Now, let’s say you don’t have any of these ingredients, your last resort would be to use black and white pepper to replicate the peppery and smoky kick that paprika offer. Chili flakes will also do in some recipes that use paprika as a garnish such as deviled eggs and potato salad.

All types of paprika are made from peppers belonging to the Capsicum annuum family. However, hot paprika is made using spicier peppers and will include the inner piths.

There are three different types of paprika; this spice is either sweet, or hot, or smoked. Understanding these three characteristics often help determine where a particular kind of paprika is from. “Regular” paprika tends to be sweeter, not really hot, and can be from California, Hungary, or South America. There are 8 different kinds of Hungarian paprika, and they can be sweet, hot, or pungent, and range in color from vibrant red to light brown. Spanish paprika is usually smoked, and can be mild or hot.  

If you're worried about the difference in texture, you can turn your crushed red pepper flakes into powder. Simply place a good amount in your coffee or spice grinder and pulse.