Domestic Sweet Paprika

Gentle and sweet with a tiny sliver of bitterness that runs along its edge, our Domestic Sweet Paprika, with its brilliant scarlet color, only looks fiery. The sweet paprika pepper is comparable to the sweet red bell pepper in terms of flavor and aggressiveness; the heat in our Domestic Sweet Paprika ranges on the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale from 0-700 units. While that may sound like a wide range, bear this in mind: A bell pepper measures at 0 SHU, a jalapeño ranges between 2,500-8,000 SHU, and a habanero contains between 200,000-300,000 SHU.

Although paprika is often associated with Hungarian cuisine, the chilies from which paprika is made are indigenous to the New World, brought to Europe as part of the Columbian Exchange. When Christopher Columbus returned to Spain in 1494 from his journey across the Atlantic, he presented paprika—heretofore unknown in Europe—to Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, who sponsored his voyages. The king and queen found these chiles too spicy for their liking and passed them on to the monks at the Guadalupe monastery. The monks in turn shared them with other monasteries throughout Spain and Portugal and, from there, paprika made its way through Europe.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Domestic Paprika is perfect for adding color and grounded piquancy to any recipe. It adds underlying sweetness to the firmament of spice rubs for ribs or brisket. It is a staple ingredient in Hungarian classics like beefy goulash or creamy chicken paprikash. It’s wonderful as the slightly sweet garnish over deviled eggs, and it adds subtle depth to hummus and baba ghanoush. Add to hard winter vegetables like acorn squash for a savory roast, or add to vinaigrettes as a background flavor and as an emulsifier. Keep an eye on Domestic Sweet Paprika when sautéing; the sugars in paprika can burn if unattended and render your dish bitter.

This product contains ground paprika, less than 2% silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent) and ethoxyquin (an anti-oxidant used to maintain color).

Paprika chiles are grown in the U.S. in both New Mexico and California. Depending on the season and commercial availability, our Domestic Sweet Paprika may be procured from either source.

This product is certified kosher.

Hungry for more information?

Spice Cabinet 101: Paprika
The Must-Have Spices for Your Kitchen
How To Make Your Own Rub
All About Paprika