Sweet Paprika
Sweet paprika is mild ground red pepper with warm, fruity flavor and bright color but almost no heat. Sweet means not hot, not sugary.
Say it: sweet pap-REE-kuh
By Andrew Cooks · Updated · 11 min read
At a glance
Sweet paprika is the mild, everyday paprika: ground dried red Capsicum annuum peppers with little or no heat, prized for their warm, sweet, fruity flavor and glowing red color rather than for spice. 'Sweet' here means not hot, not sugary: it is made from low-capsaicin peppers, so you can add it generously without setting a dish alight. It is the default paprika of most kitchens and the one usually meant when a recipe just says 'paprika', used to color and gently flavor deviled eggs, stews, rubs and dressings. The Hungarian édesnemes (noble sweet) grade and Spanish sweet pimentón (dulce) are its finest forms. Read sweet paprika as paprika without the heat: color and mellow flavor you can use by the spoonful.
What it does for you
Sweet paprika colors and gently flavors without adding heat, which is its great virtue: you can use it by the spoonful to turn a dish a glowing red-orange and add a warm, sweet, rounded pepper flavor without any risk of making it spicy. It gives body, color and a mellow fruity depth to stews, sauces, rice, rubs and dressings, and is the paprika dusted decoratively over deviled eggs, potato salad and hummus.
Cook's tip
Bloom sweet paprika gently in warm fat over low heat for a few seconds, then add liquid before it can scorch, since burnt paprika turns bitter.
Kitchen trivia
Did you know the mild sweet paprika in your cupboard exists thanks to a Hungarian breeding breakthrough that stripped the heat out of the pepper?
See the answerKey facts
- Flavor
- Warm, sweet, fruity and mildly earthy with essentially no heat; the mellow, all-purpose paprika flavor
- Heat
- Essentially 0 SHU: made from low-capsaicin peppers, so it carries paprika color and flavor without heat
- Origin
- The peppers are native to the Americas; the mild sweet grade was developed in Hungary and Spain
- Type
- Ground spice from mild, low-capsaicin dried red peppers
- Scientific name
- Capsicum annuum (family Solanaceae)
- Weight
- 1 tbsp weighs about 6.8 g
Common uses
Sweet paprika is the general-purpose paprika, used across countless cuisines for color and mild flavor. It colors and flavors goulash, chicken paprikash and other Hungarian dishes (with hot paprika added for heat), Spanish rice and stews, and Balkan and Middle Eastern cooking. It is dusted over deviled eggs, potato salad, hummus and roasted vegetables for a warm red color, rubbed onto roast chicken and grilled meats, and stirred into dry rubs, sausages, marinades, cheese spreads, dressings and seasoned flour for frying.
It is a bulk ingredient in many spice blends where paprika supplies color and body without heat. Because it is mild, cooks reach for it whenever they want paprika's glowing color and sweet, rounded flavor but no spiciness, and add a pinch of hot paprika or cayenne pepper separately if warmth is wanted.
Reach for sweet paprika whenever you want paprika's color and flavor without heat, which is most of the time. Use it generously; because it carries no capsaicin, a big spoonful adds glorious color and a warm, sweet depth without making anything spicy. Bloom it gently like any paprika: stir it into warm oil or fat with your onions off or over low heat for a few seconds to release the color, then add liquid before it can scorch, since burnt paprika turns bitter.
If you want some warmth, keep sweet paprika as your base for color and flavor and add a little hot paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper to set the heat exactly where you like it. Buy bright red, fresh-smelling paprika in small amounts and keep it cool and dark: sweet paprika fades within months, and dull brown powder gives you little but dusty flavor.
Measure and nutrition
Pick an amount to see what it weighs and its nutrition.
1 tbsp of sweet paprika weighs about 6.8 g (0.24 oz) and has about 19 calories.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Weight | 6.8 g (0.24 oz) |
| Calories | 19 kcal |
| Total fat | 0.88 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.15 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 4.6 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 3.7 g |
| Fiber | 2.4 g |
| Total sugars | 0.7 g |
| Protein | 0.96 g |
Nutrition and weights from USDA FoodData Central, Spices, paprika. Values are estimates.
