Chili flakes or red pepper flakes? Red pepper flakes or chili flakes? These two spices have confused us several times in our lives, and we often interchangeably used these terms. But the other side of the picture says something else!
Chili flakes and red pepper flakes are two of our favorite spices that are not identical: the process they are made up of, the quantity you can add to food, and the spice and flavor they can deliver to your food vary in all ways.
Therefore, this article is on Chili Flakes Vs. Red Pepper Flakes; we will highlight the differences, characteristics, uses, and benefits of these two spices in our cuisines.
So, have you made up your mind to satisfy your spice curiosity?
Let’s begin!
Chili Flakes Vs. Red Pepper Flakes- Are the Same?
Chili flakes are made up of only one pepper, while red pepper chili flakes that you have are a combination of a couple of dried chilies and chili seeds. Moreover, red pepper chili flakes are spicier and hotter in taste than chili flakes.
More differences of these contenders are listed below;
Chili Flakes
● Origin:
Chili flakes are made by roasting chilies. Usually, chili flakes are manufactured from a single type of pepper. Using only one variety of pepper brings out the flavor and attributes of that pepper instantly.
● Color:
Most of their color is purely red because the seeds are removed from the chilis before they are packaged and sealed. It ranges from a deep piping red to a light hazy red. The hue of the chili will vary depending on which one is chosen.
● Taste:
There’s got to be some heat there. After that, it’s simply a little milder. Depending on the type of chili used, it’s much more mellow and often sweet. Chili flakes are suitable for beginners who want to get into consuming spicy foods without shocking their bodies.
● Uses:
It may use this for just about anything you can think of. For instance, you can add some chili flakes to your salad dressing if you want it to be spicier. You can also use chili flakes to make sauces, pizza toppings, and other numerous savory foods.
In addition, a meal can be flavored when you add chili spice.
Benefits of Chili Flakes
- They aid in the speed of metabolism and the burning of more calories throughout the day.
- Dried red chili flakes are high in antioxidants, which assist the body in fighting oxidative stress and support general health.
- If your diet mode is on or you are trying to eat less food, add chile flakes to everything you eat.
Red Pepper Flakes
● Origin:
Red pepper flakes are more complicated because they are made up of a variety of peppers. For example, Fresno peppers, anaheim peppers, and even jalapeno peppers are all available in the red pepper.
The cayenne red pepper flakes are the most demanding pepper in the market. This one has a whole family of chiles crammed into one bite.
● Color:
When compared to Chili flakes, the color is different. Red pepper flakes come in a variety of colors, including white and red. Because these are a mixture of several types of pepper, the colors are more varied.
Furthermore, after drying, the red pepper flakes retain the seeds. Compared to the chili flakes, which have the seeds removed.
● Taste:
It could get progressively hotter. Because of the pepper seeds in it, the flavor and heat can be relatively robust. The seeds carry the peppers’ heat. So it gets spicy and hotter as you add additional seeds.
Take the safe side, and always read the label when you purchase red pepper flakes to see how hot they can get. Then, pick the mild ones if you want to keep it light and the hottest mix if you want to go all out.
● Uses:
Red pepper flakes should be handled with caution by first-timers because the heat might be unbearable at times. However, chili flakes can use them in a variety of foods and sauces. For example, red pepper flakes are used as a pizza and pasta topping at some pizza restaurants.
It’s also great in Chili Con Carne to give some extra heat to the dish. Use it with chicken barbecue sauces or buffalo chicken wings as a dip or sauce.
Benefits of Red Pepper Flakes:
- According to a medical study published in the “Cancer Research Journal,” the capsaicin ingredient found in dried red pepper flakes can help to prevent prostate cancer.
- Dried Red Pepper Flakes, when sprinkled over everything, can aid with digestion problems, pain, and inflammation. Red Pepper Flakes are also rich in Vitamins A, C, B-6, E, magnesium, iron, and potassium and have only six calories per teaspoon.
Steps to Prepare Chili Flakes and Red Pepper Flakes
Steps to Prepare Red Pepper Flakes
Chili flakes, red pepper flakes, and crushed red pepper flakes are all terms for the same thing: a dried and crushed whole pepper is made up of condiment/spice with seed and all.
1. Wash the Chilies
Firstly, wash the chilies, dry them, and discard their stems. Later, you may either leave the chilies whole or cut them in half.
