Is paprika a fruit or a vegetable?
When considering whether a bell pepper is a fruit or a vegetable, the answer depends on whether you look at it from a botanical or culinary perspective. This article tries to answer the question as comprehensively as possible.
Botanical perspective
Botanically speaking, paprika is a fruit. Fruits are defined as the parts of a plant that develop from a flower and contain seeds. Pepper (Capsicum annuum) meets this definition as it develops from the plant’s flower and contains seeds that can produce new plants. Thus, according to botanists, paprika is a fruit.
Culinary perspective
In the culinary world, paprika is considered a vegetable. Vegetables are usually defined as the parts of a plant that are used in cooking in savory dishes. Paprika is commonly used in salads, soups, stews and other savory dishes, making it a culinary vegetable.
Summary
In summary, paprika is botanically a fruit, but culinaryly a vegetable. This difference is because the botanical definition is based on the biological properties of the plant, while the culinary definition is based on how the plant is used in cooking.
