How Do You Use Dried Red Chili Peppers

Even if you don’t make dishes designed specifically for dried peppers, there are plenty of ways to add them to your regular repertoire. They can blend seamlessly into soups, stews, chili and tomato sauce. Use them to supplement, or star in, a meat or fish marinade.

Do you need to rehydrate dried chili?

Dried chili peppers are simply fresh peppers with the moisture removed. To use them in sauces or salsas you’ll want to re-hydrate them. This makes them more amenable to being ground up and will help their flavors permeate the dish.

Do dried chilies go bad?

Dried chili peppers, ground peppers, and crushed peppers don’t exactly expire or go bad. When dried peppers have gone bad, it means they lost their flavor, color, and potency. It’s not likely to make you sick if you consume any kind of dried pepper that’s expired.