What can be a great substitute for cayenne pepper?
Substitutes for cayenne pepper
- Hot paprika chili powder. Paprika is a type of chili powder that is available in the spice section of most supermarkets. ...
- Tabasco sauce. Tabasco sauce is made from tabasco peppers which score 30,000-50,000 Scoville heat units. ...
- Red chili flakes. ...
- Gochugaru. ...
- Fresh chili peppers. ...
Can I use chili pepper in place of cayenne pepper?
To replace cayenne pepper, you can use fresh peppers and chili pepper products that contain similar heat levels and flavors to cayenne. For instance, you can use a fresh cayenne pepper substitute like tabasco peppers, a cayenne powder substitute like paprika or a hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot, depending on the needs of your dish.
What are some recipes that use cayenne pepper?
Instructions
- Chop up the cayenne peppers along with garlic cloves and add them to a pot with the vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Bring the mix to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer everything for 20 minutes.
- Cool the mixture slightly, then transfer it to a food processor or blender. ...
What to do with cayenne peppers after picking them?
- Pick or purchase fresh cayenne peppers and discard limp or rotten peppers.
- Prepare one-pint Mason jars by washing, rinsing and drying either in a dishwasher or by hand.
- Wash peppers briefly in cold water.
Is cayenne pepper and paprika the same?
Despite similarities, cayenne pepper and paprika are not the same. Both are made from chilies that are dried and ground into powder. Both are a viv...
Can you use cumin instead of cayenne pepper?
You can’t use cumin in place of cayenne pepper, but you can use spice mixes as a quick substitute and these often contain cumin. Cumin is a spice t...
Can you use red pepper instead of cayenne pepper?
Yes, you can use red pepper flakes as a substitute for cayenne pepper, but they don’t generally have the same heat level. If you want to make this...
What is the difference between cayenne pepper and chili powder?
Chili powder is made from a blend of dried and ground chili peppers, whereas cayenne pepper is just ground cayenne. This gives a different flavor,...
Chili Powder
With a similar flavor and a similar makeup to cayenne pepper powder, chili powder is a great alternative to cayenne pepper. Usually, chili powder has less pungency than cayenne pepper, simply due to the different types of peppers used.
Hot Sauce
Many of the most common grocery store hot sauces are made using primarily cayenne peppers. This means that you’ll get similar heat, and a similar flavor to cayenne pepper. While it may not be ideal to substitute cayenne powder with a sauce, it is a good alternative for flavor and heat.
Fresh Hot Peppers
While you may not have any of these lying around, fresh peppers are a great alternative to dried cayenne powder. Assuming your dish is meant to be spicy, you have many alternative options in the form of hot peppers.
Paprika
Paprika is another form of finely ground red pepper. It is similar to cayenne pepper in appearance and texture as well. However, paprika usually doesn’t have any spiciness at all.
Red Pepper Flakes
What, you don’t have a shaker of red pepper flakes lying around? Well how am I supposed to know that you don’t own a pizza shop?
Korean Gochugaru
While this may not be the most easily accessible alternative, it is probably the closest substitute to cayenne pepper. Made up of spicy Korean red peppers, gochugaru is very similar in flavor and heat level to cayenne pepper.
Jalapeno Pepper Powder
If you happen to grow your own peppers, then consider making your own hot pepper powders. It is very easy, and is a great way to preserve your peppers for the long term.
Paprika
Paprika is readily available at all grocery stores and brings more of a smoky flavor than intense heat to any dish.
Red Chili Flakes
Red chili flakes are also widely available in most stores and they’re pretty much a coarser and slightly milder version of cayenne pepper powder.
Chili Powder
Whilst chili powder is not as hot as cayenne pepper, it will still be a decent substitute. The powder is made from dried chili peppers that have been ground.
Gochugaru
Gochugaru is hugely popular in Korean cooking and is made up of coarsely ground red pepper flakes.
Jalapeno Powder
If you’re lucky enough to have your own plant patch or pots in or around your home, then you should try to grow your own jalapeno peppers so you can ground your own jalapeno powder.
Chipotle Powder
If you want to replicate the hot, smoky flavor of cayenne pepper then you should try out chipotle powder.
