Harissa Ketchup

An earthy ketchup with heat…

Making harissa ketchup is about as simple as can be, yet it sure does pack an amazing amount of spice complexity. The harissa mellows the ketchup tang with the earthiness of cumin, coriander, and garlic. Then there’s a subtle grassy cilantro flavor, a hint of mint, and a solid spiciness to boot. This is a delicious option for burgers, turning the everyday patty into something special. Or use it as a dipping sauce for fried foods – it’s a perfect pairing for garlic or sweet potato fries.

Old Bay Tartar Sauce

by Matt Bray

Heaven with crab cakes…

There’s no denying the uber-love for Old Bay in our spice rack – the Maryland crab seasoning has the perfect mix of mild heat and bold spices. It’s so distinctive and flavorful. No crab cake is right without a little Old Bay along for the ride.

One of our favorite ways to bring that Old Bay flavor to crab cakes – or really any seafood – is via homemade Old Bay tartar sauce. The mix of mayonnaise, sweet relish, and Old Bay delivers a flavor wallop – tangy, creamy, warm, and earthy all in one. The heat in Old Bay comes from paprika in the seasoning itself. If you want a little extra fire to the flavor, add a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder to the mix.

Harissa Yogurt

by Matt Bray

Delicious on burgers, great as a dip…

Harissa can do no wrong in our book. Its bold mix of spices – including dried chilies, coriander, cumin, and mint – is perfect for breathing fiery life into what would otherwise be a bland dish or appetizer. This harissa yogurt recipe is excellent as a topper for burgers (and don’t forget turkey or veggie burgers…yum.) But don’t just spread harissa yogurt, use it as a dip as well. Sweet potato fries have a perfect spicy dipping sauce here. It’s also delicious with chopped raw veggies as a crudité dip.

Piquillo Pepper Sauce

by Matt Bray

Sweet and smoky…

Looking for a sauce to pair with savory foods? A simple piquillo pepper sauce can deliciously do the trick. The combination of sweet and smoke that piquillos bring to the table are hard to match. We double down on the smokiness here with a little hint of smoked paprika. Pair the sauce with chorizo or steaks for a perfect salty/sweet combo. Or use the sauce to bring life to simple chicken dishes.

The sauce is not overly spicy – piquillo peppers are mild in heat (500 to 1,000 Scoville heat units) and smoked paprika is relatively mild as well. If you want extra spice, add in a dash of cayenne pepper powder to fire up the sauce.

Habanero Aioli

by Matt Bray

A basic aioli is a go-to in the kitchen, perfect as a spread for sandwiches, as a dip for crudités and fries, or even as a sauce for meals. It’s a staple – a quick-to-make essential, though also a little boring when eaten straight. But when you bold …

Baharat Spice Blend

by Matt Bray

Middle Eastern flair…

If you’re cooking spicy Middle Eastern food, you’re going to run into the need for Baharat. It’a popular spice blend made of some of the most aromatic spices in the world, including nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Try it as a rub (it works well with chicken, beef, or lamb), or mix it into sauces and stews to provide an aromatic warmth to the dish. You can also simply use it as a condiment to add a little extra spice to vegetables, dipping sauces, or bland meats.

The heat in Baharat comes in two forms. First, chili pepper based paprika provides the true spiciness. Due to the dilution among the other spices, it’s a mellower warmth, so feel free to increase the amount to match your spiciness tolerance (or opt for a hot paprika instead of a generic or sweet variety).

Second is a good amount of black pepper that provides a pungent earthiness to the mix. It adds a subtle warmth along with that well known black pepper bite. Together with the paprika it’s a powerful combo that matches the flavor intensity of the more aromatic spices.

Fiery Sriracha Butter

by Matt Bray

So buttery good, and then there’s that kick…

Sriracha sauce can take the simplest of condiments and turn it into something so much more. For instance, when butter meets the Rooster sauce, your refrigerator may never be the same. This Sriracha butter recipe is delicious drizzled atop fried chicken, burgers, and even scrambled eggs. It’s also total spicy heaven as a French fry dip. Really many fried foods pair very well here.

We recommend a pinch of cayenne powder to top of the heat, but if “too spicy” is a concern (what?!), omit it, taste the butter post-blending, and add to taste.

Spicy Homemade Chili Powder

by Matt Bray

Some extra oomph…

Many don’t realize, but chili powder is, in fact, a seasoning mix made from many ingredients, including cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. It’s one of the reasons chili powder typically doesn’t pack too much punch in the spicy department. The other reason: Store bought chili powders often use lesser-heat peppers, like poblano pepper, as the hot pepper base. So store-bought chili powders are typically mild. But any true spicy food fan won’t settle with simmer, so why not make a batch of spicy homemade chili powder for yourself ?

This recipe includes ingredients you likely already have in your spice rack, so pulling together a fiery DIY chili powder is really simple. It’s balanced for that little extra oomph, mixing paprika with cayenne pepper powder to stoke the flames. You can raise the ante even more by opting for a hot paprika instead of a mild variety. To learn more about the different levels of paprika spiciness, take a look at our article Is Paprika Spicy?

Spicy Tomato Chutney

by Matt Bray

Big tomato flavor, fiery red chili heat. We love a fiery spicy tomato chutney for bruschetta or simply to use as a table dip for an evening of bread and cheese. But its uses can go much farther. Use it as a sandwich spread or dip …

Ghost Pepper Oil

by Matt Bray

Scorching hot… This is one simple, yet super-hot recipe. Ghost pepper oil can bring a layer of sun-like fire to your cooking. Whether you want to use it alone (or as a base) for a simple bread dip or as the fiery marinade for your next delicious …