Smoked Paprika: How Pimentón de la Vera Is Made, How Hot It Is, and How to Use It

At its best-known source, smoked paprika’s smoke comes down to the weather. In Spain’s La Vera, home of the protected Pimentón de la Vera, the damp autumn doesn’t allow sun-drying, so the peppers dry for 10 to 15 days in sheds over holm oak or oak fires.¹ What you get tastes as much of smoke as of pepper, in sweet, bittersweet and hot versions, though even the hot one comes with no Scoville figure in its specification. It’s written into the rules for at least one protected Spanish chorizo, and it raises one safety question that’s specific to smoked spices.

At a glance

Measured values

15 figures, sourced

Measure	Value	Scope	Source
Moisture after smoke-drying Limit	under 15 %	Pimentón de la Vera PDO specification, fruit dried 10 to 15 days from 80% moisture	assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
Moisture, maximum Limit	14 %	Pimentón de la Vera PDO specification, finished powder	assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
Extractable color (ASTA), minimum Limit	90 ASTA units, at milling	Pimentón de la Vera PDO specification	assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
Pungency, paprika category Limit	480 SHU or less Scoville heat units	Paprika as a category, Codex CXS 353-2022The La Vera specification gives no Scoville or capsaicin limit for its types.	fao.org
Pungency, hot paprika category Limit	above 480 and below 900 Scoville heat units	Hot paprika as a category, Codex CXS 353-2022	fao.org
Vitamin A (RAE) Nutrient	2,460 µg per 100 g	USDA FoodData Central, paprika (FDC ID 171329, one SR Legacy composite); no separate entry for smoked paprika	fdc.nal.usda.gov
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) Nutrient	29.1 mg per 100 g	USDA FoodData Central, paprika (FDC ID 171329, one SR Legacy composite); no separate entry for smoked paprika	fdc.nal.usda.gov
Vitamin B6 Nutrient	2.14 mg per 100 g	USDA FoodData Central, paprika (FDC ID 171329, one SR Legacy composite); no separate entry for smoked paprika	fdc.nal.usda.gov
Iron Nutrient	21.1 mg per 100 g	USDA FoodData Central, paprika (FDC ID 171329, one SR Legacy composite); no separate entry for smoked paprika	fdc.nal.usda.gov
Calcium Nutrient	229 mg per 100 g	USDA FoodData Central, paprika (FDC ID 171329, one SR Legacy composite); no separate entry for smoked paprika	fdc.nal.usda.gov
Benzo[a]pyrene	40.1 to 70.4 µg/kg	Three samples of Spanish smoked paprika powder assessed by BfR (Opinion 018/2024)Sources differ in scope from the Spanish 144-sample average. EU limits of 10 µg/kg benzo[a]pyrene and 50 µg/kg PAH4 for dried spices do not apply to smoked Capsicum (smoked paprika).	bfr.bund.de
PAH4 (sum of four PAHs)	167.9 to 311.7 µg/kg	Three samples of Spanish smoked paprika powder assessed by BfR (Opinion 018/2024)	bfr.bund.de
Benzo[a]pyrene	0.049 mg/kg, average	Reference values from 144 samples of PDO Pimentón de la Vera (Spanish study, 2021)Sources differ in scope from the BfR three-sample figures.	mdpi-res.com
PAH4 (sum of four PAHs)	0.780 mg/kg, average	Reference values from 144 samples of PDO Pimentón de la Vera (Spanish study, 2021)	mdpi-res.com
Ochratoxin A, maximum Limit	20 µg/kg	EU Regulation 2023/915, dried Capsicum fruits (includes chillies, chilli powder, cayenne and paprika)	eur-lex.europa.eu

Each figure is quoted as its source states it, with the samples or standard it applies to. Where sources differ, both are shown; nothing is averaged. All measured values

How smoked paprika is made

The defining step is drying over smoke instead of in the sun. In La Vera that comes down to climate: the area’s damp autumn doesn’t allow sun-drying, so the peppers dry in sheds over fires.² The PDO specification describes drying sheds with a holm oak and/or oak furnace on the lower floor, and a drying time of 10 to 15 days in which the fruit goes from 80% moisture to under 15%. The finished powder can hold no more than 14% moisture.¹

You’ll often read that smoked paprika is sun-dried first and smoked afterward. The La Vera specification describes smoke-drying from fresh, with no two-step process.¹

Not all Spanish pimentón is smoked. Pimentón de Murcia, the other Spanish PDO, is dried in the sun or with hot air.³ The international Codex standard for dried chile and paprika doesn’t mention smoking at all,⁴ and none of the standards we checked defines “smoked paprika” outside the La Vera PDO. PepperScale points out that any paprika can be smoked, Hungarian types included, though the Spanish smoked kind is the one you’ll most often find outside Spain.⁵⁶

The three La Vera types

The specification records capsaicin as absent in Jaranda, Jariza and Bola, and present in Jeromín.¹

Flavor

The specification calls Pimentón de la Vera smoky, intense and penetrating in flavor and aroma, and says its flavor, aroma and color stay stable over time, mainly because of the slow drying.¹ In the pot it tastes of wood smoke and sweet roasted pepper, and the hot type adds a slow, warm heat. PepperScale notes that some people find it tastes a bit like liquid smoke in powder form, and that its smoke is often too much for a recipe written for sweet paprika.⁵

For the compounds behind paprika’s color (capsanthin and capsorubin) and heat, see paprika.