Black Pepper
If there’s one thing you will most certainly have around your kitchen (we hope anyway!) is black pepper.
1. Black Pepper
Black pepper comes from a completely different family of hot spices and remains one of the most common spices in every amateur or professional kitchen.
2. Red pepper powder
Just an ordinary red pepper powder can be a pretty good substitute for cayenne pepper, especially if you are in search of a milder version of it.
3. Tabasco
Yet another good substitute for cayenne pepper, used for anything and everything from salads, starters, main dishes, and desserts.
4. Mustard
Surprisingly, one of the great choices to add flavor and spice to your meal is to use mustard.
5. Ginger
This unique and sophisticated spice is becoming more and more popular, not only in gastronomy but also in medicine.
Some Interesting facts about Cayenne Pepper
The cayenne pepper (lat.Capsicum Annuum) is a spice derived from a plant cayenne pepper, and its bright red fruit grounded to the fine powder. According to the Scovill’s scale, the ripe peppers belong to the moderately strong spices.
What is Cayenne Pepper?
First, cayenne pepper is a chili pepper that belongs to the Capsicum genus.
The 5 Best Substitutes for Cayenne Peppers
If you are looking for an alternative to cayenne pepper, here are five substitutes you can use instead.
2 – Red Chili Flakes
Red chili flakes are a good substitute for cayenne pepper because they have a lot of heat and flavor.
3 – Chili Powder
Chili powder is a great substitute for cayenne pepper for people who enjoy medium spicy flavors.
Conclusion
Cayenne pepper is a popular ingredient that adds spicy flavor and heat to many dishes.
1. Red pepper flakes
The best cayenne pepper substitute? Red pepper flakes. They have a chunkier texture than ground cayenne pepper, but they add quite a bit of heat. If you’re looking for the same level of spice as the cayenne, you may need to add a bit more. Start with a 1:1 substitution.
2. Hot paprika
Another good cayenne pepper substitute? Hot paprika. Chances are if you don’t have cayenne you might not have hot paprika around. But the spicy version of paprika works well as substitute. Don’t use standard sweet paprika here: it doesn’t have heat. Use an equal part of hot paprika, then adjust to taste.
3. Hot sauce
A final cayenne pepper substitute? Hot sauce! Cayenne pepper doesn’t add a lot of flavor: it mainly adds heat. So hot sauce can replace some of the heat that cayenne brings! Just keep in mind that some hot sauces have a very distinctive flavor. We wouldn’t suggest adding Frank’s Red Hot to a Moroccan-style stew that calls for cayenne.
About Cayenne Pepper
Before discovering Cayenne Pepper replacements, let’s have a look at some information about this spice.
Best 15 Cayenne Pepper Substitutes
So, let’s get started! Below is a Cayenne Pepper Substitute collection that can act as excellent alternatives when you run out of cayenne pepper. You can choose the one that meets your favored spice level.
Conclusion
Cayenne pepper has always been the shining ingredient in tacos, sandwiches, nachos, salsa, soups, and chicken dishes. However, a broad range of spices can be used as a cayenne pepper substitute to get a similar heat and flavor. If you need a similar warmth, hot paprika chili powder and hot sauce seem to be the best alternatives for cayenne pepper.
Cayenne Pepper – The King of Spices
The reason why the cayenne pepper is known as the king of spices is its diverse use in cooking. Since it is a moderately hot Chilli pepper, people can use its powder in all sorts of meals and cuisines, especially in spicy meals.
Uses of Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is a hot spice, and only a dash of it is enough to season a single serving. This pepper powder has a variety of uses in cooking, such as:
The 12 Best Substitutes for Cayenne Pepper in Cooking
If you suddenly run out of cayenne pepper and can’t get it right away, then there are plenty of cayenne pepper substitutes that you can use in cooking without compromising the flavor of your recipe.
Fresh Cayenne Pepper Alternatives
Cayenne pepper taste can also be replaced with fresh pepper alternatives. Here are some options that you can go for:
Hot Sauce Substitutes for Cayenne Pepper Powder
There are some sauces that can serve as the best replacement for cayenne pepper, and those include:
Table: Substitutes for Cayenne Pepper and Their Hotness
The following table will help you understand the relative hotness of all the cayenne pepper substitutes
Spicy Facts about Cayenne Pepper
The word cayenne is derived from the “kyynha” of the old Tupi language, which means “capsicum.” The pepper may also be named after the Cayenne Town in French Guiana.
