Name: Paprika Potato Chips
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 2 min
Yield: 8 variable
Ingredients: 1 tbsp smoked hot Spanish paprika; 1 tbsp smoked sweet Spanish paprika; 5 tbsp red wine vinegar; cracked black pepper; store-bought classic potato chips

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These paprika chips are made with store-bought chips and ingredients you probably have at home. Add a little zip to that same-old chip, and feel like you took a little trip to Spain!

In Barcelona a couple of years ago we had dinner at Bodega 1900, one of Albert Adrià’s many restaurants there. The concept takes you back 100 years, to a neighborhood vermutería, serving up small dishes (including the famous elBulli “olives”) and house-made vermouth amid white tiled walls and mosaic floors, with Iberico ham hanging from the rafters. One of the first dishes they brought to the table were these paprika chips. The menu says “potato chips with vermouth sauce” but there is no vermouth in the sauce. It’s tangy and smoky, goes perfectly with the saltiness of the chips and sweetness of red vermouth. The flavor of the paprika was a revelation. I just couldn’t get over it. And thankfully, they sold bottles of it to go. So I came back with my small-enough-that-I’m-not-worried-about-it-exploding-on-my-clothes-in-my-checked-baggage bottle, determined to recreate it.

When we first got home I yelled at my husband more than once for dousing the precious liquid too liberally onto plates of chips. “You can’t use all of that up before I learn how to make it!” But, what was it CALLED? I really struggled with the title of this post, because I literally do not know what this stuff is. I just know it’s delicious. The bottle simply says ‘aliño para apertivo’, which means a seasoning or dressing for appetizers. Soo… dressing. I can’t call it dressing… I went with paprika chips because, really, that’s what you’re tasting – paprika and chips.

So, thank you, ingredient label – it’s literally just red wine vinegar, smoked sweet and hot paprika and black pepper. I just fiddled around with the ratios, comparing my mixture to the taste of the bottle I bought. The thing is, you have to use the good Spanish paprika. The average stuff in the spice aisle just will not do.

I don’t know. Maybe everyone doesn’t freak out over the taste of paprika like I do. But who doesn’t like vinegar on chips? These paprika chips are my new favorite party trick.

Related recipes: Looking for more snacks inspired by the flavors of Spain? How about this Creamy Romesco Dip. And for more great cocktail nibbles, try these Spiced Nuts.

Paprika Chips

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tpsp hot paprika

5 tbsp red wine vinegar

cracked black pepper

Store-bought potato chips – classic style without ridges

Add paprika to a small mixing bowl.

Add red wine vinegar and whisk gently to combine.

Add a few turns of cracked black pepper.

Pour into squeeze bottle.

Drizzle over classic potato chips and serve with vermouth over ice.

Paprika chips on a small plate surrounded by plates that are red, black and yellow with Spanish phrases written on them.

Paprika Potato Chips

These paprika chips are made with store-bought chips and ingredients you probably have at home. Add a little zip to that same-old chip, and feel like you took a little trip to Spain!