Tame An Overly Spicy Dish In No Time With This Quick Fix

You're in your kitchen, whipping up a super spicy favorite. Maybe you're adding some extra seasoning to the spicy beef stewing away in your slow cooker. Perhaps you're even adding some heat to chicken or tuna salad before you make a sandwich on your go-to sourdough. You taste your creation, and you're disappointed to find that you didn't ramp up the heat a little bit — you seriously overdid it. Thankfully, all hope isn't lost. Chef Oscar Amador of La Loba in Seattle, Washington, is an expert on all things spice-related, and he talked exclusively with Chowhound about the steps you can take when you've kicked it up a few too many notches.

"As a chef, I've learned that spice is all about balance," says Amador. "A little heat can bring a dish to life, but too much can overwhelm everything else." He says that the simple avocado can go a long way when it comes to toning down a too-spicy dish. "It's humble, natural, and it brings everything back into harmony." It turns out that there's some legit science behind Amador's spice-taming method. "It works because fat and protein actually bind with capsaicin, the compound that makes chilies hot, and carry it away from your taste buds," he says. "That's why water doesn't help when something is too spicy, but avocado or dairy will."

If you want to serve a spicy dish but you don't want the heat to be overwhelming, there are steps you can take to achieve balance. "For me, the trick is never about killing the spice — it's about taming it just enough so you can taste the story of the dish behind the heat," says Oscar Amador. 

One of his go-to methods for creating super spicy dishes that are enjoyable for those without a crazy-high spice tolerance: adding stock, grains, or vegetables to the recipe to "soften the burn." He says that acidity can help, too, as it can help to "lift the flavor" of a spicy dish. If you're not a fan of avocado, you've got options. "Dairy does the same thing: sour cream, yogurt, or a crumbly cheese like queso fresco," says Amador. "Even a drizzle of olive oil can help round out a sauce that's a little too bold."