What Is Cayenne Pepper?
Dried, ground cayenne pepper starts out as long, fresh red chilies ( Capsicum annuum ). They originated in South America. Mature cayenne peppers are about 2 to 5 inches long and typically harvested red, when they are hottest, then they are dried and finely ground.
What Does Cayenne Taste Like?
Cayenne doesn’t have a smoky or earthy a flavor as some other dried chiles do. Mostly, it’s hot and a little fruity, and that’s about it. This is an asset, not a drawback. Cayenne may be a power player in heat, but it works nicely with other flavors.
Fresh vs Dried Cayenne
Fresh cayenne peppers have thin walls, which makes them not well-suited to shipping. But this characteristic makes them excellent for drying, and that’s why the cayenne you encounter in stores is almost always dried and ground.
How to Cook with Cayenne
A strategic dash of ground cayenne enlivens many dishes. It’s been popular in American cookery for years. Grab a pinch of cayenne when you want an underlying thread of heat in something rich, like macaroni and cheese from scratch. Or use a lot for a blast of straightforward heat, as in our Nashville hot chicken.
Where to Buy Cayenne Pepper
Since it’s a spice rack standard, you can get ground cayenne pepper at nearly any supermarket. Just look in the spice aisle. For freshness, buy it from a purveyor that sells it in bulk or has a good turnover. Shopping online? We’re always fans of The Spice House .
Cayenne Pepper Substitutes
For recipes where you’re only using a pinch or a small fraction of a teaspoon, a few dashes of red pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) is a fine substitute for ground cayenne. You can also use dried red pepper flakes, which are coarser and can be milder.
How to Make Your Own Cayenne Pepper
The best way to make your own cayenne pepper is to grow your own cayenne peppers. They’ll thrive in a garden in a hot climate or in warm summer seasons. You can also grow them in containers. After harvesting the ripe red peppers, dry them in a dehydrator or oven, or hang them to air-dry (the latter works best in a dry climate).
Table of Contents
Ground Cayenne Powder Substitutes
- Hot paprika chili powder
You’ll want to check the label of the bottle of paprika you have sitting in your cupboard. There are various heat levels of paprika; not all paprika will bring the medium heat that cayenne pepper delivers (30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units). In fact, if it’s just labeled “paprika” assume it isn’t. … - Red chili flakes
This is your best “quick fix” solution as red pepper flakes (aka crushed red pepper) is very common in kitchens, even kitchens without a lot of other spice options. Cayenne pepper is the staple of many red chili flake mixes, though it’s often cut with flakes from other chilies. It usuall…
Fresh Cayenne Pepper Substitutes
- Tabasco pepper
Tabasco and cayenne peppers share a very similar heat profile, but tabasco peppersare known for their juiciness too. That’s quite different from cayenne (or any hot pepper), and it could definitely change a recipe’s overall flavor. Still, for salsas and hot sauces, tabasco peppers can definitely … - Thai peppers
Some stores carry fresh Thai peppers, and, worst case, you can typically find dried Thai peppers in the international foods section of most any grocer. But these Thai peppers will be double the heat of cayenne – 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units. If you like spicy, this is a good substitute. If c…
Must-Read Related Posts
- Red Jalapeño Vs. Green: This is an easy to find fresh cayenne alternative. Learn more about the differences between the two color options you typically find in stores.
- Cayenne Vs. Chipotle: Chipotle powder is often found in spice racks as well. Learn more about why it’s very different than cayenne.
- Cayenne Planting Guide: If you have a green thumb, you could opt to grow this chili, so you’ll r…
- Red Jalapeño Vs. Green: This is an easy to find fresh cayenne alternative. Learn more about the differences between the two color options you typically find in stores.
- Cayenne Vs. Chipotle: Chipotle powder is often found in spice racks as well. Learn more about why it’s very different than cayenne.
- Cayenne Planting Guide: If you have a green thumb, you could opt to grow this chili, so you’ll rarely be without.
