Paprika is a commonly used spice, partly due to its color, but also its inherent versatility. The easiest varieties to find are sweet, hot, and smoked. Your spice cabinet isn't quite complete without it.
That said, running out is inevitable — and if your pantry is fresh out, what do you do? If what you're making is something that hinges on the spice, like paprikash for example, you may be better off simply going with another dish. But for most other recipes that use much smaller amounts, there are several easy stand-ins for this seasoning.
What Is Paprika?
Paprika is a spice made from capsicum annuum, the same plant as cayenne pepper, with a shockingly bold red or orange color. This bright color is thanks to carotene, the same pigment that gives carrots their signature hue.
Paprika vs. Smoked Paprika: What's the Difference?
Paprika is grown in multiple places, but most famously in Spain and Hungary. The spice plays a key role in much of both cuisines, including dishes like paprikash, goulash, stuffed peppers, chorizo, and traditional Spanish rice.
What Does Paprika Taste Like?
The flavor of paprika will differ a bit depending on the variety. Paprika is often sold with either sweet, hot, or smoked on the label. Even though each of these paprikas is used to season food, how they show up in that food will be different.
With paprika's deep, incredibly recognizable charred bell pepper flavor, it can be difficult to think up a replacement when the stash runs out.
Season Your Dishes to Perfection With This Guide to Paprika
Best Paprika Substitutes
Whether the recipe (or your taste buds) calls for sweet, hot, or smokey may determine your selection. Sometimes the best thing to do is use multiple things; for example, if a recipe calls for hot paprika, you can use an appropriate stand-in for sweet, then add a dash of hot pepper flake for spice.
No matter what, when choosing a substitute, take note of heat level, form, color, and smokiness in order to choose the best one for the task.
Chili Powder
This is one of the best choices to step in for paprika due to its color and earthy flavor. Chili powder is made in the same way paprika is, except it uses some different peppers.
Typically a combination of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, sweet paprika, and oregano, chili powder will contribute nicely to the depth of flavor in a dish without staggering heat. It's a balanced blend that can be used in an equal amount to paprika in marinades, vegetables (like this whole roasted cauliflower), soups, stews, and roasts.
7 Spices for Perking Up Pantry Meals
Cayenne
Cayenne is an excellent substitute for hot paprika. It'll allow you to keep the spiciness, but it will be slightly stronger in flavor, so use half the amount. To duplicate the taste of paprika more accurately, try adding a little bit of sugar (about 1/2 teaspoon sugar to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne for 1 teaspoon paprika).
This will tame the heat a bit but give you the same vivid color. This is great for sweet and spicy desserts, marinades, vegetables, and casseroles.
Chipotle Chili Powder
This powder is made by grinding chipotle peppers (dried and smoked jalapeños) and will give nearly the same pop of color as paprika. However, it will pack more heat, so like cayenne, drop the amount used by half and try adding a bit of sugar to bring a better balance, leaving you with the mildly sweet, smokey flavor with a bit of heat you're looking for.
Aleppo Pepper Powder
Aleppo might be a little harder to come by, but if you happen to have some at home or be passing by a specialty market, give it a whirl.
The spicy factor will fall somewhere between cayenne and paprika, but you won't really need to worry about detecting that heat too strongly in a recipe. You can use Aleppo pepper powder in anything that calls for paprika, like a baked spiced chicken, but use 1/2 the amount.
Red Chili Flakes (Crushed Red Pepper Flakes)
Another dried pepper alternative, red chili flakes are coarser and chunkier than the fine powder of paprika, but it will be close in color and flavor. With this one, you'll want to use only ¼ of the amount, so you don't bump up the heat too much.
How to Taste—and—Adjust Any Dish Like a Pro
Tomato Powder
Tomato powder is made from ground, dried tomatoes and is used as a base for tomato paste or sauce. It'll deliver a punch of big tomato flavor, which would be a bit different than paprika's earthy red pepper notes, but just as tasty. Throw equal amounts of this in place of sweet paprika in a BBQ spice rub, sauces, or cooked or deviled eggs.
Black Peppercorn
If paprika is just being dusted in, try this instead. Freshly ground peppercorns can add a bigger bite than standard ground black pepper. (If you don't have a spice grinder or pepper mill add some to a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.)
Hot Sauce
You can use hot sauce in place of any type of paprika, depending on the flavor of the hot sauce itself. Like paprika, hot sauces range in flavor from sweeter/tangier to smokier to downright scorching. The added tang from the vinegar within it will be a nice touch. Try it in a rub, marinade, soup, stew, roast, or braise.
Start with a few dashes and taste as you go until you're satisfied flavor-wise. Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take away. Caution is key.
Chili Sauce
Like hot sauce, stick to using chili sauce in stews or sauces, where swapping a powder for liquid won't matter. Used in equal amounts to the amount of paprika called for, this swap brings a nice red color and a touch of heat.
Bell Pepper
For the overly ambitious, you can make your own paprika by using your oven (or a dehydrator if you have one) to dry out red bell peppers, then add them to a food processor to grind them into a powder. This will be a stark, fresh alternative to paprika, and may make you wish you ran out of paprika more often.
If you don't have the time for that or would prefer something less labor-intensive, you can still go the bell pepper route. Just mince the fresh vegetable as fine as you can and cook it down a bit before adding it to your dish. Go with a soup, stew, braise, or roast for this swap.
Related:
- 10 Easy Tips to Keep Herbs and Spices Fresh and Flavorful
- What Does It Mean to 'Bloom' Spices?
- Tips for Fixing Food That's Too Spicy
