Hungarian Paprika Pepper Seeds

Grow Hungarian Paprika peppers for sweet, gently spicy flavor and brilliant red color. The compact plants produce fruits that mature from green to deep red, with thick, relatively dry flesh that is well suited to drying and grinding into homemade paprika. Use fresh peppers in soups, sauces, and stews, or save the red harvest for your spice shelf.

At a glance

• Variety: Hungarian Paprika
• Botanical name: Capsicum annuum
• Days to maturity: Approximately 70 days
• Plant height: About 18 inches
• Best use: Drying and grinding into paprika; also delicious fresh
• Available sizes: 10, 30, or 100 seeds

Start seeds indoors

Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep in warm, moist seed-starting mix 8–10 weeks before your last expected frost. Peppers germinate best with warmth; keeping the mix around 80–85°F can help, and germination may take 1–4 weeks. Keep the mix moist without waterlogging it and provide good airflow.

Grow and care

Harden seedlings off gradually before transplanting outdoors after frost danger has passed and nighttime temperatures remain above 55°F. Choose a sunny location with fertile, well-drained soil. Water deeply during dry spells and mulch around plants to help conserve moisture.

Harvest and make paprika

Cut peppers from the plant when they are fully red. Hang them to air-dry or use a dehydrator, then grind the dried peppers into paprika. Fresh Hungarian Paprika also adds sweet, mild warmth to goulash, soups, sauces, stews, and roasted vegetables.