Paprika is made from peppers.
Not mysterious peppers. Not rare peppers. Just peppers.
The Pepper Behind the Powder
Paprika comes from dried and ground varieties of Capsicum annuum, the same species that gives us bell peppers, jalapeños, and cayenne. The difference lies in the specific cultivars used and how they’re processed.
Most paprika is made from sweet red peppers that have been allowed to fully ripen. Once harvested, the peppers are dried—traditionally by air or smoke—then ground into a fine powder. That vibrant red color? Completely natural. It’s the concentrated pigment of ripe pepper flesh.
