It seems like everyone is eating and making spicy foods right now. Over a third of global consumers are willing to try spicy dishes or snacks, according to FoodNavigator, and most agree that savory foods with a dash of chili heat actually taste better. That means sales of fiery ingredients and condiments such as Piri Piri, Sriracha sauce and, of course, poke bowl sauce are soaring.
One big trend on social media is spicy dishes from Asian countries, notably Korea, in the wake of the worldwide “K-wave” of Korean pop music, films and dramas. Recipe innovators are also using unusual ingredients in new and original ways — for example, using ground-up Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to coat fried chicken and give it a kick.
As you might expect, the hashtag #hotspicyfood is trending on TikTok, and #hotspicyrecipes is popular on Pinterest. Do you need some ideas on how to follow this latest fad? Here are 30 spicy food recipes that are guaranteed to wake up your taste buds.
30. Buldak Spicy Chicken Noodles
Spice level: Fiery
Key ingredients: Packaged noodles, seasoning
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: South Korean food company, Samyang Food, launched a brand of spicy chicken noodles, Buldak, which is one of the spiciest instant noodles available in the Korean market.
The brand became globally famous after a Fire Noodle Challenge went viral on YouTube. The challenge was started by Josh Carrott, on his Korean Englishman channel, where he dared English friends to eat the fiery instant noodles without drinking any liquids to reduce the heat. Carrott originally set up his channel to introduce people in the U.K. to Korean food and culture. The challenge helped Samyang double global sales and create a rising export market to the U.S. As for a recipe, it doesn’t get much easier than simply adding water and seasoning and heating it up.
29. Vegan Bibimbap Bowl
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Tofu, vegetables, brown rice, kimchi
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Bibimbap is a traditional one-bowl Korean meal, usually consisting of meat, vegetables, rice and kimchi (fermented cabbage). Given the rise of people in the U.S. who are following plant-based diets, many recipe creators are making vegetarian versions.
This recipe uses tofu and spicy Korean Gochujang sauce and was repinned (shared) by the creator of a channel called CarveYourCraving, which has more than 14,000 followers on Pinterest.
28. Grilled Cheesy Buffalo Chicken
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, hot sauce, cheese, butter
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Mexican food continues to be the most popular ethnic cuisine in over half the U.S. In addition, chicken is the most popular meat sold in the U.S. and continues to rise in popularity with millennial shoppers. Another popular trend is the continued rise of the number of people following gluten-free diets.
This simple Grilled Cheesy Buffalo Chicken recipe has only four ingredients, cooks in less than 30 minutes and is gluten-free. It was developed by Jennifer, a healthy living and lifestyle food blogger at PB & P Designs. This simple recipe of chicken breasts stuffed with cheese and grilled has been repinned over 22,000 times.
27. Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Spice level: Mild – Medium
Key ingredients: Chicken, enchilada sauce, cheese, tortillas
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Repinned over 24,000 times on Pinterest, this recipe is an easy, one-dish version of classic Mexican enchiladas and only requires four ingredients. The dish was created by food blogger Joanna on Jo Cooks, a site that specializes in quick, easy to make meals.
Home cooks can vary the heat of the enchilada sauce to make a milder or spicier meal.
26. Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, basil, Thai chili, soy sauce
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Thai food is the fourth most popular ethnic cuisine in the U.S. This recipe was shared from the website, All Recipes by Ashley and Shelby, two sisters who run a food and lifestyle channel called As Told By Ash and Shelbs on Instagram and Pinterest.
While the ingredient list is long, reviewers consistently gave this version of the classic Thai Pad Krapow Gai five stars for flavor.
25. Queso Sauce
Spice level: Any
Key ingredients: Ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, chilis
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Chili con queso is a popular cheese or cheese and meat dip for tortilla chips served in Tex-Mex restaurants. The traditional appetizer is made with melted cheese, cream and fresh chili peppers. However, this version uses just four main ingredients, which can be canned or fresh, a short preparation time and a slow cooker, making it perfect for busy home cooks.
