Out Of Red Pepper Flakes? Break Out The Cayenne

If you're craving an extra burst of heat, red pepper flakes are often at the top of the list of go-to spices. Recognized as a visually appealing garnish with a subtle kick, red pepper flakes are the perfect addition to most pastas and pizzas. As they sprinkle down onto your food, their aromatic qualities invite you to relish every bite just a bit more. It's no wonder these spices are such a popular choice in restaurants and pizzerias. It's also likely that you have some red pepper flakes sitting somewhere in a spice rack or cabinet at home. However, as ubiquitous as they are, you may sometimes find you're fresh out of red pepper flakes.

In such instances, fear not, as an excellent substitute is just within reach. When your red pepper flakes run dry, consider reaching for ground cayenne pepper instead. Its fine concentration and similar flavor to red pepper flakes will ensure your dishes maintain their intended taste and heat.

Red pepper flakes are just dried and crushed red chili peppers mixed with jalapeños, yellow chilies, Anaheim peppers, and, you guessed it, cayenne peppers! If you happen to be out of red pepper flakes, ground cayenne pepper will more than makeup for it. Not only will it give you similar heat and flavor, but you'll also get more use from it than you would red pepper flakes.

Cayenne in a powdered form is more concentrated, which means you should add less, or around half what you would if you were using red pepper flakes. But, this will come down to your personal taste, as you may really love the heat cayenne pepper provides. You can certainly add more if your dish or tastebuds require it. This goes for sprinkles on your pizza, pasta, or even a soup or casserole. There are no rules using this spice replacement, so use it on whatever foods you wish, even desserts.

Adding cayenne pepper to your desserts isn't a joke; it's a real suggestion. You can add this beautiful spice to a wide range of sweets not only to add some heat but also to enhance its flavor. If you like s'mores, you can bring out the most of its marshmallow and chocolate elements by heightening their flavors with a pinch of cayenne powder. Or make your brownies Mexican-style by adding ¼ teaspoon of cayenne to the mixture. If you don't fancy heat in your sweets, then add some cayenne pepper to your cakes ... crab cakes that is. Go ahead and pack your crab patties with a little punch by giving them just a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Why not do a steak rub with some cayenne pepper? Your steak is guaranteed to taste spicy and become much more flavorful when you make cayenne the prominent spice in your rub. Did someone say dirty rice? One of Louisiana's staples, dirty rice – not to be confused with rice dressing – needs some spice, and the best one to give it some dirty heat is cayenne pepper. Well, there you have it. These are just some ideas you can play with. Feel free to go wild and explore the many possibilities of cayenne pepper.