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Paprika substitute for my authentic Hugarian cabbage roll recipe

15 years ago

Hello. I am in the middle of making cabbage rolls. The recipe calls for paprika, which I just discovered I do not have. Since it is a large amount (2 tablespoons for 2 lbs ground meat)I am concerned the flavor will be off if I omit it. What can I substitute ( and how much) for 2 T. paprika? thanks

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Comments (22)

lindac
15 years ago
Do you have any ground dried red chilis? And chili powder? and dried red chilies?
Unless you have some or one of them I would change the recipe, borrow from a neighbor or go to thes tore.
Linda C
jimster
15 years ago
I think tomato would be a good substitute for color, texture and flavor, not the same flavor as paprika, but good in its own right.

One way would be to substitute tomato sauce or tomato juice for water or other liquid in the recipe.

Another way would be to substitute tomato paste for the paprika.

I think either way would give a good flavor and the right thickness. A bit of red pepper would be good too, but not as a total substitute for the paprika, IMO. Only for chiliheads.

Jim
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Marigene
15 years ago
I would definitely not use chili pepper, that would ruin Hungarian cabbage rolls. Just make them without and they will be fine.
carla35
15 years ago
You mean there's actually a taste to regular Paprika; it's not just for coloring?

I would go without, or add a little tomato as suggested or maybe some very finely (sweet) chopped red peppers.
rachelellen
15 years ago
Yes, there's a taste to paprika. If you have some mild chili powder, that would work...I'd cut down the amount some though, as the flavor is stronger than paprika. I would take a few of my dried tomatoes & powder them, mix with the chili powder, but not everyone has dried tomatoes on hand. Otherwise, I'd say Carla is right, some tomato & finely chopped sweet pepper. :D
sally2_gw
15 years ago
I don't see chile powder and paprika as being similar at all, other than color. To me, they taste completely different. Having said that, I can't think of a substitute for paprika, so I'm no help at all.

Sally
lindac
15 years ago
Paprika is dried and ground red pepper....some times smoked sometimes not...sometimes hot and sometimes mild.
Every sort of pepper has a different flavor Anaheim, poblano, hatch....all taste different. I have several dried and ground.
Actually chili pepper would be the best substitute for paprika.
Linda C
rachelellen
15 years ago
No, Sally, you're right, especially if it's a brand that's heavy on the cumin etc...but then, nothing tastes like paprika really, except for paprika. But most store bough chile powder is pretty bland stuff, and mostly made of mild chile, which is why I thought it might work.

Actually, I generally have a variety of dried chiles on hand, so I'd just powder up some mild ones.
jimster
15 years ago
Chile powder and powdered chiles are two different things. Maybe everybody here knows that already -- it's not clear from the discussion. Chile powder is a mixture of powdered chiles, oregano and cumin. It's intended for making chile con carne, although I don't use it.

Hungarian paprika is available either sweet or hot. Just thought I'd mention it. It has no bearing on the discussion.

Jim
User
15 years ago
I'm too late to the party but I don't think anything can sub for Hungarian Paprika and maintain the integrity of the original dish .

If the recipe calls for hot Hungarian Paprika you could sub some cayene or ground chiles. If it calls for sweet Hungarian paprika then some mild chile powder may be OK. In any case it will be different that the original recipe, good but different.

In addition to sweet and hot, there is also smoked paprika which I love!

Kathleen
Lars
15 years ago
I think you could use pimentos. I agree with Linda that you can use dried chili powder, providing you adjust the amount if it is hot. I keep dried Ancho chili powder on hand for emergencies, although I generally use whole dried Anchos in recipes. I keep Korean chili powder in stock also, and it is only a bit spicier than Hungarian chili powder.

If you have some mild chili or enchilada sauce, you could use that also. Check the ingredients on the can first, however. If it has tomatoes, the chili flavor will be diluted.

I guess I missed this party also!

Lars
sally2_gw
15 years ago
Jim, I hadn't thought about the difference between dried ground chiles and chile powder. Also, I can't say I've ever tasted hot paprika. Most paprika I've tasted has had just a hint, just barely a hint of flavor, other than the smoked paprika.

Sally
jimster
15 years ago
To quote myself, "Hungarian paprika is available either sweet or hot. Just thought I'd mention it. It has no bearing on the discussion."

Now that I think about it, it does have a bearing on the discussion. We don't know if the recipe called for hot or sweet paprika. I kinda think it would be sweet in this case. Just a guess.