The recipe can be adjusted to any spice level, depending on the chilis used. The dish, including step-by-step photos, has been repinned over 33,000 times on Pinterest.
24. General Tsoās Chicken
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Chicken, hoisin sauce, red pepper flakes
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This version of the classic Chinese dish, General Tsao’s Chicken, is made using a crockpot, with 15 minutes of preparation time.
The recipe’s creator, a food blogger who maintains the channel, Creme De La Crumb, which has 441,000 followers, worked as a waitress in a Chinese restaurant while she was in high school and loved this particular meal. She wanted to make a quick and flavorful version for busy cooks. The recipe has over 34,000 repins on Pinterest.
23. Creamy Chicken Chili Pasta
Spice level: Medium – Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, pasta, tomato, cream
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Pasta is the world’s favorite food, and pasta dishes are very popular on Pinterest, as they are often inexpensive, quick and easy to make. This creamy chicken and pasta dish with a kick was created by Claire, a recipe developer who maintains a food blog at Sprinkles and Sprouts. She has over 40,000 followers on Pinterest.
The chili in this dish can be adjusted to suit individual or family tastes, or cayenne pepper can be added for some extra depth of heat and flavor.
22. Crunchy Cauliflower Bites
Spice level: Medium – Spicy
Key ingredients: Cauliflower, flour, bread crumbs, hot sauce
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Americans are eating more plant-based foods, and there is an increase in plant-based versions of traditional meat dishes, such as Buffalo wings. Vegan recipe creator Tania, who maintains the Eat Something Vegan channel, has over 67,000 followers on Pinterest.
In her Crunchy Cauliflower Bites dish, she substitutes cauliflower for chicken. Home cooks can use a milder hot sauce to reduce the heat when making this snack.
21. Easy Hawaiian Poke Bowl With Spicy Aioli
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Fish, edamame, sushi or brown rice, seaweed
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: A poke bowl from Hawaii is traditionally made with raw fish, seaweed, rice and vegetables. One reason this healthy dish is so popular right now is because diners or cooks can customize it to include their favorite fish and vegetables or make it vegan by substituting tempeh or tofu.
This trending recipe was developed by the creator behind the A Farmgirl’s Dabbles channel, which has over 102,000 followers on Pinterest.
20. Hot Honey
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Honey, chili peppers
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Spicy honey is a key ingredient in a number of trending dishes that include sandwiches, chicken wings, roast vegetables, ice cream, salads and any type of grilled meat or fish.
The Man Made DIY channel on Pinterest, with over 154,000 followers, has a simple hot honey recipe that is popular and inexpensive to make. Because honey is a long-lasting food that doesn’t need refrigeration, the fiery heat from the fresh chili peppers will deepen over time and add a fruity flavor to the honey.
19. Nashville Hot Fried Chicken
Getty Images
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, hot sauce, buttermilk, flour
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: The U.S. is experiencing a fried chicken craze that’s causing supplies of chicken to run low. Fast-food restaurants across the country are struggling to keep up with demand.
It’s no surprise that one of the top trending spicy food videos currently on TikTok is for Nashville Hot Fried Chicken. The creator of the channel BBQ and Bottles, who posted the video, has over 327,000 followers.
18. Mini Taco Stuffed Peppers
Spice level: Mild – Medium
Key ingredients: Ground beef, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, sour cream
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: These Mini Taco Stuffed Peppers take traditional stuffed peppers and make them even better because they are quick to make, and the step-by-step photos and directions are easy to follow.
The recipe’s creator, Christy, who goes by the user name The Girl Who Ate Everything, has 498,000 followers on Pinterest. Home cooks can adjust the spiciness factor, depending on the heat of the taco seasoning used. The recipe is also suitable for people on gluten-free or keto diets.
