Appetizers Archives - PepperScale

Piri Piri Candied Bacon With Cheese

June 10, 2020January 30, 2020

Piri piri candied bacon with cheese will send your favorite meat and spice lovers crazy. This is one decadent dish: creamy, sweet, spicy, salty, rich, meaty, and smooth. I could keep going with adjectives to describe this recipe but the … Read more

Honey Sriracha Meatballs

October 5, 2019June 22, 2019

Two opposites that just work… Sweet and heat are always a great pairing, but few ingredients match quite as well as honey and Sriracha. These two bold flavors are on the opposite side of the flavor spectrum yet they just … Read more

Gochujang Wings

July 7, 2020December 8, 2018

Savory and spicy…

Gochujang wings (also often called Korean chicken wings) are spicy just the way we like: earthy, pungent, and bold. It’s that umami flavor of authentic gochujang that makes these wings so special. It’s a specific savory taste with a “love it or hate it” following. But if you love authentic Korean or Asian cuisine, you’ll love these wings no doubt.

We add some additional heat here with the inclusion of crushed red pepper, but gochujang is chili pepper based, so feel free to cut those flakes from the recipe if “too spicy” is part of your vocabulary. Want to make your own gochujang? It’s an intense process, but we have a simplified recipe here. It’s not quite as savory as authentic gochujang, but it cuts days (yes days…) out of the cooking process.

Spicy Fried Pickles

August 17, 2019July 22, 2018

Southern fried bite… Whether as an appetizer or side, spicy fried pickles sure hit the Southern-fried spot. It’s a mix of tang, crunch, and cayenne that’ll tickle your taste buds. Pair these pickles with our spicy Sriracha ranch dressing, and you’ve … Read more

Spicy Korean Meatballs

August 17, 2019July 8, 2018

Fiery gochujang stars… Korean meatballs are full of exotic flavors – ginger and sesame oil provide a delicious Asian flair. But the true star of these meatballs is gochujang. This miso-based Korean chili paste provides both an earthy and pungent … Read more

Spicy Chana Masala

August 17, 2019May 26, 2018

Chickpeas with attitude…

Cayenne pepper brings the sizzle to this chana masala recipe. This chickpea-based Indian favorite is delicious served simply with naan bread or try it atop rice or couscous to make more of a meal of it. It’s a perfect side dish for Indian meals, especially if you’re looking for something that’s not breaded and fried.

There’s an exotic mix of spices here beyond fiery cayenne and chili powder, including garam masala, amchoor powder (also known as mango powder), ginger, and turmeric. It’s a bold turn for chickpeas, so feel free to adjust the spice proportions of each to your liking.

Honey Chipotle Wings

August 17, 2019February 22, 2018

Honey on fire! What’s not to love about sweet smoky heat? The mix of sweet honey and smoky chipotle pepper makes these chicken wings a real favorite for game day and gatherings of all types. Honey chipotle wings are also … Read more

Spicy Maple Chicken Wings

October 3, 2019October 11, 2017

Deliciously sweet and earthy, with Sriracha kick… Sweet and heat are always a delicious pair. So the double whammy of flavor in these spicy maple chicken wings – maple syrup and Sriracha sauce – is a combo not to be … Read more

Papa a la Huancaina

August 17, 2019September 15, 2017

A popular Peruvian appetizer…

Who doesn’t love the idea of potatoes with a spicy cheese sauce? That’s simply what the popular Peruvian recipe papa a la Huancaina is: boiled potatoes topped with a cheese sauce spiced up by the deliciously summery-sweet aji amarillo pepper. It’s made all the better by the addition of hardboiled eggs and black olives – very rustic in flavor.

Papa a la Huancaina is typically served as an appetizer, but it’s so heavy it can also work as meal in its own right. The recipe calls for Huancaina sauce (which you can find the recipe for here).

Chipotle Hummus

August 17, 2019September 1, 2017

Smoky and earthy…

Chipotle peppers, especially chipotle in adobo sauce, brings a delicious earthy and smoky spice to your typical hummus. The spice is full-bodied – chipotles are dried and smoked jalapeño peppers, so consider how much chili pepper you want to use. The recipe calls for one, which is a good amount of spice (and still relatively family friendly). You could opt for an additional (or top the hummus with chopped chipotle) for a good uptick in spiciness.

Serve this hummus with pita chips and fresh cut vegetables. We love it as an appetizer prior to a steak meal. It’s smokiness really sets the tone for the night.