What’s Paprika? A Complete Guide to All Its Types, Benefits and How Can You Use it In The Kitchen!

Paprika is a spice made from ground red chili pepper or pepper: sweet or spicy, paprika is a very fragrant ingredient, used as a condiment in all the world's cuisines. A spice of ancient Indian origins, paprika arrived in Europe via the Hungarians who in turn imported it from the Turks; in the late 19th century, Hungarian immigrants introduced the spice to the U.S. as well. In Hungary, in fact, paprika is the undisputed star of numerous typical dishes, including the famous goulash, so much so that the word "paprika" itself comes from Hungarian and means "pepper". More or less spicy depending on the different varieties of peppers used, paprika is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and has a powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. Let's get to know this spice better: where it comes from, why it is an ally of our health and how to use it best in the kitchen.

What is Paprika?

Paprika, sweet or spicy, is a spice obtained from the processing of different types of pepper or chili pepper: in the first case it is red pepper, in the second it is spicy chili pepper. To obtain this ancient spice, the peppers are dried and then ground: a more or less red powder based on the level of spiciness, used in Indian, Turkish, Hungarian, Spanish cuisine and increasingly appreciated also in our recipes. Be careful not to be fooled: paprika is not "simply" dried chili pepper, but rather a more complex preparation that changes based on the presence or absence of seeds; however, the internal white part is completely absent, one of the parts containing capsaicin, the substance responsible for the more or less high level of spiciness.

Paprika's Properties and Benefits

Particularly interesting is the nutritional profile of this spice which, given its numerous beneficial properties, should not be missing from our kitchens and recipes. Let's start by saying that paprika is a real concentrate of vitamins: it contains high concentrations of vitamin A, useful for the development of the eyes and vision, vitamin K and vitamin C which help us support and protect the immune system.

Whether sweet or spicy, paprika is a low-calorie spice (282 kcal per 100 grams) low in fat and rich in mineral salts, especially iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium; it has high antibacterial and antioxidant properties thanks to the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols, beta-carotene and lutein. Paprika protects the health of the skin and hair, stimulates digestion and the natural activity of the intestine and is useful in cases of high blood pressure thanks to capsaicin, a substance capable of lowering blood pressure.

Types of Paprika

Depending on the variety of chilli peppers used, we can find different types of paprika on the market: more or less sweet, spicy and/or smoked. Among the most common varieties of paprika we distinguish sweet paprika, semi-sweet paprika and red paprika (also called "strong"). Sweet paprika is undoubtedly the least spicy and also the most used in our kitchens because it is more versatile and fragrant, semi-sweet and pink are characterized by more full-bodied and generally spicy structures and are recognizable by a red and golden color.

To the best known ones are added the lesser known ones: fine paprika, paprika eros, smoked paprika (known in Spanish cuisine as pimenton, smoked with fine woods) and paprika kulonleges: the fine one has a sweet taste and a dark color tending towards brown; the eros is the one for you if you are not afraid of spiciness, while the kulongenes does not go unnoticed for its bright red color.

How to Use it In The Kitchen

One of the winning features of paprika is undoubtedly its versatility and this is why it is particularly loved in many cuisines, from the Hungarian tradition to the Northern European ones. Sweet paprika goes very well with white meat, not by chance it is an irreplaceable ingredient in marinades and breadings but also in simple and delicious dishes such as paprika chicken or honey chicken wings. If you have bought spicy or smoked paprika and you don't know how to use it, try paprika French fries, fragrant and very simple to prepare, also excellent to enjoy cold as finger food.