5 chili powder replacements

Read on below for our top five replacements for chili powder so next time you’re asking yourself “what can I use in place of chili powder?” you’ll have all the answers you need already. 

Paprika

Chili powder is known for its complex profile, that brings a touch of heat and smokiness to dishes. It’s also a combination of flavors and spices, which is how it adds that signature complexity to a dish. Paprika, on the other hand, is a single spice, so whilst it will help to replicate the smokiness and heat, you won’t find the same sophisticated flavor as in chili powder. When using paprika, you’ll also need to decide if you want to use sweet or hot paprika in your dish. As you might have guessed, hot paprika introduces heat that’s more comparable to the levels of chili powder, whereas sweet paprika brings a touch more flavor to the dish. If you want to explore more of the differences between the two before making your choice, have a read of our helpful article. 

When considering the most suitable chili powder replacement, cumin should be high on your list. Whilst it might not carry as much heat as chili powder, it will introduce a delicious earthy flavor to your dish, and add a new flavor dimension that chili powder won’t bring. It’s slightly sweet and you can detect a hint of citrus in some cumin blends. Cumin is often found in chili powder blends, which is partly why it’s a good substitute, if you don’t have chili powder to hand. But you will want to use more sparingly than with chili powder, so it doesn’t dominate the dish. You could also experiment with mixing cumin and paprika to create your own substitute blend for chili powder, if you have both of these spices readily available in your cupboard. 

The question of “can chili powder be substituted for cayenne pepper?” is really down to the heat your taste buds can handle. Cayenne pepper is far hotter than chili powder and, unlike chili powder which offers moderate warmth and complex flavor, cayenne pepper is really packing in the heat to the dish. Cayenne peppers rank high up on the Scoville heat scale, above jalapeño peppers, yet below a Scotch bonnet. Whilst it will add the heat to the dish that you’re looking for from chili powder, you may want to scour your store cupboard for any other spices that might be lying around to help introduce some of the flavor that’s otherwise lost without chili powder. 

Chili powder is a blend of dried and ground chili peppers blended with a host of other spices including cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. Whereas red chilies refer to the whole red chili. It might surprise you to find out that fresh chilies are milder than the dried powder forms and you can add them whole to dishes, or crush into flakes. Cayenne peppers are a classic example of a red chili, but you’ll also find other varieties easily enough at your local grocery store including habaneros. To discover more in the world of chilies, and find the right variety for your dish, take a look at our guide to 12 types of chilies. 

Harissa paste is a tasty, spicy paste hailing from North Africa that’s grown in popularity all over the world in recent years. It’s typically made from a mixture of roasted red peppers, olive oil, herbs, and a mix of spices like cumin and coriander. Thanks to its spicy flavor, it can be a brilliant switch for chili powder and different types of harissa vary in spice and heat depending on the types of peppers and chilies that have been used in the mix. You can use harissa paste in place of chili powder to bring spice and flavor to the dish, but you should take into consideration the different format of this substitute, as a paste, and adjust your cooking techniques accordingly depending on the recipe.