Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Paprika


Paprika

Top flavour pairings and paprika recipes, revealed through the hidden methmatics of flavour.

Paprika is defined by the unmistakable taste of tomato and bell pepper, but beneath its umaminess lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as smoke, caramel, and hints of black pepper that give it remarkable depth. Understanding how these layered flavours work together is the secret to unlocking truly exceptional pairings.

To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our analysis reveals, for example, how lamb shank's gamey tones enrich paprika, and how flaked salt's saline notes create a surprising synergy with its green sweetness.

Flavour Profile Of Paprika Across 150 Dimensions Of Flavour

Flavour notes evoked by paprika

Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Paprika: Tomatoey, Capsicum, Caramel, Smoky, Poivre, Honeyed, Hay, Apricot, Charred, Resinous, Raisin, Peach, Pear, Malic, Cherry, Tobacco, Basil, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Chlorophyll, Coriander seed, Parsnip, Toasted, Glutamic, Sugary


An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as vegetal, spice, or maillard, combined with layers of subtle flavour notes (outer bars). For a balanced dish, pair ingredients with a variety of core flavours, and choose complementary aroma notes for harmony.

The Flavour Code


To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.


The Flavours That Harmonise With Tomato Notes

Strength of Association Between Flavours

The flavours most associated with tomato notes are: Saline, Ovine, Oceanic, Seaweed, Fishy, Wheat, Ferrous, Proteolytic, Lactic, Oyster, Starch, Sage, Butyric, Thyme, Fatty.

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between tomato and brine flavours. Since paprika has a distinct tomatoey flavour, try pairing it with the briney flavours of flaked salt.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing paprika with flaked salt.

  • Harmonious Flavours Of Paprika


    Just as our statistical analysis showed that tomato and briney flavours are harmonious, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour notes present in paprika. For instance, the capsicum notes of paprika are strongly associated with fenugreek and camphor flavours.

    The aromas associated with the various notes of paprika can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

    Flavour Profile Of Paprika And Its Complementary Flavour Notes

    Flavour notes evoked by paprika

    Flavours complementary to paprika

    Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Paprika: Tomatoey, Capsicum, Caramel, Smoky, Poivre, Honeyed, Hay, Apricot, Charred, Resinous, Raisin, Peach, Pear, Malic, Cherry, Tobacco, Basil, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Chlorophyll, Coriander seed, Parsnip, Toasted, Glutamic, Sugary


    Matching Flavour Profiles


    The flavour profile of lamb shank offers many of the aroma notes complementary to paprika, including gamey and ovine accents. Because the flavour profile of lamb shank has many of the of the features that are complementary to paprika, they are likely to pair very well together.

    Prominent Flavour Notes Of Lamb Shank Are Represented By Longer Bars

    Flavour notes evoked by lamb shank

    Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Lamb shank: Gamey, Ovine, Iron, Glutamic, Adipose, Buttery, Lactic, Proteolytic, Charred


    The chart above shows the unique profile of lamb shank across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with paprika.


    Recipes That Pair Paprika With Lamb Shank


  • Linked Flavour Notes


    Looking at the aroma accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of paprika, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

    Paprika's Harmonious Flavours And Complementary Ingredients

    Paprika's Strongest Flavours

    Complementary Flavours

    Ingredients with Complementary Flavours





    Flavour groups:


    Nectarous

    Floral

    Herbal

    Spice

    Vegetal

    Maillard

    Earthy

    Woody

    Carnal

    The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of paprika, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the accents complementary to paprika.


    What To Drink With Paprika


    The graphite notes in faugères make it a perfect pairing with paprika. Likewise, the cedar flavours in lemonade create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of paprika below.




    Which Cheese Go With Paprika?


    Choose cheese that awaken its greenness or ground its golden sweetness. Gouda and berkswell cheese offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Halloumi add a gentle, oniony brightness, while sheep's cheese introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

    Alternatively, embrace cheese that harmonise with paprika's turpentiness. The addition of pecorino romano, with its subtle glutamic notes, can complement the resin beautifully, while feta lends a salty character.

    How Flavonomics Works


    We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

    Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

    Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

    We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

    These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Paprika), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.


    Explore More


    Discover more ingredient profiles and expand your culinary knowledge. Each ingredient page offers detailed analysis of flavour profiles, pairing insights, and culinary applications.



    The content on our analysis blog is semi-automated. All of the words were manually written by a human, but the content is updated dynamically based on the data.