We added coriander and a bit of cayenne to the usual paprikash ingredients to give the flavor more depth. While I was shopping I saw some beautiful red bell peppers and I thought, "Why not?" They added some bright color, crunch, and sweetness to the dish, plus they're full of vitamins and antioxidants.
Hey! You could add more peppers and leave out the pork for a good vegetarian paprikash!
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What Is Paprikash?
Paprikash is a stew that originated in Hungary. It's traditionally made with chicken, but can also be made with pork, beef, lamb, or even shrimp.
As the name implies, the predominant flavoring is paprika, which is a mild member of the pepper family. Hungarian paprika is sweet, but you can also get hot paprika and smoked paprika (which we're using here), which are hotter.
NOTE: You may hear people on cooking shows calling it "paparika". They need to be slapped in the face with a dead fish, or at least get points docked, for saying that! It's "pop-rika", not "papa-rika".
And while I'm at it, vinaigrette is pronounced "vi-nuh-gret", not "vinegar-ette". Take notes! You don't want to look silly if you're ever on MasterChef!
Ingredients You'll Need
- pork
- red bell peppers
- flour
- smoked paprika
- coriander
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
- cayenne pepper
- heavy cream
- hot noodles, for serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of pork?
Sure! You can use loin roast (not the same as tenderloin!) or chops. These are lean cuts, so they require either quick cooking or long, slow simmering. You can also use a fattier cut, like butt or shoulder, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time.
Why do you say to use red bell peppers?
Because they're the sweetest! Green, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers are all the same vegetable at different stages of ripeness. (They're really fruits, but let's not get into that here!) Green peppers are the unripe form of the vegetable, and have a grassy and slightly bitter flavor. The others are sweeter, with red of course being the sweetest. You can use any color you want... or multiple colors! just be aware that the dish will have a different flavor.
So bell peppers aren't vegetables? Really?
Okay, you made me go there. Technically, if you're eating the part of a plant that contains the seeds, it's a fruit. So bell peppers... or any other type of pepper... are fruits. So are tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, peas, avocados, and eggplants. (And by the way, tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers and eggplants are berries. Are you confused yet?) If you're eating any other part of the plant, it's a vegetable. We use the stalks of celery, so it's a vegetable... and so is rhubarb!
That's botany. Now let's talk cooking. If something is sweet we call it a fruit, and if it's savory we call it a vegetable. Tomatoes are somewhere in the middle, but we usually use them in savory dishes so we call them vegetables.
Okay, let's get back to cooking!
That sounds pretty spicy!
It is! We like a lot of spice, but I know that's not for everyone. To tone the heat down, use sweet Hungarian paprika and leave the cayenne out.
Variations
There are a lot of ways to change this recipe up. You can use a different meat, like lamb, chicken, or shrimp. Leave the meat out altogether, and make a vegetarian bell pepper paprikash, or make mushroom paprika for a "meatier" flavor. Instead of using powdered garlic and onion, use a couple of cloves of minced garlic and thinly sliced onion. Increase or decrease the heat level to suit your taste. Use sour cream instead of heavy cream. Serve it with boiled potatoes instead of noodles.
It's your food, have fun with it!
Make This Spicy Pork Paprikash!
Here are the ingredients: pork, peppers, butter, cream, and spices (paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder).
Melt the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes. I like them to be crisp to add that crunch to the dish.
While the peppers are cooking, toss the pork with the seasonings.
Add the pork to the pan and sauté for about two minutes. Pork tenderloin is a lean meat and 1-inch pieces are going to cook pretty quickly. If you overcook it, it will be tough and chewy.
Remove the pork and peppers to a bowl. Pour the cream into the pan and bring it to a boil, stilling continuously until it thickens. Add the pork and peppers back to the pan and stir for 2 or 3 minutes. Again, don't overcook! You can press down on a piece of pork with your finger to test it. It should feel a bit springy, but not soft.
It's done! Serve over hot noodles, and sprinkle with parsley if you like.
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📖 Recipe Card
Spicy Pork Paprikash with Red Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 red bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound pork tenderloin trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- hot cooked egg noodles for serving
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and sauté for about three minutes until they start to soften1 tablespoon butter, 2 red bell peppers
- While the pepper is cooking, toss the pork with the seasonings.1 pound pork tenderloin, 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add the pork to the pan and stir for about 2 minutes. Remove the pork and peppers to a bowl.
- Add the cream and bring to a boil, stirring continuously until it thickens.¾ cup heavy cream
- Return the pork and peppers to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve with the noodles. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.hot cooked egg noodles
Nutrition Estimate
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Elaine says
I made this for a quick dinner on an unseasonably cold Sunday, and it was the perfect comfort food! The combination of seasonings gave the pork a wonderful flavor, and the red bell peppers added a nice crunch.
Kurt says
I'm glad you liked the dish! After looking at some other paprikash recipes I've found that some of them do include bell peppers. Who knew? I need to do more research on other vegetables that might work well with paprikash, and also try making it in the slow cooker and pressure cooker.