Red pepper flakes are made from a mix of peppers from the capsicum annum family. Don’t get confused by the latin. You know these guys. We’re talking peppers like jalapeño, bell, Fresno, and Anaheim peppers. 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. The makeup will change, depending on which brand or company you end up purchasing.

And that’s the big difference between crushed red pepper and chile flakes. Chile flakes are generally made from a single type of pepper and used to express that pepper’s flavor. Aleppo chile flakes. Chipotle chile flakes. Urfa biber chile flakes. All single varieties used for spice and distinct secondary flavor notes. Crushed red pepper is more of a one-dimensional flavor. The primary use is to achieve heat.