Paprika is a lovely red spice, often also called a seasoning, that is made from dried bell peppers. When red bell peppers are dried, they are ground into tiny particles, making paprika. While we typically think of paprika as used in Hungarian foods, and the name paprika is Hungarian, there are many European countries that use the seasoning regularly.

Paprika can be used to both season and color foods. It is added to soups and stews, sprinkled over the tops of meats, or forms part of many grilling rubs or seasonings. It’s also a common ingredient in sausages, especially those produced in Spain, Portugal, and Germany.

Paprika is noted for its mild flavor and light aroma. It is not usually spicy like the seasonings resulting from chili peppers. This makes sense, since the red bell pepper is a rather sweet and mellow fruit. But paprika can produce a little heat to a dish, as do red pepper flakes. If you’re looking for an extra kick, look for yellow to light tan colored paprika, instead of red versions. Paprika that is red is usually fairly mild.

Different grades of paprika exist, though in the US, we most often just find “paprika” in the spice section of our grocery store. In Hungary, grades of paprika can yield very different flavors. A few sample grades include:

• Hot or Eros—usually light brown and containing lots of heat.
• Special Quality—most mild and usually bright red.
• Noble Sweet—bright red and medium flavor.

Noble Sweet variants are what we commonly buy in the grocery store when we buy paprika. This form tends to be favored because of its bright color, good taste, and fairly mild “heat” quotient. Hungary exports Noble Sweet more than any other form.

Because of its flavor, paprika is a common ingredient in seasoning mixes that don’t include salt. Any type of home made meat rubs or grill seasonings with paprika can add lots of flavor without adding extra sodium, and a few of these at natural food stores are also low in salt or contain no salt. You can therefore have wonderfully spicy food that will not leave you feeling bloated.

Although we commonly think of Hungarian Goulash when we think of paprika, consider adding it to Mexican and Latin American dishes, to Moroccan foods, to chili, and to salad dressings. There are numerous suggestions on the Internet for more paprika inspired dishes that will keep this wonderful seasoning in frequent use in your home.