Paprika Substitutions You Probably Already Have

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There are several types of paprika out there, with the most popular being Hungarian and Spanish. But what can you substitute for paprika?

As you can see, paprika is an excellent spice to use for your meat dish. It gives it a nice kick and livens up the flavor. Even though it’s an “old spice” in the world of spices, paprika still packs a punch and is widely used now. This versatile ingredient can be used to add flavor or color and is often found in chili powder.

Paprika is native to Mexico and North America but was spread to Portugal and Spain in the 16th century. It’s most often used as a colorant for savory dishes like deviled eggs or hummus–you’ll find it sprinkled on top. Click To Tweet

Paprika releases the most flavor and color when heated, so it is usually used in cooked dishes. It doesn’t add much to a dish’s taste profile either. If you’re out of paprika for your recipe but don’t want to go out and buy one, this calls for a substitute for paprika.

Here are some of the best substitutes that will work just as well when you don’t have paprika at home.

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Chili Powder and Tomato Juice

One of the best parts about using tomato juice in a recipe is that it mimics the red color of paprika. With this, you can also add chili powder to make your food taste smokier and more like paprika.

If you’re a little short on paprika, don’t worry! Just add a teaspoon of tomato juice with a pinch of chili powder and it will also give you the same result as one teaspoon of paprika.

White or Black Pepper

Black pepper is a common household seasoning and it’s found in almost every home. While this spice will not add any color to your dish, so best not to use this substitute if color is important. However, this one provides a similar level of spice as paprika to the food you are cooking.

Black pepper comes from the Piperaceae plant that is unripe and has been dried.

White pepper on the other hand is from the seeds of Piperaceae ripe fruits that are dried.

Spice experts recommend that you use 1 teaspoon of black or white pepper for every teaspoon of paprika.

Red Pepper Chili Flakes

Red pepper flakes are a blend of different peppers from the family of Capsicum annum. Mostly, they’re made up of cayenne pepper with some other varieties to bulk it out.

When adding spice to your dish, red pepper flakes are a great substitute for paprika. Dried and ground before being packaged, the peppers add heat without changing the color of your food. You can use at least a 1/3 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for every teaspoon of paprika.

Cajun Seasoning or Spice

Cajun spice is a blend of many different spices that can be used with just about any dish. This spice should always be in your kitchen cupboard, because of its versatility.

You can buy a ready-made cajun spice or you could make your own. The best thing about doing it by yourself is that you can easily customize whatever you want to add to it.

Hot Sauce

Hot sauce is a type of chili-based condiment that has been around for centuries and is also a great paprika alternative.

Tabasco hot sauce has been around since 1868. It was made in Massachusetts and became commercially available in the United States, so it’s only fair that you should be able to find this delicious product at your local grocery store!

If you’re trying to make a dish spicier, don’t hesitate to use hot sauce in place of paprika. For every teaspoon of paprika called for in the recipe, substitute 1 teaspoon or more with your favorite hot sauce.

Chipotle Powder

You can use this in chili, tacos, or even your breakfast eggs. It’s a powder that consists of dried ground red pepper with other spices like cumin and oregano.

Chipotle chiles are a great substitute for smoked paprika. They have a distinctive sweet and earthy flavor that works well in dishes with high heat or spice levels.

If you want your dish sweeter than hot, try substituting sweet paprika for chipotle powder. For every teaspoon of paprika in the original recipe, substitute 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder.

Aleppo Chili Powder

There are many varieties of peppers in the world, but one that is commonly found in Turkey and Syria is Halaby pepper. They’re picked when they’ve ripened just enough to be slightly soft, then they’re semi-dried.

Aleppo chili powder falls somewhere in between regular paprika and something as spicy as cayenne. You can use more or less depending on how much spice you’re comfortable with.

For every teaspoon of paprika, you can substitute anywhere between half and 1 teaspoon of ground Aleppo pepper.

Chili Powder

There are so many different types of chili powders. Some have more cumin than others, while some might use oregano along with other spices. It’s really important to read the ingredients list before you buy. But you can also make your own chili powder.

The most important thing you need for this recipe is 1/8 cup of sweet paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons each of onion and garlic powder, 1 teaspoon each dried oregano, ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Cayenne Pepper Powder

Cayenne pepper powder is a spice that has an intense, spicy flavor. It has a stronger flavor than paprika so you need to use less of it when using it as a substitute to paprika. Click To Tweet

If you are one of those people who prefer paprika with a little more sweetness, then just add honey or sugar. If the heat is still too much for your taste buds, try adding cream to cut through some of that spice.

It’s recommended that you substitute ⅓ or ½ a teaspoon of cayenne powder for each teaspoon of paprika.

Bell Pepper Powder

This is something that you can do at home. All you need to do is get some ripe red bell peppers and remove the stems. Place it in a dehydrator until the bell peppers become brittle. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can always use your oven.

Preheat your oven to 120°F. Finely slice the peppers and line them in the baking sheet. BTW here’s my list of best baking sheets.. Place them in the oven until they dry out. Once it has been dried or dehydrated, break them into small pieces and grind them. Strain them and keep them in an airtight container. Now, you have your very own bell pepper powder that you can substitute for paprika.

Just a Pinch

You can never have too much paprika. But what if you don’t have any? You can always use a substitute for paprika mentioned above. Just pay attention to the dominant flavors in the food you are cooking and choose a substitute that will work well.

When using the substitutes above, make sure to follow the right ratio so your dish will not be overly spicy. But of course, feel free to play around until you’re happy with the result.