What is Cayenne Pepper?

Cayenne pepper is a spice made out of the red chile of the same name.  A fresh cayenne pepper goes through a drying process before being ground into a fine powder.  It comes as an orangish-red powder and smells pungent and spicy.

What Does Cayenne Pepper Taste Like?

Cayenne pepper has a strong spicy flavor.  It also tastes earthy like the pepper it comes from.  You don’t need much to add heat to a dish.

How Do You Eat Cayenne Pepper?

Use cayenne pepper to flavor other ingredients. When cooking with cayenne pepper, add a small amount at the beginning of the cooking process and taste your food frequently. Its flavor tends to strengthen as it cooks. Combine cayenne pepper with other spices to make homemade Cajun mix, taco seasoning, and chili powder spice blends. Mix the powder into dry rubs and seasonings for fajitas, vegetables, eggs, or fish. The spice adds heat to a variety of dishes, including chili, chicken, and cayenne pepper sauce. Use it to jazz up potatoes, hummus, or soups. Cayenne pepper also comes in the form of tea. Some people like to add cayenne pepper to their hot chocolate or ginger tea to create a warm spicy drink.

Where Can You Buy Cayenne Pepper?

Look for cayenne pepper in the spice aisle of the grocery store.

How Do You Store Cayenne Pepper?

Store cayenne pepper in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Fun Fact About Cayenne Pepper

People have used cayenne pepper in medicine for a variety of uses, including as a treatment for the common cold.

Did You Know?

While they look similar, cayenne pepper and paprika do not taste the same.  Paprika has a milder flavor and spice compared to cayenne pepper.

Recipes Using Cayenne Pepper

Taco Seasoning Mix

Create a zesty spice blend for your tacos. Combine cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin in a bowl. Transfer ingredients to a spice jar for storage. Use this blend for tacos, chili, or chicken.

Cajun Seasoning

Add heat and delicious flavor to a variety of dishes. In a bowl, mix together cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Use this seasoning to flavor potatoes, chicken, or sauces.

Sweet and Spicy Marinade

Create a tasty marinade for flavorful food. In a large bowl, combine maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and sugar. Marinate chicken for several hours or overnight before cooking.

Spicy Vegetable Soup

Add cayenne pepper to your vegetable soup to liven up the flavors. Using a stock pot, simmer vegetables, vegetable broth, spices, and cayenne pepper. To cool down the spice, serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Spicy Cheddar Roasted Potatoes

Add new flavor to your average roasted potatoes. Toss diced potatoes with olive oil, salt, garlic, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Layer potatoes into the bottom of a baking dish and bake. About ten minutes before the potatoes finish, remove the baking dish from the oven, top the potatoes with grated cheddar cheese, then return them to the oven.