Black Pepper

Black Pepper

Piper nigrum

Spices · Pepper · 1285 recipes
Spice/Herb

Essence

Once worth its weight in gold, black pepper is the world's most traded spice. Its sharp heat and complex aroma make it the universal partner to salt.

Nutrition Facts per 100g (standard reference)

Typical serving is much smaller (1-2 tsp). Values shown for nutritional comparison.

251 Calories
10.0g Protein
64.0g Carbs
3.3g Fat
25.0g Fiber

Source: USDA FoodData Central (approximate per 100g)

History & Origin

-2000 Traded from India's Malabar Coast
400 Alaric demands 3,000 pounds of pepper as ransom for Rome
1498 Vasco da Gama reaches India, opens direct pepper trade

Varieties

Black Pepper

Universal — dried unripe berries

White Pepper

Milder, for light-colored sauces

Green Peppercorn

Fresh, mild — sauces and Thai cuisine

Sichuan Peppercorn

Numbing, citrusy — different species

Cooking Methods

Freshly Ground

Always grind to order — pre-ground loses flavor in weeks

Immediate

Toast Whole

Dry toast in pan to release volatile oils

2 min

Crack

Coarse crack for steak au poivre

Immediate

Where It's Used

Used across 17+ cuisines worldwide

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Recipes Using Black Pepper

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