Ingredients

Why You Should Have a Jar of Portuguese Pimenta Moida

It's sweet, spicy, salty, and versatile.

By Grace Kelly

Published Sept. 29, 2021.

In Portuguese American cooking, pimenta moida—pureed, salted, and fermented red peppers—is a vital ingredient. Go to any Portuguese/Azorean immigrant enclave (such as where I live in East Providence, Rhode Island) and you’ll find pimenta moida (also called pimenta picada) in huge jars not only at specialty markets, but also on the shelves of big-name grocery stores. It’s that important.

Often made with juicy and slightly sweet Shepherd peppers (though some versions use hot peppers, so be sure to check the label), it adds a wonderful fresh and piquant pepper flavor to traditional dishes such as shrimp Mozambique and Portuguese beef stew.

Sign up for the Notes from the Test Kitchen newsletter

Our favorite tips and recipes, enjoyed by 2 million+ subscribers!

America's Test Kitchen will not sell, rent, or disclose your email address to third parties unless otherwise notified. Your email address is required to identify you for free access to content on the site. You will also receive free newsletters and notification of America's Test Kitchen specials.

But even if you’re not cooking Portuguese food on a regular basis, it deserves a spot in your refrigerator door as a versatile condiment and ingredient. Here are five ways I use pimenta moida in my everyday cooking.

Swirl it into pasta sauces: Add a few tablespoons to alfredo or tomato sauce for a hint of sweet pepper flavor.
Use it to make a quick harissa: While harissa is traditionally made from ground dried chili, adding a bit of pimenta moida gives it a nice fresh flavor and thick texture.
Rub it on meats, fish, and vegetables: Blending pimenta moida with garlic, spices, and herbs makes for a flavorful, peri peri–esque rub for grilled meats, fish, and vegetables.
Add it to pesto or chimichurri: Make red pesto and chimichurri with a tablespoon or two of pimenta moida; it adds a layer of unexpected but lovely sweet, clean flavor.
Mix it with mayo and spread it on a sandwich or burger: Mixed with mayo, this makes a killer condiment for sandwiches and burgers, though I particularly love it on an Argentine-inspired choripan sandwich (i.e. chorizo, provolone, and chimichurri on bread).

An important note: Pimenta moida is made from pureed, fermented, salted peppers, and as such it can be quite briny, so adjust the salt in whatever you're cooking accordingly.

These six tastings are some of our most popular reviews. Start a free trial to access all these plus our other rigorously tested equipment reviews and taste tests.