Can I use cayenne instead of paprika?

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I want to cook mixed bean goulash tonight, and the recipe calls for paprika, but I have none.

Anyone know if I can use cayenne pepper instead?

TIA.

I wouldn't - paprika is red & sweetish - cayenne is red & hot & peppery!

If you are using tinned toms or tom puree it will be fine - I'd add a splash of wooster sauce (gently) instead.

God no. Paprika is an essential ingredient in goulash. If it doesn't contain paprika it ain't goulash. Cayenne pepper is hot like chilli powder so if you used a couple of teaspoons of cayenne it will be practically inedible.

Oh bum. I really fancied doing that tonight!

Thanks for the advice though-no point making something that'll taste horrible.

Why don't you just make a mixed bean casserole and do as magimedi suggests.

If you have got Tabasco you could use a very few drops of that for some spicy flavour, but go very easy with it, just a few drops at a time and taste as you go.

Cayenne can be really hot. A flatmate when I was a student wanted to perk up some 'spag bol' ... her mother used to put in paprika, she put in a generous amount of cayenne. Oh boy. We had to eat it because that's all there was. Burned on my memory!

Smoked paprika is my favourite seasoning at the moment - that would work well with beans I think.

I have no worcester sauce...

However, I do have tabasco......!

Standard paprika tastes of virtually nothing, smoked paprika however is bursting with flavour. I'd plough on and make the goulash without the paprika, unless it calls for smoked paprika and then you could substitute chipotle, taste for seasoning though.

Made it.

The tabasco looked manky so I decided to just try the cayenne using 1 tsp instead of the 3tsps of paprika called for.
It was delicious -but not goulash of course, more spicy mixed beans.

I will put smoked paprika on the shopping list.

Thanks for all your help