Because cayenne pepper is a component of the Cajun spice blend used in this pasta, it is a bit spicy. On the Scoville Scale, sitting right above Serrano peppers, cayenne peppers range anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000, similar to a Tobasco pepper. If you're not a fan of spicy food or plan to serve this to children, you can reduce or omit the amount of cayenne.