Did you know
With a ruby red hue and delightfully spicy aroma, paprika is one of the world's favourite spices, and comes in many varieties including sweet, spicy and smoked. It's especially popular in Europe, where each country has its own traditional take. In Austria and Hungary, it's used liberally in steaming pots of warming goulash, while no Spanish paella is complete without a sprinkle of smoked paprika. The spicy flavour is put to good use in Portugal too, where it's added to traditional fish stews.
Although part of the same Capsicum family as chilli, paprika is made from sweet peppers, so it's a lot less intense than fiery cayenne and chilli. This brilliantly bright red spice is great as a garnish, dusted sparingly over everything from devilled eggs to potato wedges.
We only crush whole red pepper pods for our paprika to pack in all the flavour.
Flavour profile
A powdered spice that comes from red peppers, paprika has a subtle earthiness, with a sweet and peppery taste. Smoked paprika has all the appeal of the original, but with the added bonus of a distinct chargrilled flavour, which stems from being dried over an oak wood fire. This rich tone gives it a real edge, providing a unique pep-up to marinades, stews and casseroles. Carefully cultivated and packaged for freshness, we pull out all the stops to ensure this spice will enliven your cooking.
Best in…
Paprika works particularly well in meaty dishes – stir into pork and chicken dishes to add depth, flavour and colour. If you want to know the secret to an authentic Spanish paella, combine paprika with saffron. It adds a delightful burst of colour to food too, so try a pinch scattered over egg mayonnaise, white sauce or creamy soups. For a delicious roasted dish, brush paprika over baby potatoes, peppers and onions for an exciting addition to Sunday dinner. You can also liven up any salad by mixing paprika, lemon juice and olive oil before drizzling the blend liberally across the leaves.
History
Although widely used in Europe today, red paprika is believed to originate from Central America, where the peppers were used both for food and as decorations. It wasn't introduced to Europe until Christopher Columbus brought it back to Spain in the 15th century though, and was initially just considered an ornamental plant. By the mid-1900s, the peppers started to be used in cooking, and it was Hungary that set the trend for the rest of the world, adopting paprika as one of their most-used spices.
Did you know?
- Whilst found in a variety of forms, paprika is most commonly available as a powder
- Hungary is one of the world's largest suppliers of paprika
- Paprika is used as a natural colourant
Nutrition
Energy per 100g: 249 KCal
Protein per 100g: 15 g
Carbohydrates per 100g: 18 g
Fat per 100g: 13 g
Sugars per 100g: 10 g
Saturates per 100g: 2 g
Fibre per 100g: 37 g
Sodium per 100g: 0.03 g