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Save your recipes in Cooked.it, freeMore about sweet paprika
Sweet paprika is the mild grade of paprika: ground dried ripe red peppers of Capsicum annuum that are low in capsaicin, so the spice has paprika's color and sweet-fruity flavor but essentially no heat. 'Sweet' distinguishes it from hot paprika (the pungent grade); it does not mean the spice contains sugar. It is the standard, all-purpose paprika of most kitchens and the type usually intended when a recipe simply calls for 'paprika'. Its premium forms are the Hungarian édesnemes (noble sweet) grade and the sweet (dulce) grade of Spanish pimentón, which may be plain or smoked (smoked paprika).
Sweet paprika is distinct from the fiery cayenne pepper and the blended chili powder; it is a single ground red pepper chosen above all for color and mild flavor.
Sweet paprika is a fine, dry powder in a warm, bright red, from orange-red to a deep scarlet or brick red depending on the peppers and grind. It has the soft, slightly oily feel of paprika and a warm, sweet, fruity-peppery aroma with no chili sting to the nose. Crucially, it tastes mild on the tongue: a mellow, sweet, faintly bitter red-pepper flavor with no heat, unlike its look-alike sibling hot paprika.
Good sweet paprika is vivid and fragrant and readily tints fat and liquid a glowing red; stale product fades to a dull tan and smells flat. It clumps slightly in humid air and dissolves smoothly into warm oil. Because sweet and hot paprika look almost identical as red powders, the label rather than the appearance tells you which you have.
Like all paprika its color and flavor are fat-soluble and bloom in warm oil, releasing color into the whole dish, but its sugars scorch and turn bitter over high heat, so it is bloomed gently or added to liquid rather than fried hard. Because it carries no capsaicin, it is the paprika of choice where you want lots of color and flavor but no heat, and it is often paired with a little hot paprika when some warmth is wanted, letting you control the spice precisely.
Forms and grades
Fine mild powder; premium Hungarian édesnemes and Spanish sweet (dulce) pimentón; plain or smoked; a base in many spice blends. Made from: ripe red fruit (pericarp), dried and milled; seeds and hot ribs generally removed for mildness.
Storage and shelf life
Store cool, dark and airtight away from heat and steam; buy in small amounts and use while bright.
- Pantry
- Best within about 6 to 12 months; color and aroma fade steadily after that.
- Fridge
- Airtight cold storage can slow fading; cupboard storage is usual.
- Freezer
- Freezing airtight preserves color for longer keeping; warm to room temperature before opening.
Substitutions
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| paprika (generic) | 1:1 | Generic paprika is usually sweet paprika; effectively the same spice |
| Hungarian paprika (édesnemes) | 1:1 | The premium graded sweet paprika: more vivid color and cleaner flavor |
| hot paprika (adds heat) | 1:1 but spicier | Same color and paprika flavor but with real chili warmth; not heat-free |
Common mistakes
- A frequent mistake is assuming 'sweet' means sugary or fruity-flavored: it simply means not hot, distinguishing sweet paprika from hot paprika.
- Another is burning it: like all paprika its sugars scorch and turn bitter over high heat, so bloom it gently in warm fat off the flame rather than frying it hard in a screaming pan.
- People also grab the wrong grade, since sweet and hot paprika look almost identical; always check the label if heat (or its absence) matters.
- Using stale, faded sweet paprika is common too; it loses color and flavor within months, so dull brown powder adds little but dust.
- Finally, some cooks expect sweet paprika to add heat and are disappointed, or expect it to be interchangeable with cayenne pepper or chili powder: it is neither hot nor a blend, so reach for it for color and mild flavor and add a separate chili for warmth.
Product picks
- Hungarian sweet paprika (édesnemes)See it on Amazon: Hungarian sweet paprika (édesnemes)
- Spanish sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)See it on Amazon: Spanish sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)
- An airtight spice tin to keep paprika brightSee it on Amazon: an airtight spice tin to keep paprika bright
History
Sweet paprika is the modern face of a spice that was, for most of its history, hot. The red peppers paprika is ground from naturally contain capsaicin, so when they spread through the Old World after the Columbian exchange and were dried and milled in Hungary, Spain and the Balkans, paprika was pungent by default. The mild, sweet paprika that now dominates spice racks became possible in the 20th century, when Hungarian growers and breeders developed pepper plants naturally low in capsaicin, a breakthrough that let them produce a bright, flavorful red spice with little or no heat.
