Sweetly mellow and distinctive, Spanish paprika traces its roots back to Mexico. The colonial-era Spanish adopted the bright red pepper plant with gusto, and disseminated it to the Balkans, Hungary, and beyond. Sweet, or dulce, paprika is made from the mild, medium-sized Bola and Jacaranda peppers, and has more vegetal flavor than heat. It’s traditionally stirred into Spanish aioli and creamy Eastern European chicken paprikash (hence the name).