If you want a less spicy flake mix, remove some of the seeds.
Instructions:
- When handling hot peppers/chilis, wear gloves to protect your hands and avoid contact with your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Even after several hand washes, the capsaicin in peppers can stay on your skin, giving another reason to wear gloves.
2. Dry the Chilies
- Steps to Dry In Dehydrator
Dehydrate the chilis for 6-8 hours at 52°C/125°F. The amount of time will vary depending on the peppers’ variety and freshness and the absolute humidity.
Dehydrate until the peppers have browned slightly and are completely dry and crispy. Then, when you destroy them, they should snap rather than bend (at all).
- Steps to Dry chili by using the oven
Dry it for 6-8 hours; you can set your oven to 50-60 degrees centigrade. You need to keep a constant eye on the oven and open the range if the chilis begin to ‘cook’ in any form.
If your oven’s temperature doesn’t go as low as you’d want, set it to the lowest setting and leave the door open while drying them. It will improve airflow and ensure that all water vapor is swiftly removed.
To hold the oven door open just 1-2cm, use a wooden spoon or another heatproof tool.
Before creating the chili flakes, let the dried chilies cool.
3. Make Flakes
To make chili flakes, crush the peppers after they’ve been dehydrated. Please put it in a bag and crush these by hand to get this. Instead, crush them for a few seconds in a blender or coffee grinder.
4. Ways to Store
If stored properly, dried chilis have a shelf life of at least 12 months. Ensure flakes are stored in an airtight container in a dark, cool, and moisture-free environment.
5. How to Use
These dried chili flakes can be sprinkled on the top of or blended into a wide variety of dishes.
Preparing Red Pepper Flakes
Things You will require
- Red peppers.
- A baking sheet (s).
- A fine grinder, such as a food processor, blender, or spice grinder, is required. The hotter/stronger the flavor, the finer the peppers are crushed.
Picking Peppers
- Choose the pepper that will work best for your crushed red pepper flakes: Based on how hot of pepper you can take, you can choose from an entire family of peppers.
- Scoville units are used to measure the heat of a pepper: The hotter the pepper, the higher the Scoville unit. A sweet bell pepper, for example, has no Scoville units, whereas the formidable Habanero pepper contains anywhere from 100,000 to 350,000.
- Consider your overall requirements: If you’re making crushed pepper for household use and enjoy it hot, use the hottest pepper you can find. If you’re delivering the flakes to your buddies, though, you might want to go for a milder flavor.
- Before you prepare your crushed flake quantity, test the pepper: Some people think being hot may not be to others. Alternatively, you may dislike the flavor of some peppers.
- Think about how big of a quantity you’d like to make: One cup of crushed red pepper flakes may be made from 71 Serrano peppers.
Creating Pepper Flakes
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit or low. While drying the peppers in the oven is the most convenient method, you could also use sundry them, especially if you live in an arid environment.
- Carefully chop the pepper stems off using a knife. Then, just split the peppers in half to slice them, not to remove the seeds.
- Peppers should be placed on non-greased baking sheets. Peppers should be lined up side by side and not clumped together (otherwise, they will not dry correctly).
- You can preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for six hours. Set a timer to ensure you give them sufficient time to dry. After passing six hours, turn off your oven and let the dried peppers in the oven overnight to continue to dry and dehydrate.
- Now it is time to crush the peppers- place the dried peppers in a food processor or crush them by hand the next day. If you’re crushing peppers by hand, make sure you’re wearing gloves and crushing them within a plastic bag. However, the food processor is the way to go.
- After completely crushing the dried peppers, carefully transfer them into an airtight container. Use the smashed peppers on the dish.
Tips
- To recognize the peppers, place a label on the bottle.
- As the peppers cook, you can open windows or try to enhance airflow.
Warning:
When you are working with peppers, never touch your face or eyes, as pepper juice can produce severe burning in your eyes or face.
Can you Replace Chili Flakes and Red Pepper Flakes with One Another?
Yes, chili flakes and pepper flakes can be substituted with other different spices and even from one another.
For instance, if you are on the way to cook buffalo chicken wings sauce and need 5 tablespoons of chili flakes, you can use five spoons of chili flakes.
The five spoons of chili flakes tend to replace the three spoons of red pepper flakes.
