Alma Paprika
Also known as Alma Paprika · Sweet Apple Paprika Pepper · Apple Hungarian Pepper
Hungarian heirloom Capsicum annuum variety prized for its round, apple-shaped fruits and traditional role in producing sweet to mildly hot paprika powder, while also excelling in fresh culinary applications.
About 1/13 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).
Growing
~75 days to maturity
Fruit size
5–8 cm
Flavor & Use
Sweet with fruity and mild earthy undertones; crisp texture when fresh, developing deeper, richer, almost caramelized notes when dried and ground into paprika.
Culinary
About
Alma Paprika is a Hungarian heirloom Capsicum annuum variety whose name means 'apple paprika' in Hungarian, referring to its round shape. Peppers are small, squat, globe- to slightly flattened cherry-type fruits averaging 5–8 cm across with thick walls, smooth shiny skin, and many lobes. They ripen from creamy white or pale yellow-green through orange to vibrant red. The flavor is sweet and fruity with mild earthy notes and subtle heat (typically 1,000–3,000 SHU) that becomes slightly more pronounced at full ripeness. Plants are compact and highly productive. The variety is prized both for fresh eating and as one of the traditional peppers dried and ground into high-quality sweet to mildly hot paprika powder central to Hungarian cuisine such as goulash and paprikás. It was introduced to Hungary via Ottoman trade routes in the 16th–17th centuries and selectively bred in the Kalocsa and Szeged paprika districts.
Backstory
Alma Paprika traces its roots to peppers brought from the Americas to Europe in the 15th–16th centuries. It was introduced to Hungary by Turkish traders in the 16th–17th centuries, initially grown as an ornamental before selective breeding in the Kalocsa and Szeged regions emphasized its round shape, thick walls, vibrant color, and mild flavor for paprika production, which became central to Hungarian cuisine by the 19th century.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreAlma Paprika is a traditional landrace.
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Alma Paprika?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 1,000–3,000 SHU (Vendor Claim). Capsi uses a sourced range and a trust tier, not a single marketing number. How we verify heat: https://web.thecapsi.app/learn/heat-and-capsaicin/how-we-measure-heat
- What does Alma Paprika taste like?
- Sweet with fruity and mild earthy undertones; crisp texture when fresh, developing deeper, richer, almost caramelized notes when dried and ground into paprika.
- How do I grow Alma Paprika?
- Alma Paprika: about 75 days to maturity, temperate climate, full sun, hardiness zones 5-11.
- What can I substitute for Alma Paprika?
- Capsi does not have that recorded yet.