In Hungary this gave rise to the prized édesnemes (noble sweet) grade, the most widely exported Hungarian paprika, and in Spain to sweet (dulce) pimentón. Sweet paprika went on to become the everyday paprika of kitchens worldwide, the default meaning of the word, precisely because it delivers color and flavor that cooks can use without worrying about heat.
Is it still used today?
Sweet paprika is one of the most widely used spices in the world and the paprika most people keep on their shelf. Generic sweet paprika is a supermarket staple used for color and mild flavor, while graded Hungarian paprika (édesnemes) and Spanish sweet pimentón, plain or smoked (smoked paprika), are prized by keener cooks. It is essential to Hungarian, Spanish and Balkan cooking, a workhorse in spice blends and sausage-making, and the classic decorative dusting on deviled eggs and dips.
Because it is mild, it suits every cuisine and every level of spice tolerance, and it remains the default when a recipe simply says 'paprika'. As enthusiasm for single-origin and traditional spices grows, quality sweet paprikas are valued for their vivid color and clean, fruity flavor, and most cooks keep sweet paprika as their standard, adding hot paprika only when they want heat.
Questions people ask
Does 'sweet' paprika mean it tastes sugary?
No. 'Sweet' here simply means not hot: it distinguishes sweet paprika from hot paprika, the pungent grade. Sweet paprika is made from mild, low-capsaicin peppers, so it has paprika's warm, fruity, faintly earthy flavor and glowing red color but essentially no chili heat; it is not sweetened and contains no added sugar. The peppers themselves have a mild natural sweetness, as ripe red peppers do, which is part of paprika's mellow character, but the word on the label is about heat, not dessert-like sweetness.
So you can add sweet paprika generously for color and flavor without making a dish either spicy or sugary. If you want warmth, that is what hot paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper is for.
Is sweet paprika the same as regular paprika?
Essentially yes. When a recipe simply says 'paprika', it almost always means sweet paprika: the mild, all-purpose grade used for color and gentle flavor. Generic supermarket paprika is normally sweet paprika, so the two terms are used more or less interchangeably in everyday cooking.
The label 'sweet' is spelled out mainly to distinguish it from hot paprika and smoked paprika, which are specific grades with heat or smoke. Premium sweet paprikas include the Hungarian édesnemes (noble sweet) grade and Spanish sweet pimentón (dulce). So if you have a tin labeled just 'paprika' it is very likely sweet paprika, and you can use it wherever a recipe calls for either.
What is sweet paprika used for?
Sweet paprika is the go-to paprika for color and mild flavor without heat. It colors and flavors goulash and chicken paprikash (with hot paprika added for warmth), Spanish rice and stews, and Balkan and Middle Eastern dishes; it is dusted over deviled eggs, potato salad, hummus and roasted vegetables for a warm red color; and it is rubbed onto roast chicken and grilled meats and stirred into dry rubs, sausages, marinades, dressings, cheese spreads and seasoned frying flour. It is also a bulk ingredient in many spice blends, where it adds color and body.
Because it is mild, it suits any dish and any spice tolerance, and you use it generously. When you want some heat, keep sweet paprika as the base and add hot paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper to control the spice.
Can I use sweet paprika instead of hot paprika or cayenne?
You can use sweet paprika in place of hot paprika or cayenne pepper if you want the color and flavor without the heat, but the dish will be milder; it will lack the warmth those spices provide. If you actually want that heat, add it back separately: keep the sweet paprika for color and stir in a little hot paprika or a pinch of cayenne to reach the spice level you want. Going the other way, using hot paprika or cayenne where a recipe calls for sweet paprika will make the dish spicier than intended, cayenne especially, since a spoonful of it is far hotter than a spoonful of sweet paprika.
So sweet paprika is the safe, mild choice, and heat is best added deliberately and to taste rather than by swapping in a hot spice blindly.
How do I keep sweet paprika from tasting bitter or dull?
Two things ruin sweet paprika: burning it and letting it get old. Its natural sugars scorch quickly over high heat and turn bitter, so bloom it gently: stir it into warm oil or fat off or over low heat for just a few seconds to release its color, then add liquid before it can cook further, and never fry it hard in a smoking pan. And because paprika fades, buy it fresh and in small amounts, keep it airtight in a cool, dark place away from the stove, and replace it when the color dulls from bright red to brown.
