This is the best substitute for paprika, made from tomato peppers and having a subtle flavor. Ancho chili powder is not as hot as cayenne pepper, and its mild heat is just right for adding a little spice to your recipe.
It’s good to add to food for color. Use 1 teaspoon of ancho powder for every 1 teaspoon of paprika, taste it, and then add more if you prefer more spice.
Bell peppers
If you have bell peppers at home, you can actually make your own paprika substitute! Place the chopped peppers on a baking sheet and dry them in the oven at 50°C for 6-10 hours.
Then grind the dried bell peppers in a grinder and sift the powder before using. This pepper substitute is especially aromatic, and the taste is very distinct. You can use this powder in equal amounts with pepper.
Tomato juice
The red color of tomato juice is an excellent substitute for pepper in terms of color and appearance. However, keep in mind that tomatoes and peppers have different flavors. Just as hot sauce helps add flavor but not color, tomato juice adds color but not the flavor of the spice.
For this reason, if you decide to use tomato juice as a substitute for paprika, add a little chili powder or hot sauce to enhance the flavor of the tomato juice and make it more similar to paprika. For each teaspoon of paprika, use a mixture of one teaspoon of tomato juice and a pinch of chili powder.