Dried chili flakes, commonly labeled crushed red pepper flakes, are used to top pizza, stir-fries, spicy pastas, and many other dishes. They can be stirred into sauces to add heat. The flavor is slightly sharp and a little earthy with a decent dose of spicy. 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.