Hungarian Paprika

What is paprika?

Paprika powder is a flavourful spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is a versatile seasoning popular around the world, perfect for adding a vibrant colour and a rich flavour to your dishes.

Paprika reaches a whole new level in Hungary, where it is not just a spice, but a cornerstone of our national cuisine, essential for making authentic versions of traditional dishes.

Is paprika spicy?

Paprika can range from sweet and mild to hot and fiery, depending on the variety of pepper used. We offer various grades of Hungarian paprika, allowing you to select the ideal type that suits your recipes and cooking preferences.

How to use paprika powder?

Paprika is a versatile pantry essential, perfect for infusing your dishes with a rich ruby colour and an intense flavour.

Sweet paprika is the primary seasoning used in authentic goulash recipes, and it is also essential in classical dishes like chicken paprikash and stews. A certified organic sweet paprika is also available to buy.

Smoked paprika is made from peppers that have been smoked over fragrant beechwood, imparting a mouth-watering aroma. It is perfect when sprinkled over eggs, baked potatoes, or chips for a culinary twist.

Hot paprika is an excellent choice if you are looking to spice up your mealtimes, as it adds vibrant heat with fruity notes, and its more complex flavour makes it a gourmet substitute for the pure fieriness of chilli powder and cayenne pepper.

What is paprika good for?

Paprika powder has a range of health benefits:

• Rich in antioxidants, such as carotenoids and vitamin C, which may help combat oxidative stress and support a healthy immune system.
• An excellent source of vitamin A, regular consumption may promote good vision and improve skin health.
• Its natural capsaicin content, especially in hotter varieties, may help boost your metabolism, support heart health, and naturally reduce inflammation.

Adding paprika powder to your meals is a simple way to enhance flavour while also nourishing your body.

Is paprika the same as cayenne pepper or chilli powder?

No, paprika is not the same as cayenne pepper or chilli powder. 

Cayenne is made from a specific type of hot chilli and is always spicy, whereas paprika can be mild or hot, depending on the peppers used.

Chilli powder, on the other hand, is usually a blend that includes chilli peppers along with other ingredients such as cumin, garlic, or oregano, whereas paprika is a single-ingredient spice.

What is the difference between Hungarian and Spanish Paprika?

Hungarian and Spanish paprika differ in both their flavour profiles and culinary traditions. Hungarian paprika is prized for its range of styles. The hand-picked raw peppers are dried under the baking sun of the Hungarian Great Plain. This unique drying process, combined with gentle stone-milling, initiates the caramelisation of the naturally occurring sugars, which gives Hungarian paprika from Szegedi its characteristic taste profile that sets it apart from all others.

Spanish paprika, known as pimentón, often has a distinct smoky flavour due to the peppers being dried over oak wood fires. If you are looking to replace your regular Spanish paprika, then smoked Hungarian paprika would be the closest alternative.

While both add character to dishes, Hungarian paprika is more about the purity of flavour, letting the natural fruity taste of the red peppers shine, whereas Spanish paprika is more robust and it emphasises smokiness.

Why is Hungarian paprika the best?

Hungary is renowned for producing the finest paprika in the world, cultivated in the famous Kalocsa and Szeged regions in the heart of the Hungarian Great Plain. The unique climate and soil in these areas produce peppers with unmatched intensity, and as a result, they both enjoy Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.

Our authentic range of sweet, hot, smoked and organic paprika powder is available under the Monika’s Kitchen label, and it comes directly from Rubin Paprika, the top Hungarian brand based in the heart of the Szeged region. They work closely with local producers to source the finest peppers and combine their decades of experience with the latest technologies to bring you a premium quality ingredient that can take pride of place in your spice cupboard. 

Our paprika has a distinguished history at the Great Taste Awards, with an independent stamp of approval coming from the finest palates in the UK, including leading chefs and industry experts.

Premium Quality Paprika

Paprika quality is primarily measured through the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) colour value system, which quantifies the intensity of the spice's red pigmentation. ASTA values typically range from 80 to 180, with higher numbers indicating more vibrant colour. Colour intensity directly correlates with the concentration of carotenoids, which give rise to paprika's characteristic hue and account for a significant portion of its flavour.

Our Hungarian paprika has a brilliant, deep red colour with an ASTA value between 170 and 180, which is among the highest available on the market. Finely ground to a uniform texture, it has the perfect balance of a sweet, fruity aroma with subtle earthy undertones and a rich, complex flavour. It comes in an airtight container, which protects it from light. The stand-up, re-sealable pouches for the 100g packs are a convenient way to store them in your spice cupboard, keeping them under ideal conditions to maintain their best appearance and flavour.

This contrasts sharply with many supermarket-bought alternatives, which can be brown or orange in colour, indicating oxidation or poor processing. A bitter flavour with harsh or acrid notes suggests poor drying methods or storage conditions, while a dull taste offers no added value to your recipes.

Buy Hungarian paprika online

Taste the difference for yourself that paprika with character can bring to your recipes and never look back.

Buy online in our store and shop with free next-day UK delivery on all orders over £60.