MyTastr

Best Sichuan peppercorns (huajiao), according to chefs

Two picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Grace Young, Ruth Reichl, Florence Fabricant, Travis Post and 1 more. Recommendations come from bonappetit.com, nytimes.com, ruthreichl.substack.com and eatingwell.com and 1 other sources.

International Pantry · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    The Mala Market Da Hong Pao Sichuan Pepper (red)

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Young names The Mala Market “the place for premium-grade Sichuan peppercorns — essential for a tongue-tingling mapo tofu — in the U.S.”: complex, intense and citrusy where stale ones are bitter. Da hong pao is its everyday red. Florence Fabricant (NYT) calls them high-quality and “fresher than most”; Ruth Reichl uses them constantly.
    Where to buy · themalamarket.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: bonappetit.com ↗
  2. 2

    The Mala Market Green Sichuan Pepper (qing huajiao)

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    “We highly recommend both the red variety and green variety of Sichuan peppercorns from Mala Market. The latter is wonderfully citrusy.” Fabricant: the green ones “deliver a shade less heat but more all-around flavor” — the pick for fish, chicken and hot pot.
    Where to buy · themalamarket.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best Sichuan peppercorns (huajiao), according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is The Mala Market Da Hong Pao Sichuan Pepper (red), chosen by Grace Young (wok cookbook author). Young names The Mala Market “the place for premium-grade Sichuan peppercorns — essential for a tongue-tingling mapo tofu — in the U.S.”: complex, intense and citrusy where stale ones are bitter. Da hong pao is its everyday red. Florence Fabricant (NYT) calls them high-quality and “fresher than most”; Ruth Reichl uses them constantly. Source: bonappetit.com ↗
What are the other top picks for Sichuan peppercorns (huajiao)?
No. 2 is The Mala Market Green Sichuan Pepper (qing huajiao), chosen by Yasmine Maggio (Serious Eats). Only two picks cleared the bar so far. Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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