urfa peppers are close cousins from neighboring regions.

Trade history

The Syrian civil war disrupted Aleppo pepper production after 2011; much of the spice now labeled “Aleppo” is grown in Turkey using the same Maraş cultivar.