grace drainage mat

Within the fruit, capsaicin is present in the placenta of the pepper, the white pith the seeds are attached to, which we call ribs or veins. To a lesser extent, it can also be found in the other fleshy parts of the fruit. Contrary to what you might believe, the seeds themselves do not produce any capsaicin.

Spanish paprika, also known as pimentón, is another popular variety that is made from smoked peppers. It has a distinct smoky flavor and is often used in traditional Spanish dishes like paella and chorizo.

These little seeds come in all sorts of colorful boxes, from the sweet bell pepper to the mighty hot Carolina Reaper. Many capsicums contain capsaicin, which is the substance responsible for the kick spicy food enthusiasts love and crave.

What Customers Say: “Slow heat and a long aftertaste. It has a very vinegary aroma that catches the first taste, little bit of garlic, and the heat sort of rises up slowly and lingers long after. It's a perfect combo and must-have for any Cajun flavor fanatics.”

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.