If you’re looking for a proper cayenne pepper substitute that won’t compromise your recipe’s flavor completely, you’ve come to the right place!
Cayenne pepper is an ingredient that gives a delicious spiciness to your favorite dishes, such as casseroles, stews, pasta dishes, curries, and more. I certainly can’t imagine having devilled eggs without a generous amount of cayenne sprinkled on top!
It’s a spicy seasoning prepared from dried and ground cayenne peppers and packs a delightfully spicy punch! If you’re anything like me, then you surely love using cayenne pepper in your dishes.
However, there might come a point in your life when you run out of cayenne pepper! When that time comes, don’t panic as there are many spices that you can use instead of cayenne pepper in your dish.
Let’s take a look at some spice substitutes for cayenne pepper!
1. Paprika
Paprika is the most commonly available substitute for cayenne peppers. It’s essentially a chili powder prepared from ground paprika chili peppers. Its flavor profile is quite similar to that of cayenne peppers.
However, it’s certainly milder than the spicy cayenne. So, if you want the same level of spiciness in your dish, then add double the amount the recipe calls for with cayenne pepper.
2. Red chili flakes
Red chili flakes are readily available in most grocery stores and act as a suitable replacement for cayenne pepper. Most chili flake varieties are prepared by mixing different types of dried and crushed red chili peppers.
Since the peppers aren’t ground, this spice will give your dish a different texture than cayenne pepper, which can be easily overlooked in most recipes.
However, since red chili flakes aren’t as hot as cayenne pepper, make sure to use about 1 ½ times more chili flakes than the amount of cayenne pepper required in the dish.
3. Chili powder
Chili powder is essentially a blend of a wide array of chili peppers that have been dried and ground together. Even though it’s an acceptable substitute for cayenne pepper, it’s typically made from darker red peppers that are at times smoked for an added burst of flavor. This is why it’s best to smell and taste the chili powder you have at hand to make sure that it won’t alter your recipe’s flavor altogether. For this, use the same measurements mentioned in the recipe.
4. Gochugaru
Gochugaru is an interesting cayenne pepper substitute. It’s a coarsely ground blend of red pepper flakes and is commonly used in Korean cuisine. It’s prepared from sun-dried chili peppers and has a somewhat smoky flavor profile, which might alter your dish’s overall taste a bit. However, it’s still a flavorful and vibrant substitute for cayenne pepper, and you can use it in equal measures as cayenne in your dish.
5. Hot sauce
Hot sauces come in varieties and can be used as an alternative to cayenne pepper when you’re in a pinch.
Crystal or Tabasco hot sauce is often a good substitute for cayenne, but if you can find one that doesn’t have vinegar in it, then it would taste even better.
Use a few dashes of hot sauce to replace the cayenne and add the right amount of spicy goodness to your dish. If you want your dish to be extra spicy, use the exact amount of hot sauce as the cayenne amount mentioned in the recipe!
6. Jalapeño peppers
If you want a pepper with a milder heat level than cayenne, you can opt for jalapeños. You can find jalapeños that are even four times milder than cayenne.
Even though the jalapeño peppers’ taste is slightly different from the flavor of cayenne peppers, this truly is the ultimate mildly hot pepper that you can use in your dishes.
7. Tabasco Pepper
Cayenne and Tabasco pepper share a similar heat profile, but fresh Tabasco peppers are certainly juicier. This juiciness separates Tabasco from other peppers and can alter the overall flavor of your recipe.
As such, Tabasco pepper can work as a replacement for cayenne pepper in spicy condiments and salsas.
8. Thai peppers
You can also use dried or fresh Thai peppers as a substitute for cayenne pepper.
Just remember that Thai peppers usually pack twice the heat of cayenne peppers. If you don’t want your dish to be extra spicy, then only use half the amount of Thai pepper that the recipe calls for with cayenne pepper.
You can find dried Thai peppers in the international foods section of most marts.
The bottom line
I hope you enjoyed reading this guide on spices that can act as the best cayenne pepper substitute. The spices I’ve mentioned above are the closest in terms of flavor to cayenne and won’t alter your dish completely.
Make sure to adjust the amount of the spices accordingly to equal the spiciness of cayenne.
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try cooking with these cayenne pepper substitutes!