Types of Paprika  

Like with most spices, you'll come across several varieties of hot paprika. They differ in heat levels and coarseness. From mild to extra-hot and coarse to fine powder, you will surely find a variety that will work best for your recipe.

Carne con chili, or chili con carne, is a renowned Tex-Mex dish that showcases the versatility of chili peppers. It features tender meat, usually beef, simmered with chili peppers, tomatoes, beans, and spices until flavors meld into a hearty stew. The key to a flavorful carne con chili lies in the quality of the chili used, whether it's fresh peppers, chili powder, or pure paprika.

The price of paprika per kilogram in China is influenced by various factors, such as the quality of the peppers used, the processing methods, and the supply and demand in the market. Some regions in China are known for producing high-quality paprika, which can fetch a higher price per kilogram compared to lower quality varieties.

While smoked paprika gives a dish depth, sweet paprika is a classic staple and can be used in almost every dish alongside garlic and onion. Use the following spices instead to get the paprika flavor when you don’t have any on hand.

Another worthy replacement for smoked paprika is ancho chili powder. It’s made from dried and ground ancho chiles. This pepper is more common in Mexican cooking but found its way into the United States by way of Tex Mex cuisine. They offer mild to medium heat that only ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 SHU. It has a deep, smoky and slightly sweet flavor. For this reason, you don’t have to worry as much when using this as a replacement as it won’t overpower your dish as easily compared to chipotle powder. To use as an effective backup, you can incorporate exactly how much a recipe calls for smoked paprika.

FAQs About Crushed Red Pepper and Paprika

Incorporate this with a 1:1 Cajun spice to smoked paprika ratio (more if your bottle at home is milder or less if it’s spicier). 

Bell peppers definitely have a less spicy flavor and heat level than the peppers used to make hot paprika. But I have tried bell pepper powder in many of my recipes, and it worked just fine.

If you’re looking for paprika, you won’t have to search far. You’ll find the popular spice in your local supermarket, just look out for the label. If it just says paprika, that means it’s most likely the sweet variety. So if you’re after smoked, make sure it says it on the packaging label. You’ll also find smoked paprika as powder to use in your marinades and rubs. Speciality food stores and spice shops, as well as online, are a good place to get your hands on authentic Hungarian and Spanish paprika.

There are several types of paprika, including sweet, hot, and smoked. The heat level of paprika is measured on the Scoville scale, which ranges from 0 (no heat) to over 2 million (extremely hot). Some of the most popular varieties of paprika include: