How to Make Paprika

Your dishes will have a pop of flavor with homemade Paprika!

Paprika powder has a powerful, rich, sweet flavor that makes every recipe irresistible. Whether you’re cooking beef, chicken, fish, or pasta, the paprika powder can make the best difference,

Aside from adding flavor, the paprika powder also infuses dishes with an incredible aroma. With this recipe, you can make this seasoning anytime you want.

It is popularly used in Mexican recipes, but you can also use it to cook other cuisines. Just imagine the quality you can get from organic and authentic paprika powder!

How to Make Paprika Powder

Since this is homemade paprika powder, you can trust that it is healthy, natural, and authentic. No preservatives are needed! You just need our only ingredient: sweet peppers!

Ingredients

Look no further because all you need to make Paprika are sweet peppers!

Sweet peppers

What better peppers to use for paprika powder than red sweet peppers? These are some of the sweetest peppers you can use to make paprika.

I love how these sweet red peppers also have a touch of earthy taste to them. These also have a citrus-like flavor because red peppers are already ripe and mature. 

Red peppers can go well with almost any food. You can make it more exciting by stuffing it with any filling. I always have sweet red peppers in stock for Jollof Rice, One-Pot Spaghetti, and Breakfast Wraps!

Directions

Now, let’s make the paprika powder!

1. Rinse the sweet red peppers.
2. Use a knife to chop off the stalks and slice the red peppers as thinly as possible.  
3. Place a grill mesh mat on top of an oven rack.
4. Then, arrange the peppers on the grill mesh mat. 
5. Preheat the oven to 85° C or 185° F for 15 minutes. 
6. Dehydrate the peppers for three to eight hours.
7. Once cooled at room temperature, put them in the blender or spice grinder to powderize. 
8. Store the paprika in a jar to use anytime!

Once it is in powder form, you can pour the contents into an airtight container and have a distinct, rich, and sweet paprika powder for everyday cooking! 

Tips

Buying red peppers

• My Food and Family suggests buying red peppers that are bright red.
• The skin should also be slightly firm to the touch.
• The stems or stalks should also be a vibrant green to indicate a healthy red pepper. 
• Red peppers with bruised skin or soft spots may be vulnerable to wilting or rotting. 

Storing red peppers

• If you’re planning on not using it for a couple of days, then you can put the unwashed red peppers in a resealable bag in the fridge.
• Do not place the red peppers in the fruit drawer of your fridge.
• Keep them dry to prevent them from rotting.
• Red peppers can last up to a week. 
• On the other hand, if you want to pre-cut your red peppers, you can wrap them in kitchen towels and place them in a container.
• Place them on the top shelf of your fridge.
• Use chopped red peppers within three days. 

How to Dehydrate Red Pepper Without an Oven

If you don’t have a dehydrator or an oven, then you can use your oven toaster to dehydrate the red peppers. Continue to use the grill mesh mat to prevent the red peppers from falling into the toaster oven. 

Alternatively, you can sun dry the red peppers! Distribute the red peppers on a baking sheet. Leave them under direct sunlight with mesh material.

This may take a few days or weeks until the red peppers become crisp.

Paprika Powder Without a Blender or a Miller

While blenders and millers are practical machines to use for powdering red peppers, you can also try other methods. You can use a mortar and pestle to pound the red peppers into your desired texture.

You may also opt to use a knife to chop the red peppers until they become powder-like manually. Do this in small amounts for more effective chopping. 

Alternatively, put the red peppers in a resealable bag and use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to pound the red peppers. 

Paprika Variations

This one-ingredient homemade paprika powder is already delicious and flavorful, but it won’t hurt to add more flavor to it!

You can add onion powder for a bit more sweetness, garlic powder to balance the sweetness, or chili powder for a slight kick of spice. 

Add other seasonings or spices in moderate amounts to avoid overpowering the flavor of the red peppers. 

There are plenty of homemade condiments you can do. If you love apples, then I suggest making Dried Apple Slices. Meanwhile, fresh grapes can also make excellent raisins, and cocoa can be yummy dark chocolate!

Recommended Tools

• Knife: Use this to chop the red peppers. 
• Grill mesh mat: Arrange the peppers on a grill mesh mat.
• Blender or spice grinder: Transform the dried peppers into a powder with a blender or spice grinder.
• Jar: Store the paprika powder in a jar.
• Oven: Dehydrate the red peppers in the oven.

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How to Use Paprika Powder

Paprika can be used in almost any dish that you can think of! It is usually used as seasoning along with other herbs and spices. You can also use it for frying, rubs, marinades, sauces, and more. 

Not only does it add flavor to food, but it also makes the colors more vibrant and the fragrance more aromatic. Moreover, the paprika powder can be used to cook:

• Turkey Pie
• Fish Seasoning
• Grilled Tilapia
• Crispy Chicken Wings
• Fried Fish Fillet
• Jollof Rice
• High-Protein Beans
• Grilled Croaker Fish

It can also make food savory, especially eggs, stew, vegetables, and rice. Oftentimes, this is also used to add color and flavor to the chicken batter. 

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Put the paprika powder in an airtight container and place it in a dry and cool area of your kitchen for three years!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is paprika powder?

Paprika powder is a spice made of sweet red peppers. These have bright red color and a rich flavor once you add them to your dishes. It also adds a fragrant aroma to your favorite recipes.

What is a paprika powder used for?

Paprika can be used for almost any dish, but I especially love adding them to beef, chicken, pasta, fish, turkey, and seasoning rubs.  

Is paprika the same as chili powder?

No, paprika powder and chili powder are distinct spices. Paprika powder provides more sweetness than spice, while chili powder can be a mixture of chilis and other herbs that contribute to a hot and spicy taste.  

Sometimes, chili powder is used as a substitute for paprika powder or vice versa.

Is paprika hot or spicy?

Paprika powder has a mix of sweet and mildly spicy flavors. It’s not as spicy as chili flakes, but it certainly has a hint of hotness to it.