Let’s talk about a popular cooking staple and the different types of paprika you need level up your kitchen game. All paprika comes from dried and ground red chili peppers, and the difference between sweet, hot, and smoked paprika depends on the variety of red chili used to make the spice blend – let’s get into it.
What is Paprika?
Paprika is a powdered spice that comes from ground red peppers. It’s a popular ground spice used to flavor recipes like eggs, meat, poultry, stew, fish, soup, vegetables, rice, and creamy sauces. While you can reach for generic paprika at the grocery store, you should know about the different types of paprika and how to use them.
Different Types of Paprika
While paprika is a widely-used spice, many don’t realize there are several distinct types, each with a unique flavor profile and culinary use. Maybe you’re trying a recipe that calls for a particular kind of paprika, and you’re wondering, what’s the different? Similar to my overview of recipes using garam masala, take a look at the different types of paprika and how to use them:
1. Sweet Paprika
When shopping or making a recipe that call for paprika, and it is unspecified, they’re likely referring to sweet paprika. Recipes often use the mild version of the spice to garnish dishes like deviled eggs, butter bean hummus, and potato salad. Home cooks also use it to add vibrant color to meals like grilled tandoori chicken without altering the flavor.
2. Hot Paprika
Hot paprika also called spicy or piquant paprika, is made from hot chile peppers, such as cayenne or jalapeño. It adds a fiery kick to dishes and is often used to bring the heat.
If you enjoy this article, try one of these homemade spice blends!
3. Smoked Paprika
Dry and smoke red peppers and you end up with smoked paprika. Smoked paprika uses sweet and spicy red peppers, but if it’s not labeled hot or spicy, you can safely assume it contains smoked sweet peppers. Add the smoky flavor to roasted jerk chicken without smoking or cooking them over an open flame.
4. Hungarian Paprika
Hungary is a source of paprika all over the world. Hungarian paprika, in particular, is one of the main ingredients for some of the country’s most popular meals, including paprikash and Hungarian Goulash. It’s used like salt and pepper here in the States. The spice comes in eight grades, each with its flavor profile and heat level.
5. Spanish Paprika (Pimentón)
Pimentón is a type of smoked paprika in Spain. It comes in three varieties: dulce (sweet), agrodolce (bittersweet or mild), and Picante (hot). Pimentón de la vera is a chili used to make paprika in Spain; they are dried and smoked over burning oak wood, as is tradition. Spanish paprika flavors meals like paella and chorizo.
Paprika Substitutes
If you don’t have paprika on hand, here are some suggestions for what to use when you’re in a pinch. When a recipe calls for hot paprika, cayenne, red pepper flakes, or Aleppo powder will do the trick. If you need a smokier replacement, try red chili powder, chipotle powder, or ancho chili powder. Kashmiri chili powder is a popular Indian spice you can use rather than sweet paprika.
How Can I Use Paprika
- Create a marinade for meals like oven baked drumsticks with Peruvian spices using olive oil, garlic, paprika, and other spices.
- Use it to make spice-laden cream sauces.
- Paprika is the perfect addition to spice blends like our Jamaican jerk seasoning and blackened seasoning to make delicious meals like our blackened mahi mahi.
- Lend deep color and flavor to soup and stews like kedjenou.
Storage
Store paprika in a cool, dry place inside an airtight container. Spices lose their freshness over time, so use paprika within six months for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of paprika are there?
There are several types of paprika, each with its own distinct flavor and heat level: sweet, smoked, and hot.
Is paprika spicy?
Paprika comes in three main types sweet, mild, and spicy. It’s safe to assume that, unless otherwise stated, the paprika you find in the store will be sweet rather than spicy.
Where does paprika come from?
Made from drying peppers and grinding them into a powder, many global cuisines use paprika to flavor their dishes. The most frequently used pepper variety to make paprika is Capsicum Annuum, a pepper cultivated in Central and Southern Mexico. Thanks to trade routes, paprika is a beloved ingredient in kitchens worldwide.
Recipes Using Different Types of Paprika: