Is paprika a vegetable?
Many people wonder if paprika is a vegetable or a fruit. This question may seem simple, but the answer is a bit more complicated than you might imagine. Let’s look at it from both a botanical and a culinary point of view.
Botanical perspective
Botanically speaking, paprika is a fruit. This is because a fruit is defined as the part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds. A pepper, like a tomato, cucumber and zucchini, develops from a flower and contains seeds, so it is classified as a fruit. Botanists use this definition to distinguish fruits from other plant parts, such as roots, leaves, and stems, which are vegetables.
Culinary perspective
However, in the culinary world, paprika is considered a vegetable. This is because paprika is usually used in savory dishes such as salads, stews and stir-fries, and not in sweet dishes such as fruit salads or desserts. Culinary classification is often based on taste and intended use, not on botanical characteristics.
Summary
In summary, paprika is botanically a fruit, but culinaryly a vegetable. This difference is due to the fact that botanical classification is based on the structure and development of the plant, while culinary classification is based on taste and use.
