Cayenne Pepper: The Complete Guide (30K–50K SHU)
30K–50K SHU · neutral and peppery · French Guiana
10x hotter than a jalapeño
Quick Facts
Heat & Flavor Profile
The Cayenne Pepper registers 30K–50K Scoville Heat Units (SHU), placing it in the Hot tier (10K–100K SHU). That makes it roughly 10x hotter than a jalapeño.
Flavor notes: neutral and peppery.
Substitutes for Cayenne Pepper
Closest match: Aleppo Pepper. These peppers share a similar heat range or flavor profile and work well as substitutes in most recipes.
Cayenne Pepper vs. Other Peppers
See how the Cayenne Pepper stacks up in these detailed side-by-side comparisons.
Data from USDA FoodData Central, the Chile Pepper Institute at NMSU, and USDA Agricultural Research Service. Species classification: C. annuum — based on published botanical taxonomy.