Ancho Chili Powder is a common spice used in various cuisines. If you don’t have to purchase ancho chili and you are in between your cooking process, using a substitute for Ancho chili powder would be a good option. This is amazing pepper is very popular in many Mexican cuisines.
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What is Ancho Chili Powder?
Ancho Chili Powder is a dried and grounded version of Poblano Pepper. This pepper is flavorful and easily adds a depth of spice to the recipes/dishes. It compliments many dishes with its mild heat and smoky, and fruity flavor.
Nutrient Profile of Ancho Chilli Powder:
Calories: 47
Total Fat: 1.4g
Sodium: 7mg
Protein: 2g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Total Carbs: 8.7g
Health Benefits of Ancho Chili Powder:
- Ancho Chili Powder helps to relieve pain.
- It is a low-calorie alternative for people trying to lose weight.
- Ancho Chili Pepper destroys prostate cancer cells.
- It also protects intestinal health.
- It contains capsaicin and soluble fiber which are very helpful for protecting the heart from various diseases.
What Can I Substitute for Ancho Chili Powder?
If you are cooking a recipe/dish that calls for Ancho Chili Powder, unfortunately, you have run out of it, you should use its substitutes. Using a substitute instead of the main ingredient would not ruin your dish/recipe, but resemble the almost same taste and aroma. Here, we have a huge list of substitutes for Ancho chili powder that you can choose accordingly to what you have around right now.
1. Chili Flakes:
Chili Flakes are made of dried peppers just like ancho chili, but you may expect the taste of chili flakes a bit spicier. This makes a great substitute for ancho chili. It is easily available at your nearest grocery store. Chili Flakes are made of different kinds of peppers so the intensity of heat may vary. Due to different intensities of heat, you have to be careful when using chili flake in a recipe instead of Ancho Chili.
2. Chili Powder:
Chili Powder is similar to chili flakes when in terms of hotness and you can use it in place of ancho chili in a recipe. Chili powder easily dissolves in a recipe and gives a bit of red color to the recipe. If you are expecting a smoky flavor in chili powder, you have purchased from a specific brand that offers a smoky flavor. You can easily use chili powder as an ancho chili powder replacement maintaining the ratio of 1:1. If you still feel less heat, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
3. Paprika:
You may find varieties of paprika in the market, but you have to choose a mild version that is a good resemblance of Ancho Chili powder. Mild paprika would do justice for any recipe/dish that calls for ancho chili powder. If you choose to add paprika instead of ancho chili powder and expect an extra kick, adding cayenne pepper together might do the trick.
4. Chipotle Powder:
Chipotle Powder is made up of dried and ground chipotle chiles. It is much spicier than Ancho chili. You may find this chili powder at major grocery stores. It’s a good substitute for Ancho chili powder if you are cooking meat or seafood. It is also a flavor enhancer in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.
5. Mulato Pepper Powder:
Mulato Pepper Powder comes from mature poblanos. These peppers are wrinkled, flat, and black in appearance. Mostly, it’s used in Mexican foods such as salsas, marinades, and sauces. Mulato Chili is mild to moderate chili just like the regular Mexico chili powder. However, Mulatos contains licorice and chocolate hint which is why it is also used in sweeter dishes & desserts to achieve that tingly heat. If you want to make chile-flavored ice cream and baked goods then you can easily replace Ancho chili powder with Mulato pepper powder.
6. Pasilla Pepper Powder:
Pasilla Pepper is also known as a chile negro. Pasilla Pepper powder is made by trimming and grounding the pasilla chili. The color of the pasilla changes to red or dark brown when it is grounded. It is a good Ancho chili powder alternative due to its similar taste as well as mild heat. You can use a similar amount of pasilla pepper powder to replace Ancho chili powder in meat dishes/recipes such as chicken, beef, etc.
7. New Mexican Chili Powder:
New Mexican Chili Powder is another good ancho chili powder replacement. This chili has a wide range of variations containing heat rates. It’s hotter than ancho chili powder so use half the amount of New Mexican chili powder as compared to the Ancho chili powder. You can add New Mexican chili powder in many dishes/recipes such as burritos, burgers, french fries, casseroles, roasted, etc.
