chili flakes substitute

Can I use chili powder instead of chili flakes?

If your chili powder is not as hot as red pepper flakes, you can use more to achieve the same level of heat in your dish as when you are using red pepper flakes. Two teaspoons of chili powder make a perfect substitute for one teaspoon of red pepper flakes to give a beautiful spicy flavor to your dish.

What chili paste substitute that is easy to find?

What Can I Substitute for Chili Paste?

• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes. Crushed red pepper flakes are dried cayenne peppers that have been crushed. ...
• Hot Sauce. A bottle of your favorite hot sauce is a simple substitution for chili paste. ...
• Ketchup With Ground Cayenne Pepper. Ketchup has a very similar texture to chili paste. ...

How much chili flakes is equal to chili powder?

It’s especially important here not to use a 1:1 ratio if you’re trying to substitute chili flakes for chili powder. You can easily overheat or underheat your dish, partly due to the density differences between flakes and powder.

Are chili flakes the same as red pepper flakes?

Sharing is caring! Red pepper flakes and chili flakes are not the same thing. Both are made with different peppers, with chili flakes only being made with chili pepper, and red pepper flakes are made with a variety of red peppers, which have different heat levels.

What can I use instead of chilli flakes?

Substitutions for red pepper flakesGround cayenne pepper. ... Ground habañero pepper. ... Paprika. ... Chile de Árbol powder. ... Hot sauce. ... Chili powder.

Is crushed red pepper and chili flakes the same?

Chili flakes are made from only one pepper type- chilies, while red pepper flakes are made from a mixture of peppers. Chili flakes are hot, but in comparison, red pepper flakes are hotter.

Can I use chili powder instead of chili flakes?

You can substitute red pepper flakes for chili flakes, or vice versa, but if you don't have either, you could use cayenne powder, chili powder, dried chilies, chili paste, or hot sauce as substitutes.

Can I use cayenne instead of chili flakes?

Like paprika, chili flakes aren't quite as hot as cayenne, so you may need to use a bit more. Measure: Use the same amount to 1-1/2 times the amount of red chili flakes for cayenne.

Is chilli powder same as chilli flakes?

Chili flakes are made from crushed chili peppers, oftentimes the generic base is cayenne pepper, but sometimes it can be a milder pepper on the Scoville scale. Chili powder, on the other hand, is a seasoning.

What is chili flakes made of?

What Are Chili Flakes? Chili flakes, red pepper flakes, and crushed red pepper flakes all refer to the same type of product: a condiment/spice that is made up of dried and crushed whole peppers (seeds and all).

Can I use paprika instead of chili powder?

Can You Substitute Paprika For Chili Powder? You can use paprika as an alternative to chili powder because it's a member of the same family as chili peppers. Although the flavor and spiciness of paprika are different from chili powder. It's more on the sweet, smokey, and mild spicy side than spicy-hot.

1 – Dried Peppers

We are positive that dried peppers are one of the best alternatives for chili flakes.

2 – Chile de Arbol Powder

Now, this condiment isn’t something that you will commonly find in households.

3 – Ground Cayenne Pepper

Ground Cayenne Pepper also stems from crushing red pepper flakes, making it an excellent substitute.

5 – Paprika

It is also possible to substitute your chili flakes with your bottle of paprika.

What are Chili Flakes?

Chili flakes are crushed varieties of red pepper that include familiar names like jalapenos, cayenne, Anaheim, and chili peppers. It’s why the ingredient is also commonly called red pepper flakes or crushed red pepper. The peppers used are first put to dry before they’re crushed into rough-textured flakes and stored in spice jars or containers.

Chili Flakes Uses in Recipes

The combination of various chili and red peppers gives the chili flakes a versatile spiciness. It also provides the ingredient with a sharp bite, with a 30,000 to 35,000 SHU range. And while they’re still fresh, they add these properties to a wide range of dishes and recipes.

Chili Flakes Substitutes

Whether your batch of chili flakes lost its flavor or you’ve run out of it at home, these handy replacements can be of great help. And while most of them may not be of the same heat level as chili flakes, you can constantly adjust them to fit the taste preference of your recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

They don’t go wrong in the assumed sense, but they lose potency over time. The reason is chili flakes contain volatile oils, which are responsible for their flavor and heat. And the longer the spice sits, the more the oils break down, causing them to lose strength.

