Both paprika and chili powder are spice rack staples. You’d be hard pressed to find a well-stocked kitchen that doesn’t include these two powders. But how are they similar, and how are they different? Can you substitute one for the other in a pinch? Does paprika ever carry the same heat, or is it always milder? The short version: paprika’s a single spice, and chili powder’s a blend. Here’s what that means for heat, flavor and your cooking.
What’s the difference between paprika and chili powder?
Paprika’s just one ingredient: dried, ground red peppers. It’s made from varieties of Capsicum annuum, the same species as bell peppers and jalapeños, and it comes sweet, hot or smoked.
Chili powder, the kind you’ll find in an American spice aisle, is a seasoning blend. It’s mostly ground chilies, mixed with other spices like cumin, garlic powder and onion, and sometimes salt. So when a recipe calls for chili powder, it’s calling for that full mix of flavors, not just the pepper.
Don’t confuse it with a pure chile powder, like ancho powder, which is one kind of ground chili with nothing added. They’re closer to paprika in that sense, even though they taste quite different.
Which is hotter, paprika or chili powder?
Usually chili powder, but both can surprise you. Regular paprika’s mild, typically around 100 to 500 Scoville heat units (SHU), and much of what you’ll see on the shelf is sweet. Hot paprikas exist, though, like Hungarian erős and Spanish picante, so paprika can carry real heat if that’s what’s on the label.
Chili powder’s heat depends on the chilies in the blend, so it varies from brand to brand. Hot versions often add cayenne, which runs 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. If you’re comparing two everyday jars, though, the chili powder will usually have a bit more kick.
How does each taste?
Paprika tastes like the pepper it came from: sweet and fruity in a regular or Hungarian sweet paprika, and deep and smoky in a smoked one like Spain’s pimentón de la Vera, which is dried over oak fires.
Chili powder tastes more like a seasoning. The chilies are there, but cumin, and often oregano, bring the earthy, savory flavor most people think of as chili, and garlic and onion round it out. It’s a more complex taste, and it’s less about the pepper itself.
What does each look like?
They’re easy to mix up at a glance. Both are red powders, but paprika tends to be a brighter red when it’s fresh, and it can run from orange-red to deep red depending on the type. Chili powder can look a shade darker or browner, depending on what’s in the blend, and a homemade one may show flecks of dried oregano.
Where did chili powder come from?
Chili powder is an American invention, and it was made for one dish. In 1894, William Gebhardt, who ran a saloon in New Braunfels, Texas, created the first commercial chili powder from ancho chilies he imported from Mexico. It was a blend for chili con carne, and that’s still the flavor most people think of when they open a jar.
Which is more useful in the kitchen?
Use paprika when you want pepper flavor and color without other spices getting in the way. It’s the base of goulash and paprikash, and our Hungarian goulash shows it at work. It’s also great sprinkled over deviled eggs, potatoes and roasted vegetables. Just remember that paprika burns easily, so add it to warm oil over low heat, or near the end.
Chili powder is built for chili, tacos, enchilada sauce and rubs, where you want all the seasoning at once. Stir a tablespoon or two in with the onions so it cooks in the oil for a minute before you add the liquid. If you’d like to control the heat and the cumin yourself, make your own. Our homemade chili powder starts with paprika and builds from there.
Can you substitute one for the other?
In a pinch, yes, since both are built on chilies. Just know what changes. Chili powder in place of paprika brings cumin, garlic and other seasonings along with it, and usually more heat, so it won’t taste as sweet or as pure. If your palate can take those differences, it’s an easy switch.
Paprika in place of chili powder will taste sweeter and milder, and you’ll lose the cumin and garlic. You can get closer by adding a pinch of ground cumin, a little garlic powder and some oregano, plus a dash of cayenne if you want the heat. Of course, these are both spice rack staples, so if you’ve got the right one in reach, let the sweet be sweet and the spicy be spicy.
Overall: a spice and a seasoning
Paprika’s a spice, and chili powder’s a seasoning. Paprika’s best when you want sweet pepper flavor and color, or smoke from a smoked paprika. Use chili powder when you want that familiar chili flavor in one scoop. They’ll stand in for each other when they have to, but they’re not the same thing.
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Related reading
- What’s A Good Paprika Substitute?: What to use when the tin runs out.
- What’s A Good Chili Powder Substitute?: Other ways to get that chili flavor into a dish.
- Cayenne Pepper Vs. Paprika: PepperScale Showdown: For when you want heat, not just color.