Season Your Dishes to Perfection With This Guide to Paprika

Paprika stands out wherever it is, from grocery store shelves to your home spice rack, its vibrant red color a stark contrast to the drab hues of other jars. Beyond the color, its use is universal; it's an every-spice for a range of recipes.

A sprinkle of paprika is incredibly recognizable, even if you're unsure of what it is exactly. Deviled eggs, anyone? There are many applications for paprika, whether using it in a dish to season, garnish, or add a pop of color. Learn how to use i

What Is Paprika?

Paprika is a combination of dried peppers from the Capsicum annum family, which encompasses both sweet and hot varieties. It's one of the top 5 most consumed spices in the world (4th, to be exact), used for both its flavor and color.

There are different types of paprika – sweet, smokey, and hot. Depending on what type of pepper is used in making it, where the product is from/made, and how its prepared will decide the flavor. To know paprika and to use it properly, it's imperative to know the differences between types, because it will greatly affect the dish you make. Additionally, the color won't always be a stark, bright red, but may be more brown. Don't confuse brown paprika with stale paprika – it's all about how the spice was processed.

Where Does It Come From?

Most paprika comes from Hungary or Spain, but some might be made in California, South America, China, or rarely some other places – especially the most basic version of paprika. The name is derived from the Hungarian word for pepper.

This spice, made from dried and ground skins and flesh of red peppers, originated in the Americas – regions of Mexico and Central America, cultivated by native peoples. The 16th century saw paprika enter the Columbian exchange, introducing the spice to Africa, Asia, and the rest of the world. Farmers started growing the peppers to be able to produce paprika in Europe as the flavor profiles became more varied.

What Does Paprika Taste Like?

Depending on the variety, paprika might taste sweet, hot, or smokey and it will be labeled as such. Whether the spice is mild or spicy or carries a distinct smoke with it comes down to production.

Sweet or mild paprika doesn't contain any capsaicin, the active heat-producing component of chili peppers, found in the seeds and membranes. Spicy paprika leaves in some of the seeds, the placenta, and the capsaicin glands or veins on the pepper when they're dried and ground. Smoked paprika unsurprisingly gains its flavor from the peppers being smoked over live oak fire before being ground.

Paprika vs. Chili Powder

Paprika and chili powder look nearly identical; it's their make-up that is different. Paprika is made from specific peppers from paprika-producing countries and is, in general, a sweeter spice. Many people don't think of paprika as spicy.

Chili powder is a mix of ground spices that uses (drumroll, please) ground chili peppers that have capsaicin but also cumin, garlic powder, salt, and – wouldn't you know it – paprika. Chili powder is a blend of spices that tastes earthy and fiery, and paprika is its own unique spice.

Types of Paprika

The easiest way to look at types of paprika is to break them into three categories, mostly dictated by region of production.

Regular/Sweet

This is the most commonly stocked in supermarkets and may come from any region paprika is made. It is mild, with a touch of sweetness and a little dab of heat, more warming than spicy. The peppers used to make this paprika might be mixed with some other chilis like cayenne, but it will be subtle if so. It's the most forgiving of the paprikas when cooking with it and this is the choice when finishing off items like deviled eggs or shrimp with a little sprinkle or when looking to add a touch of color to a dish.

Hungarian

Paprika is the national spice of Hungary and the people there are incredibly proud of it. Goulash, one of the national dishes and symbols of the country, is completely dependent on the spice.

When buying Hungarian paprika in stores, the two labels you'll likely see are "sweet" and "hot." But there are several subvarieties that differ in flavor and fieriness:

• Special or Különleges: bright red and no heat
• Félédes: half sweet half spicy
• Csípősmentes csemege: mild and delicate
• Rózsa: or rose paprika, is mild, with a more orange hue to its redness.
• Edesnemes: the most commonly exported Hungarian paprika, it's a bit spicy.
• Erős: the most pungent or hottest of the Hungarian paprikas. Has a more brown tone.
  

Spanish

In Spain, paprika is known as pimentón. The most known varieties from the country are dulce, or sweet; picante, or spicy; agridulce, a sweet and spicy combination of medium intensity; and pimentón, the famous smoked stuff.

How to Cook with Paprika

What type of paprika you're using determines what you do with it. If your recipe doesn't specify the type, regular of Hungarian sweet is a good bet.

Sweet paprika is the perfect choice for a pop of color or sprinkled as a finishing touch or garnish. You won't run the risk of overwhelming anything by using it, so throw it in a rub, a marinade, a BBQ sauce, or a dressing; sprinkle it over hummus, deviled eggs, potatoes, potato salad, or grilled shrimp.

Smoked paprika packs the most punch, the smokiness coming through prominently and lending an aura of being slow-cooked or simmered to a dish, even if it hasn't. It's important to note that swapping one style of paprika for another will inevitably affect the dish. And it won't be subtle. So double-check that what is in your cart is the right thing.

Almost every dish that highlights paprika cooks it in oil near the beginning of the recipe and for good reason – doing so allows the spice to release its full color, scent, and flavor. But that said, keep a watchful eye; too long in the pan can turn this seasoning bitter.

How to Store Paprika

As with anything in the spice cabinet, an airtight container is the proper home for paprika. Any cool, dark spot for that container to live will work, whether it's a spice drawer, closed pantry, or fridge.

Try to use your paprika within 6 months of opening it to ensure the freshest, most potent spice quality. If dipping your finger in for a sample comes back dull on the palate, it's time to buy afresh.