Have you ever seen a salt shaker without a pepper shaker beside it? The culinary duo is practically inseparable—like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese. But while black pepper enjoys a primacy that puts it at the center of the dining table, white pepper is usually relegated to the back of the spice rack or pantry (if you even have it at all), despite the fact that the two are derived from the same plant. While black pepper is often regarded as an everyday seasoning, white pepper is more of a specialist, lending its earthy flavor to specific French, Chinese, and Vietnamese dishes.
Black pepper is so ubiquitous that it can be easy to take for granted, but within the world of black peppercorns—which actually includes white peppercorns, which we’ll touch on later—there are notable differences, and understanding them can elevate your seasoning game by leaps and bounds. I chatted with Alex Wilkens, Vice President of Product at The Spice House, and Olivia Roszkowski, chef-instructor of plant-based culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus, to learn more about the differences between black pepper and white pepper.
How Black Peppercorns and White Peppercorns Are Grown and Processed
“It might be surprising, but black and white peppercorns both come from the same berries on the pepper vine,” says Wilkens. The difference between black peppercorns and white peppercorns is a matter of processing. Black peppercorns are the vine’s green fruits, picked when young and greenish to orange in color. They’re harvested in clusters and dried in the sun or by machine until the outer shell, or pericarp, shrinks and becomes wrinkled and dark brown.
Processing white peppercorns takes an additional step—removing the pericarp to reveal the smooth cream-colored pearls of pepper within before drying. According to The Washington Post, producers do this by soaking the peppercorns in water anywhere from two days to two weeks, which softens the outer layer and contributes an additional fermented flavor and musky aroma.
What’s the Difference Between Black Pepper and White Pepper?
Black peppercorns (Piper nigrum) are native to India and have been cultivated since 2,000 BC. They grow on vines that thrive in tropical climates, with long tendrils of drupes (berry-like fruits with an inner seed) trailing down like verdant Nerd Ropes. The peppercorn itself is the inner seed, and the spice’s sharp flavor comes from the antioxidant compound piperine, which is concentrated in this pit.
Making up a staggering 20% of the global spice trade, black pepper is one of the world’s most popular spices. There are many different varieties of black pepper, each with its own flavorful profile—some with a bright pop of acidic heat and others with a cozy backdrop of warmth. Black peppercorns can present a wide range of characteristics depending on the variety, but in general, they can be, according to Wilkens, “fruity, earthy, piney, and hot.” White peppercorns, on the other hand, have a uniquely musky flavor profile and a more aggressive heat level due to the fact that peppercorn heat is largely concentrated in the white center.
What Are the Best Uses for Black and White Pepper?
Ground black pepper is essential for seasoning everyday dishes in many cuisines. Wilkens points to Tellicherry black peppercorns as a good all-purpose pepper to load into your peppermill. “Grown in southwest India along the Malabar coast, Tellicherry pepper has remained the gold standard since the East-West spice trade began centuries ago,” says Wilkens. Black pepper can also provide the backbone in spice blends and dry rubs. Though it often acts as a back-up singer, black pepper anchors dishes like cacio e pepe, pepper gravy, and steak au poivre.
White pepper has long been favored in classical French recipes, including foundational sauces like béchamel and soubise. “One of the advantages to using white pepper in French cooking is that it disappears into white sauces, creamy soups, or whipped potatoes,” says Wilkens. It’s the presentation, rather than the specific flavor, that’s important in this case, so you can certainly make a beurre blanc with black pepper if you don’t mind seeing flecks in your butter sauce.
White pepper’s musky flavor also pairs well with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger; the latter three ingredients are combined with white pepper in the French spice blend quatre épices, which brings a rich fullness to savory applications like pâtés, as well as desserts like crepes and apple tarts.
Sold both whole and ground, white pepper is also common in East Asian culinary traditions, especially in Chinese cuisine, where it lends an aromatic touch to dishes like hot and sour soup and pork stir-fry. “White pepper is also especially common in Vietnamese cuisine, such as in pho broths,” says Roszkowski, where its earthy notes complement spices like star anise and ginger.
Can You Use Black and White Pepper Interchangeably?
There is some disagreement around whether black and white pepper can be used interchangeably. Roszkowski says the two are not exactly interchangeable, but rather, better suited to specific culinary applications. Wilkens, on the other hand, suggests that the two can be swapped, as long as you understand what you’re working with: “Black pepper is a perfectly acceptable substitute for white pepper in most recipes, preferably when it’s a very fine grind of black pepper, if that’s an option,” says Wilkens.
While Wilkens says black pepper has a milder heat than white pepper, Serious Eats culinary editor Genevieve Yam actually finds black pepper punchier, and calls white pepper more delicate and subtle, so in some cases white pepper “may be better at highlighting the nuanced flavors of a dish,” she says. The two have different flavor profiles, so which is more pungent really depends on who’s tasting it and even the specific peppercorns.
So, can you use white pepper instead of black pepper and vice versa? “Definitely,” says Yam. “As long as you accept that what you’re getting is going to be different! It’s like toasted green tea vs. untoasted green tea—both delicious teas, but with their own distinct flavors.” Ultimately, the best bet when swapping black pepper for white or vice versa (and really any spice or seasoning substitution you make in cooking) is to start on the lighter end and taste as you go, since you can add seasoning, but you can’t take it away.
The Takeaway
While black and white pepper can sometimes be used interchangeably, white pepper is preferred in lightly colored dishes where visible flecks of black pepper would be undesirable. Due to the fermenting process that it undergoes, white pepper has a subtle muskiness that can either complement or detract from a dish, which should also be considered when substituting one for the other. Within the category of black pepper, there are many varieties that lend unique characteristics to dishes, so Wilkens urges cooks to explore different peppercorn blends. “You might find a new all-time favorite, or you might discover that you can’t live with just one pepper in your spice pantry.”
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