Actually, chili flakes are less spicier than red pepper flakes; thus, if you want to replace chili flakes to reach the spice of pepper flakes.
On the other hand, if you want to get a less spicy meal, you can only add chili flakes instead of red pepper flakes.
You can also rush for a safer way, start with a half tablespoon of red spoon flakes, and check the dish’s spice.
Note:
To make the food spicier, you can add spices gradually, instead of adding all the spice at once and ending up with the unbearable (hottest) food: sauce or dressing.
Chili Flakes Vs. Red Pepper Flakes: Which one is Cheaper?
When it comes to price range, there is not much difference in both; moreover, these both spices are available in both options: cheap and expensive.
Basically, the price depends upon the brand you are going to purchase as a few brands do not compromise on the price, and sell expensive chili flakes and pepper flakes.
Hence, the price is directly linked with the quality.
Certain brands are also dedicated to offering higher quality at cheap prices, so it depends on your experience and shopping.
Note: Making chile flakes and red pepper flakes at home is the cheapest and healthiest option.
Chili Flakes Vs. Red Pepper Flakes: Which one is the BEST?
Chili Flakes Vs. Pepper flake and choosing which is the best depends upon your taste. If you are a fan of immensely spicy food, red pepper flake is for you.
Red pepper flakes are a combination of various peppers; therefore, it is spicier than chili flakes. It is a good investment for those who constantly love to cook and eat spicy foods.
Just one tablespoon of red pepper flakes tends to make you realize you are in a volcano pit. Apart from making the food spicy, red pepper chili flakes are also associated with adding flavor into the food; yes, these red pepper flakes also serve as savory.
Many people like Korean Red Flakes, Sonoran Spice Ghost Pepper Flakes, and Gochugaru Flakes, as these are also good in taste.
Red Pepper Flakes are the best for those who have a good tolerance for spice, but chili flakes are not that spicy. So it is a choice for those who want to give a little kick to food by making slight spice.
Note: Whatever spice you are using, moderation is key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s crack some commonly asked questions:
Can you make chili powder from chili flakes?
Chili powder is a blend of the dried form of different chilies, but in the U.S, aside from dried chili blends, chili powders also have salt, garlic powder, and oregano.
What can you use instead of chili flakes?
The most common alternative to chili flakes is chili powder; chili powder serves you in the same flavor, and food consistency as chili flakes do.
If you want a great quality chili powder, you should go with Cayenne powder as its tiny pinch can uplift the spice of your dish.
The chili-lovers can also rush for hot sauce or crushed dried chili because these are handier yet flavorsome.
Are red pepper flakes healthy?
Many researchers say that red pepper flakes are helpful for human health as these pepper flakes prevent the body from fat storage and stimulate metabolism.
The chili flakes and other pepper naturally contain a quality dose of Vitamin A that keeps your immune system healthy and strong.
Which is spicier: red pepper flakes or cayenne?
If you compare cayenne or red pepper flakes of the nearby market, you will find that cayenne is hotter and spicier.
Cayenne pepper is made up of only cayenne pepper, whereas crushed red pepper/red pepper flakes are made up of three or four different chilies.
Cayenne pepper uses 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units in its forming, and that is why it is pretty hotter than red chili flakes.
Do red pepper flakes speed up metabolism?
Yes, pepper flakes speed up the metabolism as it contains metabolism-booster properties. It heats up your body and eventually helps to burn more calories per day.
Red pepper flakes (capsaicin) use diet-induced thermogenesis that boosts up the metabolism and reduces your weight.
Are red pepper flakes the same as Cayenne?
No, cayenne and red pepper are not the same:
- Cayenne pepper ( a specific variety) is formed by grounding the cayenne only, while red pepper flakes consist of different types (three or four ) of red dried peppers and dried seeds.
- Cayenne is hotter and spicier than red pepper flakes.
Final Words
The tiny jars of chili flakes and red pepper flakes look so craving on our kitchen shelf, restaurant table, and dining tables.
Yet, many spice addicts muddle, which is the best for them; therefore, in this article, we have discussed both spices in detail.
All in all, chili flakes and red pepper flakes both are hankering, flavorful, and beneficial; still, they are unique in properties and characteristics.
If you eat the spiciest food, red pepper flakes are perfect for you but if you are not keen to eat tangy and peppery food, go with chili flakes.