Jim
jimster
15 years ago
Here I go, following up on my own post (dontcha hate it when people do that?).

I just noticed that, a few posts back, I stated something Linda C had posted (paprika can be hot or sweet), as if it had not already been said (dontcha hate it when people do that?).

Sorry, Linda.

Jim
carla35
15 years ago
My personal preference for cabbage rolls would be the sweet paprika. You know if there's tomato sauce in the recipe... and you just need some spice, I'd consider just a little of whatever spice(s) you use for spaghetti sauce. I've even seen some cabbage roll recipes with cinnamon.

While we're on the subject of paprika, has anyone done a lot of cooking with "Spanish Smoked Sweet Paprika"? I think pixistix has won a couple big contests using it in her recipes. I still can't find it anywhere and never got around to ordering it online. If you guys have it, do you like it? I'm under the impression it's a lot better than a just a sweet or hot paprika.
canarybird01
15 years ago
Carla I use it all the time, as I live in Spain and it's sold everywhere here.
It's called Pimenton de la Vera and comes from La Vera, Spain, in the province of Caceres.

I use the brand "Santo Domingo" which has three varieties....agridulce=bittersweet; picante=sharp and dulce=sweet.

Another popular brand is "La Chinata".
The authentic Pimenton de la Vera will have the logo of the pepper growers which is the denominacion de origen ...or the guarantee of authenticity, seen in the bottom right corner of the first photo.

Here is a text page which gives some background info about this paprika and another page which shows pictures of the various brands available, in case you see one of these little tins in your supermarket.

I hope you have the chance to try it out as it's a very nice addition to many dishes.

SharonCb
Ideefixe
15 years ago
IF your paprika lacks flavor, it's time to buy some new.
shambo
15 years ago
Sharon, my daughter bought me a tin of sweet LA CHINATA a while ago, and I love using it. As I've said many times before, my husband is on a low sodium diet and I need everything I can get my hands on to spark up the flavor of certain dishes. The smoked paprika really helps. It adds such a nice smoky flavor to roasted potatoes and roast chicken -- almost a barbecue without the grill. I copied the recipe for chorizo too. I have to make my own Italian & breakfast sausage. I don't do casings & stuffing, but I bet it would taste good fresh and pan fried.
BeverlyAL
15 years ago
I'm late and sure you've already made the cabbage rolls. I've tried numerous types of Paprika with exception of Hot and Smoked Paprika and find they basically have no flavor worth using. I have a new box of Hungarian and used it this week in Chicken Paprikash and it was tasteless as far as the paprika was concerned. There is really no substitute for sweet or Hungarian Paprika and I would just use a little tomato paste for color. I hope your dish turned out well.
dances_in_garden
15 years ago
I am certainly too late, but I probably would have sauteed and pureed some red or yellow bell pepper. Not the exact same taste as the paprika, but I think a good substitution.

When using sweet paprika, if you taste it right out of the container or sprinkle it on something it doesn't really have much flavour. That's why most recipes that want the FLAVOUR of paprika call for heating it in either a bit of oil or with other ingredients (some sweated onions, for example). This allows the flavour to bloom, along with a simmering in a saucy type base. I also believe the flavour comes out more when you introduce a bit of acid as well (a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, that sort of thing).
jimster
15 years ago
In this lengthy thread, I think something has been forgotten. The OP did not have the paprika called for by the recipe. What was being sought is a way of making the recipe without paprika. Unfortunately, the OP did not state what other ingredients were on hand. Some of the suggested subs are things which might require a trip to the store, in which case the called for paprika could just as easily be bought. So, there has been a lot of interesting discussion, but a lot of it was perhaps a bit OT.

While we are talking OT about paprika, I noticed several posts saying paprika is flavorless. Indeed it is flavorless in the amounts sometimes used, such as a garnish for deviled eggs. A sprinkle of it will not affect taste at all. Used in fractions of a cup or more, it will affect the recipe, not in a strong way, but like other flavorful veggies. I used to use a combination of sweet and hot paprika to make chili (sans tomatoes) because those were the powdered chiles available to me at the time. As a main ingredient, they had lots of flavor.

Jim
carla35
15 years ago
Sharon, thanks for the info. I will definitely be on the lookout for it.

From what I understand, unless it is a real potent paprika, generally it will be close to flavorless if not heated as dances mentioned above. Maybe that's why I think my paprika tastes so bland. I generally use it on cold things.

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