How hot is smoked paprika?

The figures we have are category definitions, not measurements of smoked paprika, so they’re shown separately:

The Codex bands tell you where the international line between paprika and chile sits. The La Vera specification doesn’t say whether a given hot pimentón falls inside the hot-paprika band. You’ll often hear that even hot smoked paprika is much milder than cayenne, but we couldn’t trace that to a measurement. PepperScale says picante paprika lacks searing heat, but gives no figure.⁹ When a label says only “smoked paprika”, assume nothing about heat and taste it first.

Origin and history

Peppers reach Spain. Capsicum annuum was domesticated in central-east Mexico, and peppers reached Europe through Spain after the voyages to the Americas.

La Vera. The specification puts the first records of pepper growing in the province of Cáceres at the end of the 15th century, started by the Hieronymite friars of the Monastery of Guadalupe and later reaching the Monastery of Yuste. By the mid-18th century La Vera was making 1,000 arrobas of paprika a year, but its real industrial growth began at the start of the 20th century.¹ A widely repeated version of the story says the friars grew peppers at Charles V’s request and that industrial production began in the late 17th century. The specification mentions neither.

Murcia. The Pimentón de Murcia file credits Hieronymite friars with bringing the pepper there too, dates the first records to the early 16th century, and puts the start of industrial production in the mid-19th century.³ You’ll sometimes read that Murcia started growing peppers in the 18th century. The PDO file dates it two centuries earlier.

How it is used

Chorizo and cured meats. The La Vera specification says the stable red of smoke-dried pimentón made it the best preservative for sausages and cured meats, and cites its use with pork, kid, lamb and game.¹ Two protected Spanish chorizos show how it’s written into the rules:

So pimentón is central to Spanish chorizo, but not every protected chorizo calls for smoked pimentón. It’s often said that chorizo’s red color and smoky flavor come almost entirely from smoked paprika. The specifications make pimentón a basic ingredient, but only Cantimpalos requires smoked La Vera pimentón, and neither says how much of the color or flavor it supplies.

In the kitchen. Smoked paprika goes into:

• Potato dishes such as patatas bravas, roast potatoes and potato salad.
• Bean and chickpea stews, lentils and soups.
• Barbecue rubs, marinades and sauces, where it gives you a smoky note without a smoker; see BBQ spices. PepperScale also recommends it as a dry rub for barbecue and hearty meats.
• Deviled eggs, hummus and roasted vegetables, as a finishing dust.

Paella often gets listed as a smoked paprika dish. PepperScale says paella and patatas bravas often rely on smoked Spanish paprika for their flavor,⁶ but none of the Spanish recipe standards or regional sources we checked shows it as standard.

Technique. Like other paprikas, it scorches fast. Warm it briefly in oil off high heat, or add it with liquid. Burned paprika turns bitter. Start with about 1 teaspoon in a dish for four and adjust from there.

Buying and quality

• Look for the PDO. The Pimentón de la Vera specification sets the smoke-drying method, the growing area and the permitted varieties. The protected area covers the districts of La Vera, Campo Arañuelo, Valle del Ambroz and others in northern Cáceres.¹
• Read the type. Sweet (dulce), bittersweet (agridulce) or hot (picante). The label tells you; the color doesn’t.
• Color. The La Vera minimum is 90 ASTA units at milling.¹ A brick-red powder is a fair sign of freshness. A brown, dull one has faded.
• Adulteration. A 2020 review of paprika fraud lists bulking with white pepper, curcuma, brick powder and barium sulfate among known problems for paprika in general.¹² See paprika for more.

Storage

Keep it airtight, dark and cool. The La Vera specification says its flavor, aroma and color are highly stable over time,¹ but gives no shelf life, and we didn’t find a shelf-life figure from a regulator or standards body. Replace it when the smoke smell fades.

Nutrition and health

USDA FoodData Central has no separate entry for smoked paprika. Its paprika entry (one SR Legacy composite) is the closest, and 1 teaspoon weighs 2.3 g.¹³

Paprika is rich in these nutrients by weight, but a teaspoon gives you only a few percent of the daily value. None of the sources we reviewed supported claims that it strengthens bones, prevents anemia, protects DNA or lowers cancer risk, and we’re not claiming smoked paprika treats or prevents any disease.

