Now, what if you have regular paprika but don’t have the smoked variant? Can you still use it? The answer is yes! But only if you combine it with cumin and cayenne. On its own, regular or plain paprika doesn’t have the flavor that its smoked version is known for. Mixing it with cumin will bring a rich and earthy flavor, while cayenne adds heat and smokiness. With all three, you can create something close to smoked paprika.

Thus, please don't be confused when I use the terms hot or spicy paprika and Hungarian paprika interchangeably.

In summary, the spiciness of paprika can vary depending on the type of pepper used to make it. Sweet paprika is mild and sweet, offering little to no heat, while hot paprika provides a noticeable level of spiciness. Smoked paprika can be sweet or hot, with the added dimension of a distinct smoky flavor. Understanding the different types of paprika can help in selecting the right variety to achieve the desired level of spiciness in a dish.

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.

To create the same flavor as smoked paprika using the suggestions above will be your best bet. But if you want to add some heat that can be found in hot smoked paprika, use any of the substitutes above paired with hot red pepper flakes.