Paprika is made by grinding dried peppers into a fine powder, while bell pepper powder is made by dehydrating and grinding fresh bell peppers. Paprika is often smoked before it is ground, which gives it a distinctive flavor.

Hot or spicy paprika is, of course, hot and spicy. You may also see hot paprika referred to as Hungarian paprika. It’s not as hot as pure cayenne pepper, but it can definitely pack a punch, adding a spicy kick to almost any dish. Hungarian paprika comes in eight different varieties, each with varying degrees of heat and flavour, but the most common is édesnemes – known for its pungent, peppery flavour and sweetness.

Chipotle powder is probably the best smoked paprika substitute on your spice rack. Like the original ingredient, this replacement is also considered mildly spicy with a heat level that ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) on the Scoville Scale. Made from smoked dried jalapeño peppers, this spice is also known for its remarkable smoky and earthy taste — the result of the smoking process. Its bright red color also closely resembles paprika. All things considered, the chipotle powder is a fantastic backup for smoky dishes rather than spicy recipes. 

For traditional recipes that call for paprika, it's best to use what the recipe calls for, as the paprika is there for a reason, and its flavor and color are intended to give the dish an overall flavor profile and aspect that substitutions can't add.

Spanish Paprika

The differences, if any, are typically minor and often come down to regional preferences in terminology or slight variations in the type of chili pepper used, the coarseness of the grind or the inclusion of other spices in the mix. For most culinary purposes, these terms can be used interchangeably without significantly affecting the flavor or outcome of the dish.