17. One-Pan Spicy Mexican Rice
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Black beans, corn, tomatoes, rice, cheddar cheese
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This One-Pan Spicy Mexican Rice can be made in under 20 minutes. The recipe is also suitable for vegetarians or vegans, who can substitute vegetable broth and vegan cheese, or for meat eaters, who can add shredded chicken or pork.
Cooking only uses a single pan, and the recipe uses several ingredients that many home cooks already have in their pantries.
16. Taco Lasagne
Spice level: Mild – Medium
Key ingredients: Ground beef, salsa, lasagna noodles, taco seasoning, cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: With only seven ingredients and a step-by-step photo series showing each step, this Taco Lasagne recipe is easy and quick to make.
This dish combines two well-known and well-loved dishes, tacos and lasagna, and can be customized with mild to medium spicy heat.
15. Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Spice level: Mild
Key ingredients: Quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Quinoa and black beans give this vegetarian version of traditional enchiladas a healthy dose of protein and fiber. This recipe can be adjusted for vegans by using non-dairy cheese, and the quinoa makes it gluten-free.
Stylist and influencer Barbara Blackwood, who repinned this recipe, has over 55,000 followers on Pinterest. Food blogger and brand ambassador Chungah Rhee created this easy, one-dish recipe for her site, Damn Delicious.
14. Buffalo Sauce
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Cayenne Pepper sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This recipe is from a stream called Spicy Food Recipes, and it’s designed to be as close to the original Buffalo sauce recipe that was created at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, in 1964.
The recipe developer and photographer, Toni Dash, goes by the name Boulder Locavore and has over 70,000 followers on Pinterest. Although this version of the classic Buffalo wing dipping sauce is already spicy, home cooks can add more heat by putting in extra cayenne pepper.
13. One Pot Spicy Chili Mac ānā Cheese
Spice level: Medium – Spicy
Key ingredients: Ground beef, pasta, kidney beans, cheese
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This spicy mac ‘n’ cheese plus chili recipe combines the comfort food factor of the classic noodle dish with ground beef and the heat of fresh jalapenos. Home cooks can adjust the heat factor by using less jalapenos or dried chili powder.
Greg and Rebecca maintain the Devour Power channel and have over 1.2 million followers on TikTok. This recipe has been viewed over 187,000 times.
12. Korean Gochujang Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Brussels sprouts, Korean Gochujang sauce, sesame oil
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Take into account the fact that Americans are eating more plant-based foods and that chili-based Korean foods are growing in popularity, and you’ll find some interesting spicy vegetarian and vegan dishes trending.
This spicy brussels sprouts recipe uses just seven ingredients and takes 30 minutes to prepare. The dish was developed by the creators of the Minimalist Baker channel, which has 352,000 followers on Pinterest.
11. Spicy Penne Pasta
Spice level: Medium – Spicy
Key ingredients: Pasta, tomato paste, red chili flakes, cream
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This version of the classic Italian spicy penne pasta uses chicken broth as the liquid instead of vodka. Home cooks can also turn up the heat in this dish by adding cayenne pepper or moderate it by using less red pepper flakes.
Creator Ahmad Alzahabi has 4.2 million followers on TikTok and his penne video has been viewed 423,000 times.
10. One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, pasta, cream cheese
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: It’s no surprise that Cajun chicken pasta is one of the most popular searches on Pinterest. It’s spicy, creamy and delicious.
This recipe for a one-pot version was developed by the creator behind the Budget Bytes channel, which has over 539,000 followers on Pinterest.
9. Chicken Tortilla Soup
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Chicken, black beans, tomatoes, corn, tortilla
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Mexican food can be healthy (if you don’t add cheese), and it can also be filling and high in fiber. That includes this chicken tortilla soup dish, which only uses a sprinkling of cheese and contains corn, beans and fresh avocado.
The recipe’s creator, Kristyn – Lil’ Luna, has over 655,000 followers on Pinterest.