Safety

Smoke compounds (PAHs). Smoked paprika has been assessed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), contaminants that EU law limits in spices.¹⁵

• EU limits. For dried spices, EU law caps benzo[a]pyrene at 10 µg/kg and the sum of four PAHs (PAH4) at 50 µg/kg, but those limits don’t apply to smoked Capsicum, meaning smoked paprika, or to cardamom.¹⁵
• German risk assessment (2024). Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) assessed three samples of Spanish smoked paprika powder that contained 40.1 to 70.4 µg/kg benzo[a]pyrene and 167.9 to 311.7 µg/kg PAH4. It concluded that these levels are of little concern for public health, noted gaps in the data on long-term consumption, and said exposure should still be kept as low as reasonably achievable.¹⁵
• Spanish study (2021). Spanish researchers used reference values from 144 samples of PDO Pimentón de la Vera, averaging 0.049 mg/kg benzo[a]pyrene and 0.780 mg/kg PAH4, and estimated average Spanish consumption at 139 g of smoked paprika per person per year. They concluded that PAH intake from smoked paprika is a negligible fraction of total intake.¹⁶

Both sets of figures are above the general spice limits, which don’t apply to smoked paprika. Both assessments still conclude that the risk from normal use is low.

Mycotoxins (EU). EU law caps ochratoxin A at 20 µg/kg in dried Capsicum fruits, a category it says includes chillies, chilli powder, cayenne and paprika.¹⁷

Substitutes and comparisons

• Smoked paprika substitutes and paprika substitutes
• Paprika, for Hungarian grades and unsmoked Spanish pimentón
• Other smoky options: chipotle powder, which PepperScale recommends for a similar smoky flavor with much more heat, and smoked sea salt
• Paprika vs. cayenne and paprika vs. chili powder

Footnotes

1. Pimentón de la Vera PDO product specification, Consejo Regulador. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk · Regulator ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵

2. Pimentón de la Vera PDO, Foods & Wines from Spain (ICEX). foodswinesfromspain.com · Regulator ↩

3. Pimentón de Murcia PDO application and specification, European Commission eAmbrosia. ec.europa.eu · Regulator ↩ ↩²

4. Standard for Dried or Dehydrated Chilli Pepper and Paprika, CXS 353-2022, Codex Alimentarius. fao.org · Standard ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. Matt Bray, Smoked Paprika Vs. Paprika: PepperScale Showdown, PepperScale, 2015. pepperscale.com · Publication · PepperScale is also owned by Matt Bray, the editor of this site. ↩ ↩² ↩³

6. Matt Bray, Hungarian Paprika Vs. Spanish Paprika: How Do They Compare?, PepperScale, 2022. pepperscale.com · Publication · PepperScale is also owned by Matt Bray, the editor of this site. ↩ ↩²

7. Matt Bray, Smoked Paprika Substitutes: What To Use When You’re Out, PepperScale, 2025. pepperscale.com · Publication · PepperScale is also owned by Matt Bray, the editor of this site. ↩

8. Matt Bray, Is Paprika Spicy?, PepperScale, 2024. pepperscale.com · Publication · PepperScale is also owned by Matt Bray, the editor of this site. ↩

9. Matt Bray, Spanish Paprika 101: Much More Than Smoked, PepperScale, 2018. pepperscale.com · Publication · PepperScale is also owned by Matt Bray, the editor of this site. ↩

10. Chorizo de Cantimpalos PGI product specification, Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, 2023. mapa.gob.es · Regulator ↩

11. Chorizo Riojano PGI, Foods & Wines from Spain (ICEX). foodswinesfromspain.com · Regulator ↩

12. Galvin-King, Haughey, Elliott, Detection of substitution adulteration of paprika, Foods, 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · Peer-reviewed ↩

13. Spices, paprika (FDC 171329), USDA FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov · Regulator ↩ ↩²

14. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, FDA. fda.gov · Regulator ↩

15. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked paprika powder, BfR Opinion 018/2024. bfr.bund.de · Regulator ↩ ↩² ↩³

16. Coleto et al., An Approach to the Consumption of Smoked Paprika in Spain and its Impact on the Intake of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Foods, 2021. mdpi-res.com · Peer-reviewed ↩

17. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, EUR-Lex. eur-lex.europa.eu · Regulator ↩

Also drawn on

• La conservación y producción de Capsicum en Hungría y la cooperación científica España-Hungría en la mejora del pimiento para pimentón (paprika) (Pék et al.), Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (Spain), library archive. mapa.gob.es
• Multiple lines of evidence for the origin of domesticated chili pepper, Capsicum annuum, in Mexico (PNAS 111(17), 2014), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (via eScholarship, University of California). escholarship.org