Pimiento vs. Paprika: What's the Difference?

Main Difference

The main difference between Pimiento and Paprika is that the Pimiento is a Cultivar of Capsicum annuum and Paprika is a spice made from ground, dried fruits of Capsicum annuum.

• Pimiento

  A pimiento (Spanish pronunciation: [piˈmjento]), pimento, or cherry pepper is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) that measures 3 to 4 in (7 to 10 cm) long and 2 to 3 in (5 to 7 cm) wide (medium, elongate).

  The flesh of the pimiento is sweet, succulent, and more aromatic than that of the red bell pepper. Some varieties of the pimiento type are hot, including the Floral Gem and Santa Fe Grande varieties. The fruits are typically used fresh or pickled. The pimiento has one of the lowest Scoville scale ratings of any chili pepper.

• Paprika

  Paprika (US English more commonly (listen), British English more commonly (listen)) is a ground spice made from dried red fruits of the larger and sweeter varieties of the plant Capsicum annuum, called bell pepper or sweet pepper. The most common variety used for making paprika is tomato pepper, sometimes with the addition of more pungent varieties, called chili peppers, and cayenne pepper. In many languages, but not English, the word paprika also refers to the plant and the fruit from which the spice is made.

  Paprika originates from Central America, in particular Central Mexico, where it has been cultivated for centuries. The peppers were subsequently introductions to the Old World, when paprika was later brought to Spain in the 16th century. The seasoning is also used to add color to many types of dishes, and is nowadays associated with cuisines as diverse as those of Argentinian, Spanish, Moroccan and Hungarian cuisine.

  The trade in paprika expanded from the Iberian Peninsula to Africa and Asia, and ultimately reached Central Europe through the Balkans, then under Ottoman rule, which explains the Hungarian origin of the English term. In Spanish, paprika has been known as pimentón since the 16th century, when it became a typical ingredient in the cuisine of western Extremadura. Despite its presence in Central Europe since the beginning of Ottoman conquests, it did not become popular in Hungary until the late 19th century.Paprika can range from mild to hot – the flavor also varies from country to country – but almost all plants grown produce the sweet variety. Sweet paprika is mostly composed of the pericarp, with more than half of the seeds removed, whereas hot paprika contains some seeds, stalks, placentas, and calyces. The red, orange or yellow color of paprika is due to its content of carotenoids.

• Pimiento (noun)

  syn of pimento, a cultivar of Capsicum annuum.

• Paprika (noun)

  Powdered spice made from dried and ground fruits of sweet pepper (bell pepper) or chili pepper (cultivars of Capsicum annuum), or mixtures of these (used especially in Hungarian cooking).

• Paprika (noun)

  A variety of the spice.

• Paprika (noun)

  A dried but not yet ground fruit of sweet pepper (bell pepper) or chili pepper sold for use as a spice.

• Paprika (noun)

  A bright reddish orange colour resembling that of the ground spice.

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• Paprika (adjective)

  Of a bright reddish orange colour, like that of the dried paprika.

• Pimiento (noun)

  a red sweet pepper

  “a casserole of devilled pimiento”

• Paprika (noun)

  a powdered spice with a deep orange-red colour and a mildly pungent flavour, made from the dried and ground fruits of certain varieties of pepper.

• Paprika (noun)

  a deep orange-red colour.

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