8. Cheesy Spicy Noodles
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Noodles, Sriracha sauce, cheddar cheese, cream
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Mac ‘n’ cheese is a popular comfort food in the U.S. as many kids grow up eating some version of this meal. So, it’s not surprising that a noodle and cheese dish is one of the most watched videos on TikTok.
This recipe can be made in about five minutes, and home cooks can add more or less Sriracha sauce to control the heat. The recipe’s creator, who maintains the simplefood4you channel, has over 1.5 million followers on TikTok, and the cheesy spicy noodle video has over 656,000 views.
7. Spicy Fried Chicken Bao Buns
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, Sriracha sauce, bao buns
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: One big trend on Pinterest and TikTok is for Bao bun recipes. These fluffy mini-sandwiches originated as Chinese dumplings filled with meat and can range in size from small appetizers to ones as big as a standard hamburger.
One of the most popular recipes on Pinterest for spicy chicken bao buns is from creator Marion Grasby, who maintains the channel Marion’s Kitchen. Marion’s recipe has over 774,000 views.
6. Spicy Potato Nuggets
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Potato, cheddar cheese, breadcrumbs, corn flour, chili
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This nugget recipe was posted by Hebbar’s Kitchen, a popular site for vegetarian Indian dishes, with 1.3 million followers, but it was pinned by a stream called Spicy Food Recipes.
While the potato nugget recipe calls for 14 ingredients, most of them are spices. The dish uses chili, ginger and the Indian spice chaat masala in a cross-cultural taste blend that appeals to the current trends both for spicy foods and for global cuisine and fusion tastes.
5. Easy Tteokbokki
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Rice cakes, Korean Gojuchang paste, vegetables, fishcake
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Tteokbokki is a traditional Korean stew, made using stir-fried or boiled rice cakes (tteok), fishcake and fiery Gojuchang chili paste.
This version of Tteokbokki uses rice cakes, vegetables, mushrooms, meat and fish cake, and it was posted by a popular father and son duo on TikTok. Known as the CrunchBros, they have over 1.4 million followers.
4. Korean Spicy Rice Cake Skewers
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Rice cakes, Korean red chili paste, honey, soy sauce
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This rice cake snack was shared from TikTok and is easy, fast and suitable for vegetarians or people following a gluten-free diet.
It follows the trend of making Asian snacks using traditional condiments; in this case, Korean red chili paste is used. The recipe creator, Tiffy Cooks, has 1.5 million followers on TikTok.
3. Fried Jalapeno Poppers
Spice level: Medium
Key ingredients: Pickledjalapenos, cheddar cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: This recipe is a faster, easier version for making jalapeno poppers, which are chilis stuffed with cheese, dipped in batter and fried.
Food vlogger and recipe creator Ariana Ruiz, the creator of the TikTok channel, arimonika, makes this version with pickled jalapeno peppers. She has over 467,000 followers on TikTok, and the poppers video has more than 1.8 million views.
2. Spicy Chicken Noodles
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Chicken, noodles, eggs, onions
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Shihan Chowdhury is the chef who created this Spicy Chicken Noodle recipe. He maintains the chilipeppercooks channel on TikTok and has more than 464,000 followers.
Home cooks can reduce the heat in this dish by reducing the amount of dried pepper or leaving out the Thai chilis that Chowdhury adds as the last step. This spicy noodle recipe has a whopping 3 million views.
1. Spicy Hot Cheeto Bowl
Spice level: Spicy
Key ingredients: Bell pepper, Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs, noodles
Why this spicy food recipe is trending: Chef and DJ Jori Mezuda uses crushed Cheetos Hot Pepper Puffs to prepare a spicy noodle bowl. This recipe is easy, fast and makes use of an airfryer, which has become a popular kitchen appliance recently with more people cooking at home.
Mezuda’s TikTok videos incorporate a number of popular new food trends in 2021, including spicy foods and more consumption of snack foods. She has over 2.4 million followers on TikTok.
