Peanuts are an important economic oilseed crop, and the testa color is not only a key agronomic trait for distinguishing different varieties but also an important commercial trait affecting the markert value. The red testa of peanuts contains higher levels of anthocyanins, which possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Breeding new peanut varieties with red testa holds greater economic value and broader market potentials. In this study, the genetic characteristics of red testa was investigated using three segregating populations constructed from two peanut varieties with red testa, Zhenzhuhong 1 (ZZH1) and Zhanhong 2 (ZH2), and one peanut varitety with pink testa,Yuhua 15 (YH15). The testa color of F₁ generation from the cross between ZZH1 and YH15 showed red color, while the F₁ generation from the cross between ZH2 and YH15 exhibited pink color. This indicated that the red testa of ZZH1 is a dominant over the pink testa trait of YH15, while that of ZH2 is a recessive trait. The chi-square test confirmed that the testa color segregation ratio in the “YH15×ZZH1” F₂ population conformed to the hypothesis of being controlled by a single dominant gene. Similarly, the segregation ratio in the “ZH2×YH15” F₂ population aligned with the hypothesis of a single recessive gene controlling the trait. In contrast, the “ZH2×ZZH1” F₂ population exhibited a segregation ratio consistent with the hypothesis of being controlled by two genes, suggesting that the red testa trait can be classified into dominant and recessive forms, each regulated by a separate pair of genes. The homologous lines with red and pink testa from the “YH15×ZZH1” population were selected to construct two bulked pools for Bulk Segregant Analysis (BSA), respectively. A major QTL controlling the dominant red testa was located in a 0.898 Mb region on chromosome 3, with PVE exceeded 95.2%. Based on two previously reported linked markers for the red testa and one newly developed marker in this study, the linkage was validated in the three genetic populations. It was found that Tif1.A03.125867405 and Tif2.A03.126107404 were highly linked to the dominant red testa, with Tif2.A03.126107404 completely linked to all tested materials. Additionally, Tif1.A12.117190528 was completely linked to the recessive red testa dominant trait. These markers provide technical support for molecular marker-assisted selection of red testa traits.