11 Easy Paprika Substitutes For Any Recipe
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Paprika is used globally to add flavor and beautiful color to a range of dishes. From traditional Hungarian chicken paprikash, to homemade chili, this spice is extremely versatile. It also tends to be used in large amounts, with many recipes calling for several teaspoons of the red powder.
So, if you’ve run dry on paprika, you’ll need a substitute. In this article, I’ll share 11 quick replacements for paprika that will work in any recipe. Let’s get into it!
What Is Paprika?
Paprika is made by dehydrating red sweet peppers and grinding them into a powder. This can be done slowly by sun-drying, or quickly in a food dehydrator. The resulting flavor is sweet and rich, perfect for adding depth (and vibrant color) to foods.
You can make your own paprika if you have fresh red peppers, but the process takes some time. You’ll have to dehydrate the peppers, then grind them into powder with a spice grinder.
Best Paprika Substitutes (11 Options)
If you need some ideas to replace paprika in a recipe, these alternatives will cover all the bases. Paprika can come in sweet, spicy, or smoked variants, so I’ll touch on a few alternatives for each type.
1. Chili Powder
The most common substitute for paprika is chili powder. You likely have the spice in your pantry, and it delivers a similar earthy, deep flavor to that of paprika. The reason it is a solid choice is because it is also made from dried red peppers. You may find that some chili powders have a hint of heat, but most are very mild.
The only potential drawback is that chili powder often contains a mix of added spices, like oregano, garlic powder, or onion powder. However, this is often a welcome addition to recipes calling for paprika, so I often reach for it as a substitute.
Learn more on the differences between paprika vs. chili powder.
2. Ancho Chile
Ancho chile is made with dried poblano peppers. The flavor is a bit more fruity than normal paprika, but I find that it works as a great stand-in. If you can find ancho powder, it will add a sweet, rich flavor to your recipe. The color is a bit more green/brown rather than red, but the flavor profile is what matters most.
3. Cayenne Pepper (spicy)
If you don’t mind a touch of heat, cayenne powder can be used to substitute for paprika. Cayenne is made using, you guessed it, cayenne peppers. Just as with paprika, the hot peppers are dehydrated, then ground into a find powder to use as a spice.
I would recommend using significantly less cayenne powder than paprika. This is because most cayennes add a good amount of heat. For example, if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of paprika, start with 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and tasting for flavor.
4. Chipotle Powder (smoky)
If smoked paprika is what you need, chipotle powder is the next best thing. Chipotles are made using smoked and dehydrated red jalapeños. Yes, this does mean that chipotle powder tends to be spicy, but you can reduce the heat by taking out the seeds and membrane.
If you like spiciness and smoky flavor, chipotle are the perfect choice. Plus, if you grow your own peppers, you can make your own for the freshest, smokiest flavor possible. Or, just get chipotles online.
5. Red Bell Pepper (fresh)
If you don’t have the previously mentioned alternatives on hand, you can always resort to fresh red pepper. Bell peppers, or any other red sweet pepper will do the trick. While the flavor will not have the same concentrated goodness of dried paprika, it is technically made from the same ingredient.
If you want a more authentic flavor (and have about 1-2 days on your hands), you can dehydrate the peppers in the oven or a food dehydrator. Modern ovens often have a convection setting which will drastically speed up the drying time, but it still takes a while!
6. Aleppo
Common in mediterranean cuisine, aleppo is a crushed red pepper that is used as a spice. This option does have a mild heat associated with it, but it is subtle and tends to give a warming effect rather than aggressive spiciness. It may be less common, but if you happen to have it on your spice rack, it can fill in for paprika.
7. Hatch Chile
It’s about time that hatch green chile is getting its day in the sun. Hatch chile, or New Mexico style green peppers, are tasty chile peppers that are commonly grown in the Southwest. The peppers are commonly roasted and peeled before enjoying in various sauces and dishes. The peppers can be mild or spicy, so check the packaging before making your choice.
With their rise in popularity, you can now find them in a number of other formats, including dried. While the flavor is somewhat different, I think that dried hatch chile powder makes a great alternative to paprika. You can also use the canned variant to add a wonderful flavor that is hard to describe without having tried it yourself!
8. Smoked Paprika
While it may seem obvious, think carefully before using smoked paprika instead of plain paprika. Smoked paprika offers a much different flavor, which does tend to dominate if overused. However, when making a batch of chili, tacos, or many Mexican dishes, smoked paprika is a great option.
9. Roasted Red Pepper
When paprika is dried, it takes on a naturally roasted pepper flavor. Roasted and canned red peppers can make a good paprika alternative for many recipes. Of course, paprika is a powder, and roasted peppers are a fresh ingredient, using this as a substitute may only work in some cases. Use your best judgement, but roasted red pepper can often come to the rescue.
10. Hot Sauce
If the recipe you’re working on is a sauce, then you can try replacing paprika with hot sauce. Of course, there are many types of hot sauce, and they are also spicy. I would suggest adding a few dashes of a simple hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot or Tabasco sauce. These are made using minimal ingredients, primarily hot red chilies.
11. Red Pepper Flakes
Ever been to a pizza shop that doesn’t have red pepper flakes on the table? This is a universal ingredient for topping Italian foods. However, this spicy red pepper flake can be used to add flavor and warmth to almost any meal.
If you have them on hand, I highly recommend trying them in place of paprika for a rich, sweet, and spicy flavor profile. If you grow your own red chilies, you can make your own pepper flakes easily. You may just enjoy it more than paprika itself!
I hope this article helped you find the perfect paprika substitute for your recipe. For next time, consider picking up some high-end imported Hungarian paprika for exceptional flavor and freshness!
