Red pepper flakes are made from a mix of peppers from the capsicum annum family. ... But the most commonly used pepper for crushed red pepper flakes is the cayenne pepper. The majority of red pepper flakes will be a mix of peppers, with cayenne taking up the majority of the share.

What do you put in red pepper flakes?

For making chili oil

You can use crushed red pepper to make it by steeping the flakes in hot oil along with other spices like ginger and garlic. The oil is infused with the heat and color of the pepper. You can also use crushed red pepper to make the oil-based salsa known as salsa macha.

Can red pepper flakes go bad?

Like all spices, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes will not spoil, but they will lose flavor and heat over time. This is because all spices contain as volatile oils which are composed of compounds that give spices their flavor. These compounds, like capsaicin in chiles, break down over time resulting in less intense flavor.