If you like smoky, bold flavors, you’re sure to love paprika! Also known as pimento, this Spanish spice is one of the backbones of Mediterranean cooking. You’ll find it adds wonderful depth and smokiness to many dishes, from paella to tortilla, seafood, and meats. We source our paprika from the best purveyors in Spain, and are proud to carry authentic Pimenton de la Vera, the rusty-red Spanish paprika. Discover sweet pimenton, smoked, spicy and other flavorful combinations.
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About Paprika and Pimenton
Paprika comes from red chili peppers that were originally found in North and South America. The chili is dried and ground and sprinkled on dishes. With the Spanish conquest of the Americas came a demand for this spice, which become essential to traditional dishes of Spain. So much so, that the peppers were imported to Spain and grown there, in Murcia and La Vera, under the strict supervision of The DO – denomination of origin organization. The dry and warm climate of these regions made them the perfect growing point for paprika, and today, these areas are famous for their pimenton.
Types of Paprika
There are a few different types of Spanish pimenton, which vary in flavor and heat index. They come from different red chile peppers. Sweet paprika or pimenton dulce comes from sweet round peppers which produce a mild spice. Medium hot or agridulce comes from long, dark red chile peppers, while pimenton picante or hot paprika is made from a variety of long red hot chile peppers
How is Pimenton Made
The peppers for pimenton are manually harvested and dried. For smoky Pimenton de la Vera, the peppers are smoke-dried for two weeks with Encino oak for a deliciously smoky flavor that’s coveted in kitchens everywhere. Finally, the dried peppers are ground, very slowly to avoid heat altering the flavor, and then finally packaged.