Paprika

Paprika is a ground spice made from sweet red peppers and sometimes includes hotter chilli peppers like cayenne pepper. The peppers are dried and ground into a powder. It’s a wonderful spice with a warm and sweet taste. The spice level can vary from mild to hot. It’s used both for its flavour and to add colour to dishes.

Paprika originates from Mexico but is now available all over the world. Hungary and Spain are the two main countries that produce paprika in Europe.

Paprika is great in blends and rubs for meat and vegetables. It goes particularly well with meats like chicken and beef.

It is also the main ingredient in the Hungarian dish Paprikash. Paprikash is a simple chicken stew with a delicious and velvety paprika sauce!

Kinds of paprika

Sweet paprika

Sweet paprika has a gentle flavour with little to no spiciness. If the recipe doesn’t specify what paprika use this one as it will give your food a wonderful colour and flavour without overpowering the dish. Try using it in spice blends or as a garnish to recipes like deviled eggs or hummus

Smoked paprika

This kind of paprika has a distinctly smokey taste and smell. It is often called pimento paprika or Spanish paprika. Before being ground into a powder the peppers are dried and smoked over an oak chip fire. Smoked paprika will add a delicious, subtle smokiness

Hot paprika

Also known as Hungarian paprika, hot paprika is spicy with a powerful rich flavour. Cayenne pepper is usually added to make it spicier. It is commonly used in stews like goulash and paprika.

Paprika Nutritional Information

There are about 282 calories per 100g of paprika. Paprika has a high Vitamin C content, Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron and is a strong antioxidant.

It also contains good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B6, folate. Vitamin B6 and folate can also help prevent you from developing anaemia. Paprika can also help regulate blood pressure, improve circulation, and aid digestion.

Paprika is usually gluten-free, but you should check the packaging before consuming.

Recipe suggestions: Potato & paprika tortilla, Vegetarian chill