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Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a hot ground chile seasoning used to add heat and color to sauces, soups, and savory dishes.

Cayenne Pepper — illustrative ingredient image

About Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a hot chile pepper used fresh, dried, or ground as a seasoning. It is added in small amounts to sauces, soups, stews, spice blends, marinades, pickles, and other savoury dishes, where it contributes heat and, especially when ground, red colour.

Ground cayenne is usually a fine red powder with a sharp, direct heat and modest chile flavour. Whole or dried pods have a firmer, wrinkled texture and can contribute texture as well as heat when crushed, left in a dish, or infused.

It is sold as fresh pods, dried pods, flakes, or ground powder. The ground form disperses evenly, while fresh and dried pods remain visibly distinct; seeds and membranes may remain, depending on the product and preparation, affecting the resulting seasoning.

Ingredient type
seasoning

Forms & related ingredients

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Where cayenne pepper appears

3 linked foods

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for cayenne pepper

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

cayenne pepper

English

cayenne pepper (dried)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

cayenne pepper (ground)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

cayenne pepper pieces (dried)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Cayenne powder

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

dried cayenne pepper

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Cayenne Pepper nutrition & diet

Cayenne Pepper nutritional value

Spices, pepper, red or cayenne

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
318kcal
Protein
12.0g
Carbs
56.6g
Fat
17.3g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use ground cayenne chile as a seasoning and distinguish it from flakes, fresh peppers, extracts, or blended hot sauces. Culinary amounts are dispersed through a recipe, so match the reference to the quantity used and account for accompanying oil, salt, sugar, or other seasonings.

Compare the right form: Reference ground cayenne pepper powder, not fresh chile, flakes, extract, or hot-sauce blend; match the recipe quantity and preparation.

Diet considerations

Cayenne pepper is plant-derived chile. Plain ground spice is compatible with plant-based patterns, but sauces, marinades, coatings, and seasoning mixes may add dairy, meat ingredients, sugar, cereal ingredients, or animal-derived flavorings. Brand formulation and the finished recipe determine dietary compatibility.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    May be compatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · May be compatible
May fit a paleo pattern, depending on the cut or form, processing and added ingredients.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Spices, pepper, red or cayenne ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .