What Is Chili Powder (Er, Chile Powder..?)

- Paprika extract is typically obtained through a water-based extraction process, where the color and flavor components of paprika are extracted using water as a solvent. This method often yields a product with a lower concentration of the active compounds found in paprika.

HOT SAUCE

Chili powder is a blend that typically consists of ground dried chili peppers, cumin, garlic powder and oregano, among other spices (depending on the recipe or brand). Common in Southwestern cuisine, chili powder offers a complex flavor profile that goes beyond mere heat. It can add depth to dishes, making it a staple in Tex-Mex recipes like chili con carne, tacos and enchiladas.

Why We Love It: When you need a tried-and-true pantry staple to complement just about any dish, grab our Black Rose Hot Sauce. As one of our oldest and most popular hot sauces, this classic features medium heat and an award-winning combination of red jalapenos, cayenne peppers, and habaneros, along with a healthy dose of garlic. If you can only have one hot sauce for the rest of your life, make it this one—we promise you won’t regret it. 

It’s thought that paprika was introduced to Hungary sometime before 1550 and was first adopted by shepherds and fishermen, who found paprika to be a welcome, and spicy, addition to their more humble foods. The plants, with their pretty white flowers and vibrant red pods, were at first used decoratively in more aristocratic circles but by 1569 were being written about in reference to edible agriculture. 

Spice Up Your Meals

To recreate the spice of hot paprika, the best substitute is another dried chilli, like ground cayenne, aleppo pepper powder, crushed red pepper flakes, red chilli powder, or even a dash of hot sauce. If your recipe calls for smokiness and sweetness, try chipotle chilli powder or ancho pepper powder. Chipotle powder has a smoky taste, but is hotter than paprika with a more earthy flavour, lending itself to barbecue sauces, rubs and chillis. Due to the difference in heat, use a ¼ teaspoon of chipotle powder for every teaspoon of paprika and adjust depending on your taste buds.

If you’re looking to replicate the flavour of sweet paprika add a pinch of sugar or some honey. Adding mild chilli powder or tomato powder works too. Bell peppers are another great substitute for sweet paprika and they come from the same Capsicum annuum family. Mild, sweet and aromatic, bell peppers give the same delicious taste and aroma, while adding a splash of colour too. When buying your bell peppers, make sure they’re nice and ripe.

One of the best substitutes for paprika is cayenne pepper. It’s a spicy chilli pepper, used to flavour many different cuisines and quite similar in colour. It’s a lot stronger and hotter than paprika, so if you’re using it as a substitute in your cooking, make sure you use a lesser quantity. If you have a lower tolerance to spicy food, you can add salt, cream, chopped tomatoes or more liquid (water or broth) to try and dial down the heat.

Like paprika, chilli powder packs a lot of flavour and is another worthy substitute. It’s also not as spicy as cayenne pepper, so you can use the same quantities.  The same goes for cajun spices. A combination of black and white pepper, plus other herbs and spices, it can work as a good substitute for smoked or sweet paprika, offering a similar flavour. But you won’t get the same beautiful red colour – more of an orange, warm hue.

You can also use cumin instead of paprika. But it’s a lot hotter, so go easy on the quantities. Like cajun spices, you won’t achieve the gorgeous red colour of paprika, as cumin has more of a yellowy-brown colouring, but you’ll still get an earthy flavour with hints of bitterness and sweetness.

The name paprika itself is derived from the Hungarian word paprika, which refers to both the spice and the peppers from which it is made. The term paprika has become synonymous with the ground spice made from dried red peppers, and it is widely used in various cuisines around the world.