Conclusion

Chili flakes are undoubtedly versatile and a valuable ingredient to have in the kitchen. But you can always find a replacement for it if you know where to look. These quick substitutes offer convenience and flexibility at times when you’re expected to panic. And they give you rest of mind when making recipes that call for a spicy fusion.

Your best bet (1): Standard crushed red pepper

Most spice racks contain crushed red pepper (a.k.a. red pepper flakes) and it’s a quick and easy alternative to chipotle chili flakes. The key differences are the heat (crushed red pepper is typically hotter as cayenne pepper is its base) and the smokiness (you get none with standard red pepper flakes).

Your best bet (2): Chipotle powder

While not as popular as cayenne pepper powder or paprika, chipotle powder is coming into its own as a popular spice rack seasoning. It makes for an excellent substitution for chipotle chili flakes for most every use case (particularly dry recipes like dry rubs).

Another option, though hard to source: Whole chipotle pepper or pasilla de Oaxaca

You could ground chipotle chili flakes yourself by purchasing dried chipotle peppers and processing them into flakes yourself. To get the same coarse consistency as chipotle chili flakes, grind them in a spice grinder or food processor taking care to stop before they get to the powdery stage.

In a pinch (1): Chipotle in adobo sauce

In one sense, chipotle in adobo sauce may seem like one of the best substitutes for chipotle flakes since they are another form of exactly the same pepper. Chipotles in adobo sauce also have the benefit of being very easy to find.

In a pinch (2): Chipotle paste

Chipotle paste consists of dried chipotle chilies that are reconstituted before being pureed. You get exactly the same flavor profile that you get from the flakes but with that added moisture.

Other alternatives

Smoked paprika contains finely ground smoked peppers. The fineness of the grind means that it will not have the same consistency as chipotle chili flakes; however, the smokiness of spice provides a similar flavor. If you take this route, you may need to add heat from another source since most smoked paprika is pretty mild.

1. Cumin

Cumin powder is made of the dried seeds of a plant member of the parsley family. There are different types of cumin but the most common type is brown-yellow.

2. Garlic powder

Garlic powder is one of the ingredients in the chili powder mixture. It is made from dried and ground garlic. Garlic is the ingredient used in almost every cuisine because of the flavor it adds to the food.

3. Onion powder

Onion powder is used in many dishes like sauces, casseroles, soups, vegetables, meats, and salad dressings. It’s made from dehydrated onions.

4. Oregano

Oregano is a herb with a slightly bitter and earthy flavor. The leaves of the oregano are used dried and fresh. Oregano is known as a pizza herb.

5. Red pepper flakes

Red pepper flakes are made from a combination of dried and crushed chili peppers such as serrano, Anaheim, or jalapeno. They are perfect for spaghetti sauce, soups, sausages, pizza sauce, pickling mixtures, and more. Just add some cumin in the red pepper flakes and use it as a substitute for chili powder.

6. Black pepper

As one of the most used spices black pepper is used for seasoning and as a spice. It has a strong woody, spicy, and piney flavor.

7. Chili sauce

Chili sauce is made from chili peppers, salt, vinegar, and sugar. They are cooked in a thick mixture with some seasonings and spices added.

What is Chili Powder

Unsurprisingly, chili powder is made from ground chilis. Sometimes, a specific chili is used to make a chili powder. For instance, you may have used chipotle chili powder in Mexican dishes or peri-peri chili powder to season chicken.

Making Your Own

Homemade chili pepper is actually one of the best replacements for empty store-bought jars.

Barebones Chili Powder

If your spice rack is properly depleted, you can scale back the chili powder recipe even further. Using just paprika, cayenne pepper and cumin in place of chili powder will give your food the kick you’re looking for.

Chili Flakes

Assuming you don’t have the ingredients to make your own chili powder, what else can you substitute?

Specific Chili Powders

You may not have named chili powders like chipotle or peri-peri in your cupboard. However, it’s worth checking. Again, these are the kinds of things that you get in kitchen sets and forget about.

Hot Sauces

If you’re making a liquid based dish like soup or chili then you can substitute your chili powder for a few splashes of hot sauce like Tabasco or Sriracha.

Packet Seasoning

If you’re really desperate, check the back of your cupboards and drawers for those packets of seasoning you often get with meal kits.