8. Guajillo Chili Powder:
Guajillo Chili Powder is a dried version of Marisol Pepper. If you don’t like the mild flavor of Ancho chili powder, you can add Guajillo chili powder instead. It has a pleasantly sharp and slightly tangy flavor, unlike the earthier Ancho chili powder. Guajillo Chili Powder can easily replace Ancho chili powder in recipes like moles soup, stew, and chilies.
9. Gochugaru:
Gochugaru is a Korean chili pepper with a mix of sweet, smoky, and fruity flavors. Its flavor is similar to kimchi. This staple ingredient gives heat and color to Korean cuisine. The heat level of Gochugaru is mildly hot to very hot. Choosing a mild one instead of an Ancho chili can be a good alternative. For the mild one, you can use an equal amount of Gochugaru and for a high heat maintain the ratio of 1:4 where 1 refers to the Gochugaru and 4 refers to the Ancho Chili Powder.
10. Chile de Arbol Powder:
Chile de Arbol is another Mexican chile used in most Mexican Cuisines. It is also used in various Asian, Thai, Chinese, and Caribbean Cuisines. Chile de Arbol contains an equal amount of heat as compared to the Cayenne Pepper, and it has a slightly red bell pepper flavor. When it is compared with Ancho Chili, it has high heat. If you are looking for spiciness or heat, you can use an equal amount of Chile de Arbol, otherwise using half amount would be a great choice in place of using Ancho Chili Powder.
11. Cayenne Pepper Powder:
Cayenne Pepper is the hot chili that is usually added to the recipe to enhance the flavor. The powder is made by grounding the small, skinny, and lengthy chili. Cayenne Chili Powder is commonly used in Indian, Thai, Creole, Chinese & Korean recipes/dishes. This chili pepper is much hotter than Ancho chili, you must have to mix it with some sweet chili pepper before using it in a recipe. Combining it with pasilla powder would be a great option. A pinch of Cayenne Pepper powder is enough to replace Ancho chili powder.
12. Poblano Pepper:
Poblano Peppers have a milder taste than Ancho Chili when used in a fresh form. They also lack a smoky flavor. Poblano Peppers are the perfect mix between spicy & sweet. Just chopped them into dimensions of your choice and add them to your recipe/dish. You can use them similarly as you use Ancho chili in a recipe maintaining the same ratio. You may also increase the amount of Poblano Pepper if you feel like it.
13. Jalapenos:
Jalapeno Peppers are hotter than Ancho Chili. So, it’s better to take half the quantity of Jalapeno in a recipe that calls for Ancho Chili. It’s easy to find fresh Jalapenos in the market and chopped accordingly to give a texture to your food.
14. Pequin Chili Pepper:
Pequin Chili Pepper comes in both spice and smoked flavors of Ancho Chili. However, they are not easily available pepper in the market. If you want to spice up your food, stews, and soups, adding Pequin Chili Pepper would be a great choice. Pequin Chili Pepper provides an intense aroma to the food when exposed to heat.
15. Serrano Peppers:
Serrano Peppers are not much popular as Ancho Chili. They are hotter than Ancho chili and extremely tasty in all kinds of spicy foods. Take half the amount of Serrano Pepper unless you like the intense heat. You can purchase them fresh from your nearby market.
FAQ:
How do I Store My Ancho Chilies?
Ancho Chilies should be kept in an airtight container, but away from direct sunlight. They can be kept for about 2-3 months when stored properly and can also be stored for more than 3 months when stored in the freezer and later rehydrate before use in a recipe.
Are Poblano and Ancho Peppers are Same?
Ancho Chili Pepper is derived from Poblano Pepper. They are made when Poblano Chilies are dried and ground. The resulting powder you would get is a dark and spicy powder that is known as Ancho Chile Powder.
Now, you know the best Ancho Chili Powder Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also purchase from Amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
