Wait—Paprika Is Just What?!

We all know paprika—that red powder you toss on deviled eggs or chili. But a recent viral post reminded the world of

a surprising truth: paprika isn’t some exotic spice from a mysterious tree. It’s just dried, ground red capsicum (aka sweet red peppers).

An Australian wellness brand, Nutra Organics, sparked the revelation with a post that read:

“Learning that paprika is just dried and crushed red capsicum was really shocking. I don’t know why I thought there was a paprika tree somewhere.”

The internet lost it. Commenters everywhere admitted they also believed paprika came from a special

plant or spice pod. Turns out, we collectively invented the idea of a “paprika tree”—and never questioned it.

In reality, paprika is made by drying ripe red peppers and grinding them into powder. That’s it. No magic, no mystery—just peppers and patience.

You can even make your own: dry red peppers (air, sun, or dehydrator), grind, and voilà—DIY paprika.

Want smoky flavor? Try drying over fire or using smoked varieties.

The spice hasn’t changed, but our perception has. Paprika isn’t foreign or fancy—it’s just a red pepper in disguise.

And no, there never was a paprika tree. Sorry.