What is Aleppo Pepper?

Aleppo pepper is a robust spice that comes from the Aleppo region in Syria. It has a subtle, smoky earthiness to it with a raisin-like scent and moderate heat level. It is said to be reminiscent in flavor to pasilla chiles. It is often found in a crushed, flaky form and can be used in place of ordinary dried and crushed red chilies.

Aleppo pepper can be added to a variety of sauces, soups, marinades and rubs. It can be used during cooking, as well as afterwards as a finishing spice.

Aleppo pepper can be found in Middle Eastern and Greek markets, as well as many gourmet grocery stores. If you cannot find Aleppo pepper, you can substitute it with a mixture of equal parts dried crushed chili flakes and Hungarian sweet paprika.