Crushed Red Pepper:

Best for salsas and moles.

Paprika or Cayenne: Which One is Better?

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF PAPRIKA?

So, how can you substitute chili powder for paprika? Well, I can't really give you a standard substitution ratio. It's best to add it gradually, give your recipe a taste, and then adjust accordingly.

In some cases, the paprika is being used primarily to add color to a dish, in which case you could add a small amount of some other red ingredient, which could be anything from a teaspoon of ketchup with a dash of chili powder mix to tomato sauce, finely pureed red peppers, tomato paste, or red beet powder. If you have bell pepper powder, use a 2:1 ratio, as the bell peppers are very sweet and don't have the kick of sweet paprika.

You may have come across “chili sauce” as an ingredient for your next great recipe find. But this term is just about as generic as can be in the world of spicy food. What is chili sauce, exactly? And what would be a good chili sauce substitute if you don’t have what’s called for in the pantry? Let’s review your top chili sauce alternatives, as well as one commonly used, but not recommended.