Paprika vs. Smoked Paprika: What’s the Difference?

Paprika is a ground spice made from a mixture of dried peppers in the Capsicum annuum family, including hot chili peppers, cayenne peppers, poblano peppers, aleppo peppers, sweet peppers, and others. This vibrant red spice varies in flavor, heat levels, and color depending on the type of peppers used to make the paprika. Originally cultivated in Central Mexico, paprika was brought to Spain in the sixteenth century before moving around the world to Asia, Africa, and other European nations. Paprika features prominently in Hungarian cuisine, where the bright red spice is used as ubiquitously as salt or pepper.

Some paprikas are hot and spicy, with predominant notes of fiery hot peppers. Others are sweet, with no heat and a mild flavor. The spice level of paprika is dependent on the flavorful carotenoids contained in the fresh peppers used for the powder, which can be measured by the Scoville heat unit scale. Use paprika within a few months of buying it; properly stored paprika may not spoil for several years, but it will lose its subtle flavors the longer it sits on the shelf.

Smoked paprika—also known as pimenton, smoked pimenton, and Spanish paprika—is made by first slow-roasting peppers over an oak fire before grinding them into a powder. This process imparts a strong smoky flavor to the final spice. Smoked paprika is commonly used alongside other potent condiments such as hot sauce.

If smoked paprika isn’t available at your grocery store, you can also use chili powder, chipotle powder, or cayenne pepper as a smoked paprika substitute. Each of these smoked paprika alternatives offers a similarly hot, smoky flavor to hearty recipes.

There are a few key differences between regular paprika and smoked paprika.

• Flavor: Smoked paprika has a richer, heavier flavor that is popular in BBQ dishes. Regular paprika contains crushed dried chili peppers. Smoked paprika is made from smoke-dried chili peppers that were dried over an oak fire before being ground into a powder. While sweet paprika is a good choice for lighter dishes like garlic chicken, smoked paprika works better for hearty recipes like baked beans.
• Uses: If you are barbequing, smoked paprika will bring out the smoky flavors from your grill more than ordinary paprika powder. Regular paprika powder typically works better as a garnish.
• Heat levels: Regular paprika has one basic level of heat, while smoked paprikas range from mild to intense.

Cooking with paprika infuses your dishes with heat and flavor. Consider a few dishes where the recipe calls for a sprinkling of generic paprika.

1. 1. Hummus: This Mediterranean spread made from chickpeas often calls for paprika as a colorful garnish.
2. 2. Chicken paprikash: Chicken paprikash is a type of Hungarian stew made with chicken, standard paprika (or ideally Hungarian paprika), bell peppers, and other savory ingredients.
3. 3. Goulash: This classic stew from Hungary includes beef, beef broth, olive oil, sweet red peppers, garlic, onions, and tomato paste.
4. 4. Deviled eggs: Deviled eggs are a popular chilled starter made with hard-boiled eggs, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, and a dash of paprika on top.
5. 5. Garlic shrimp: Sweet and savory seafood dish with grilled shrimp, olive oil, herbs, and spices including paprika.

Cooking with smoked paprika lends a bittersweet, smoky flavor to your recipes. Consider these five common uses for smoked paprika.

1. 1. Jambalaya: This hot Cajun dish is made with sausage, chicken, chicken broth, shrimp, tomatoes, and an infusion of smoked paprika.
2. 2. Dry rubs: Integrate smoked paprika and other hot spices into a dry rub for meat or seafood.
3. 3. Smoky potatoes: Potatoes rubbed with smoked paprika pair well with Denver omelets and other hearty egg dishes.
4. 4. Ratatouille: Use smoked paprika to add a BBQ flavor to this vegetable stew made with eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, olive oil, salt, pepper, onions, and garlic.
5. 5. Smoky deviled eggs: Use smoked paprika to add a spicy kick to a classic deviled eggs recipe.

Among the different varieties of paprika, the spice is often divided into three categories—hot paprika, sweet paprika, and smoked paprika—which often vary based on where they're produced.

1. 1. Regular paprika (aka basic paprika): This generic form of paprika, which is the one most commonly found in the spice aisles of average grocery stores, can consist of peppers from California, Hungary, South America, and more. This variety is very mild in flavor, without strong notes of heat or sweetness, making it the ideal garnish for dishes like deviled eggs, hummus, and potato salad.
2. 2. Hungarian paprika: Paprika is the national spice of Hungary, and is used in many of the country’s most common dishes. There are eight types of Hungarian paprika with varying degrees of heat and flavor. The most commonly used and exported variety is Noble Sweet (Edesnemes), a bright red, slightly pungent spice. Other types of Hungarian paprika include delicate, rose, semi-sweet, strong, and special quality.
3. 3. Spanish paprika (aka pimenton): Available in three different varieties—dulce (sweet or mild), agridulce (bittersweet), and picante (spicy)—this paprika typically consists of chili peppers that have been dried over oak fires (Spanish smoked paprika, or pimenton de la vera). This process infuses the spice with a smoky flavor. Other types of Spanish paprika are sun-dried or dried in kilns and therefore don’t have a smoky taste.

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