100 grams of paprika is about 14.7 tablespoons. One tablespoon of paprika weighs about 6.8 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.3 g. It is the spice that gives goulash its colour and devilled eggs their dusting, and the smoked kind is a different ingredient altogether: it tastes of wood smoke, not of pepper.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. Ground sweet red pepper; smoked paprika adds a smoky note. Goulash, rubs, devilled eggs and roasted vegetables. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 109 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Ground sweet red pepper; smoked paprika adds a smoky note. Goulash, rubs, devilled eggs and roasted vegetables.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of paprika |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.3 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 6.8 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 13.6 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 20.4 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 27.2 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 34.1 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 40.9 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 54.5 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 68.1 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 81.8 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 109 g |
| 100 g | 14.7 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of paprika is about 14.7 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A goulash for a winter dinner
A goulash for six uses 4 tablespoons of paprika, about 27.2 g, fried in oil with the onions before the beef and the stock go in. The paprika gives the goulash its deep red colour and its sweet, warm flavour, and it should be fried briefly, because raw paprika tastes flat and burnt paprika turns bitter. Four spoonfuls is enough for a pot that serves six, and the goulash should be simmered for at least two hours.
A spice rub for grilled chicken
A spice rub for grilled chicken uses 3 tablespoons of paprika, about 20.4 g, mixed with cumin, garlic powder and salt. The paprika gives the chicken a deep red crust and a sweet, warm flavour, and the rub should be massaged into the skin an hour before grilling. Three spoonfuls is enough for four chicken pieces, and the chicken should be grilled over a medium heat so the paprika does not burn.
Devilled eggs for a party platter
Devilled eggs for a party use 1 tablespoon of paprika, about 6.8 g, dusted over the tops just before serving. The paprika gives the eggs their classic red dusting and a gentle warmth, and it should be dusted on at the last minute, so it stays bright instead of soaking into the filling. One spoonful dusts about two dozen devilled eggs.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Paprika matters because it is both a colour and a flavour. It is ground sweet red pepper, and it gives goulash its deep red colour, devilled eggs their dusting, and rubs their warm sweetness. Smoked paprika is a different ingredient: it is dried over wood smoke, so it tastes of smoke, and it suits barbecue rubs and roasted vegetables. At 109 g per cup, a tablespoon weighs about 6.8 g, so 100 g is about 14.7 tablespoons, which is far more than any recipe uses at once: paprika is measured in teaspoons and tablespoons, and a tablespoon is a generous amount for a pot that serves six. The practical rule is to fry paprika briefly in oil, because raw paprika tastes flat, and to keep it away from high heat, because burnt paprika turns bitter.
When should you weigh paprika instead of measuring it in tablespoons? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed cake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking: the way ingredients pack into a spoon or a cup. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the paprika until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, but for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight jar, cool and dark, up to 1 year.
- Fry paprika briefly in oil; raw paprika tastes flat, burnt paprika tastes bitter.
- Check whether the recipe means sweet or smoked paprika; they taste very different.
- Replace paprika every year; old paprika loses its colour and its flavour.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of paprika?
100 grams of paprika is about 14.7 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, using the USDA value of 109 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 6.8 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of paprika?
One level tablespoon of paprika weighs about 6.8 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.3 g. A tablespoon is a generous amount for a pot that serves six, and most recipes measure paprika in teaspoons.
What is the difference between sweet and smoked paprika?
Sweet paprika is ground sweet red pepper, mild and warm, while smoked paprika is dried over wood smoke, so it tastes of smoke. Sweet paprika suits goulash and devilled eggs; smoked paprika suits barbecue rubs and roasted vegetables. They are not interchangeable, so check which kind the recipe means.
Can I use paprika instead of chilli powder?
Not directly: chilli powder is a blend of ground chillies, cumin, oregano and garlic, while paprika is a single spice. Paprika is milder and sweeter, so a dish made with paprika instead of chilli powder will be less hot and less complex. For a mild chilli, paprika with a pinch of cayenne is a closer match.
How long does paprika keep?
About a year in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. It does not go off, but it loses its colour and its flavour, and old paprika looks brown instead of red. If it smells weak or looks dull, replace it.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is burning paprika in a hot pan, which turns it bitter and ruins the dish; fry it briefly in oil over a medium heat. The second mistake is using smoked paprika in a recipe written for sweet paprika, where the smoke flavour overpowers the dish; check which kind the recipe means. The third mistake is storing paprika near the stove, where heat and steam spoil it; keep it in a cool, dark cupboard, where it lasts about a year. Finally, do not use old paprika that has lost its colour, because it has also lost its flavour; if it looks brown instead of red, replace it.