What Do Pink Peppercorns Taste Like?

Kindi Lantz mai 22, 2025

Pink Peppercorns: Your New Favorite Peppery Yet Surprisingly Sweet Spice

Gone are the days of the simplicity of black and white, and we aren’t talking about blockbusters. This article focuses on adding life to your dishes by expanding your peppercorn arsenal beyond the typical varieties and introducing you to something a little different—pink peppercorns (AKA: Rose pepper, Brazilian or Peruvian pepper, Rose-poivre). But no culinary enthusiast wants to add an ingredient to their gastronomic exploits without first having at least an idea of how it will interact with their other ingredients, so let’s explore what pink peppercorns taste like. 

What are Pink Peppercorns

Like black, white, and green peppercorns, pink peppercorns are the dehydrated fruiting bodies of a plant. Unlinke black, white, and green peppercorns, pink peppercorns are not a true peppercorn at all. To be considered a true peppercorn, they would need to be sourced from the Piper nigrum plant, a flowering vine that produces drupes (containing a single seed, or pit surrounded by flesh fruit), not berries. These vines are native to Southeast Asia.

Pink peppercorns, on the other hand, are a berry (as opposed to a drupe) grown from  two separate species of tree native to South America, the Schinus molles (Peruvian  pepper) and the Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper), neither of which are related to Piper nigrum. As a berry, rather than a pit surrounded by a fleshy fruit, the pink peppercorn berry hosts a soft, juicy pulp surrounding its seeds. 

Exploring the Flavor of Pink Peppercorns

Rosy, delicate, and unexpectedly sweet, pink peppercorns will be a welcome addition in your culinary creations for both flavor and aethetics. But what do pink peppercorns taste like, exactly? 

While they aren’t a true peppercorn—that is, one derived of the Piper nigrum plant—they do possess that distinctive peppery flavor. Though, with the pink peppercorns, that flavor is much more delicate, coming in on the front notes and mellowing to make way for the flavor attributes that present the unique appeal of rose pepper.

So what are those unique traits that set pink peppercorns apart? We recommend placing just one or two peppercorns on your tongue and closing your eyes to fully experience the flavor journey of this spice. Allow them to sit for a few seconds before crunching into the berries and allowing the release of their oils. As we mentioned, the piperine leads the way when it comes to flavor, but this seemingly delicate spice is far more complex. Like other berries, pink peppercorn is bright and fruity, but they also contain a mild heat that is offset by soft, floral perfumed notes reminiscent of roses. It’s an elegant and surprising ingredient, one that can elevate both sweet and savory dishes with just a pinch.

How to Use Pink Peppercorns

Beyond their delightful flavor, pink peppercorns are also adored for the textural and aesthetic components they add to dishes. So if you are ready to start making some of your dishes "pretty in pink", read on to learn how.

Most typically, it is utilized for finishing. The bright pink hue will uplift the visual appearance of dull-looking dishes, making it a popular addition to white chocolates, cream sauces, stews, and meat dishes. Use whole to preserve the pop-like crunch, or crush it immediately before adding it to your dishes to preserve the bright color, crust-like texture, and delightful aroma.

Looking for ideas for using your pink peppercorns? Here are some of our favorite uses.

• Blend them into vanilla ice cream.
• Crush slightly and add to pasta or potatoes. 
• Gently crush over grilled meats.
• Place sweet cream butter and pink peppercorns in a food processor and gently pulse to combine to create a compound butter. Use parchment paper or plastic wrap to form it into a “tube” shape and place it in the freezer. Remove from the freezer and slice to place atop steak. 
• Sprinkle over white chocolate bark.
• Create a simple pink peppercorn seasoning blend to coat buttery white fish like halibut or cod. 
• Toss whole peppercorns and flake sea salt onto a salad to finish  or mix in with a simple vinaigrette. 
• Try these Pink Peppercorn Cookies with Raspberry Lemon Curd

When it comes to flavor, aroma, and appearance, you definitely want to choose a high-quality pink peppercorn to help your dishes stand out. Our Brazilian Pink Peppercorns are carefully selected to ensure only the finest specimens with vibrant hue, exceptional flavor, and consistent size are sent to our customers.