Fresh, bright sweet paprika bloomed carefully in fat gives glowing color and a warm, sweet flavor; burnt or stale paprika gives dusty bitterness. Getting both right is the whole secret to using it well.
Trivia answer
Sweet paprika seems so ordinary that it is easy to assume it has always been around, but the mild, heatless red spice we use so freely is actually a 20th-century achievement. The peppers paprika is ground from are Capsicum annuum, close relatives of chilies, and they naturally contain capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers burn. For most of paprika's history in the Old World, then, the spice was pungent: hot paprika was simply what paprika was.
What changed everything was Hungarian plant breeding: in the early decades of the 20th century, growers in Hungary's paprika country around Szeged and Kalocsa developed and propagated pepper plants that were naturally low in capsaicin, so their ripe red fruit could be dried and ground into a bright, richly flavored spice with little or no heat. That gave rise to the prized édesnemes, or 'noble sweet', grade and made possible the sweet paprika that cooks everywhere now add by the spoonful for color and mellow flavor without fear of spicing a dish. So the everyday tin of sweet paprika is quietly a product of clever horticulture: the taming of a hot pepper into a gentle, colorful seasoning fit for every kitchen.
Origin and background
- How it spread
Peppers reached Europe after 1492; mild sweet paprika followed 20th-century Hungarian breeding of low-capsaicin peppers.
- Where it's popular
Hungary (édesnemes) and Spain (dulce) above all; used worldwide as the default general-purpose paprika.
- Cuisines that use it
Hungarian, Spanish, Balkan and worldwide cooking; the everyday paprika for color and mild flavor.
How it's made
- How it's produced
Mild, low-capsaicin ripe red peppers are dried (air, sun or smoke), deseeded and destalked, and milled to a fine powder; graded for color and sweetness.
- From the same source
The same species as hot and smoked paprika, chosen for mildness; cayenne is a hotter ground Capsicum; chili powder is a paprika-based blend.
Growing and season
- Season
Peppers are harvested and dried in autumn; the ground spice is available year-round.
- Growing zones
The peppers are a warm-season annual, grown roughly USDA zones 4 to 11; frost-tender.
- Climate
Peppers need a warm, sunny season to ripen fully red; mild varieties are bred low in capsaicin.
Possible allergens
Not a common allergen; being low in capsaicin it is very mild and rarely irritating.
Diet notes
Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free; a natural source of red color and carotenoids.
Important: Allergen information is provided for general information only. We cannot guarantee it is complete or accurate, and ingredients and manufacturing practices vary by brand and change over time. Always read the label on the product you are using. If you have a food allergy or a medical condition, consult your health care provider.
Related
- Paprika
- Hot paprika
- Smoked paprika
- Hungarian paprika
- Pimentón de la Vera
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili powder
- Chili pepper
- Bell pepper
- Dry rub
- Paprika
Paprika is a ground red spice made from dried, ripe chili peppers of the species Capsicum annuum (the same species as the bell pepper and cayenne pepper), milled to a fine, brick-red to scarlet powder.
- Hot paprika
Hot paprika is paprika with real chili warmth: ground dried red Capsicum annuum peppers that keep their capsaicin, so the powder carries a genuine spicy heat on top of paprika's warm, sweet, fruity red-pepper flavor and glowing color.
- Smoked paprika
Smoked paprika is paprika made from red chili peppers that are dried over smoldering oak before being ground, so the powder carries a deep, smoky, almost bacony flavor on top of paprika's warm, sweet red-pepper taste.
- Hungarian paprika
Hungarian paprika is the paprika of Hungary, where ground red pepper is the national spice and is grown, dried and graded with unusual care, above all in the regions of Szeged and Kalocsa.
- Pimentón de la Vera
Pimentón de la Vera is the famous Spanish smoked paprika from the La Vera valley in Extremadura, western Spain, made from red chili peppers slowly dried over smoldering oak before grinding, a method that gives it a deep, distinctive woodsmoke flavor.
- Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is a thin, hot, red chili pepper, and, more familiarly, the fiery red powder ground from it that lives in almost every spice rack.
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