Credits: Social Media
People discovering how paprika is made feel their ‘whole cooking life has been a lie’
People are only just realizing that paprika is made from dried and crushed bell peppers, as it seems most assumed the spice was an entirely different substance in itself…
Paprika acts as an excellent seasoning to add flavor and vibrancy to food recipes, and tons of people online have shared how surprised they were after discovering what paprika is actually made from. While it’s a common seasoning, and loved by anyone who doesn’t like extremely spicy dishes, it’s made from something else entirely.
Yep, paprika is actually made from dried bell peppers
Paprika is a colorful spice that contains vitamin A, capsaicin, and carotenoid antioxidants, most foodies have always assumed that the seasoning is its own substance, but now we know it’s not.
A viral post on X even suggested that some people thought the seasoning came from a ‘paprika tree’, which doesn’t exist – of course – we all knew that, right?
Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers from the ‘Capsicum annuum’ plant species. This group of peppers includes sweet bell peppers, hot chilies, cayenne peppers, poblano peppers, and Aleppo peppers.
A popular post jokingly announced that “learning that paprika is just dried and crushed red bell peppers was really shocking” as many were left astounded:
Learn how to make home-made paprika
Farmer Noah Young (@theshilohfarm on TikTok) shared a video showing how to make paprika at home – using peppers from the store, or perhaps you grow your own veg in your garden. It’s really that simple.
All you have to do is pick your choice of bell peppers, slice them in half and remove the seeds (or leave the seeds in if you wish).
Next, stick the peppers in the oven or dehydrator for a few hours. Once they are crispy, you can grind them up.
You can use a food processor or the old-fashioned mortar and pestle, like Noah does, to grind your dried peppers into a fine powder.
And just like that, you’ve got yourself homemade paprika!
Fun fact, paprika is great for chickens because the carotenoids in pepper can actually enhance the vibrancy of color in the egg yolks they produce. Plus, paprika is full of vitamins that can help the chickens’ immune system.
So, if you happen to own chickens, it can be a good idea to share your homemade paprika with the feathered friends!
