Spicy Foods and Spicy Recipes To Try

If you love your foods with a fiery kick, take a look at our finest spicy recipes - including hearty spicy noodles and family-friendly spicy sausage pasta recipes.

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Spicy Food: Dinner Ideas Full of Flavour

The World’s Spiciest Foods

When it comes to spicy foods from across the globe, you’ll see that most contain the key ingredients of either potent spices or super hot chilli peppers. Hot chilli peppers range from 100,000 to over 2.5 million Scoville Heat Units, which is the measuring scale of the intensity of heat from the chilli peppers.

Here are some of the world’s spiciest foods:

Vindaloo: An Indian dish known for its intense heat, made with meat (often pork or lamb) marinated in a spicy vinegar-based curry sauce.
Kimchi: A traditional Korean recipe, often enjoyed as a side dish made from fermented vegetables (typically cabbage or radishes), seasoned with chilli pepper, garlic, ginger, and other spices.
Harissa: A North African chilli paste made from roasted red peppers, chilli peppers, garlic, olive oil, and various spices, commonly used as a condiment or flavouring agent.
Jerk Chicken: A Jamaican dish where chicken is marinated in a spicy mixture of Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, and other spices before being grilled.
Chilli Peppers: The world’s hottest pepper is constantly changing and evolving. On August 23, 2023, Guinness World Records officially recognized Pepper X as the world's hottest chilli pepper, measuring 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units. Another popular chilli in hot dishes is the scotch bonnet, measuring 350,000 - 450,000 Scoville Heat Units, which is anywhere from 12 to 140 times hotter than a standard jalapeno pepper.

Is Spicy Food Good for You?

Research shows that consuming spicy food could contribute to maintaining heart health. Studies indicate a connection between increased consumption of spicy food and a reduced likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. Additionally, research has identified an association between the intake of spicy food, elevated levels of HDL cholesterol (considered the "good" cholesterol), and lower blood pressure.

If you are feeling under the weather and suffering from a cold or congestion, the heat of a spicy dish may help unblock your sinuses and open your airways.