Q: Is crushed red pepper the same as red pepper flakes? A: Yes, crushed red pepper is often referred to as red pepper flakes, as it consists of dried and crushed red chili peppers.
Paprika is made from bell or chili peppers that have been finely ground two or more times without the veins and seeds, according to Katherine K. Schlosser, author of The Herb Society of America's Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs. Because of that, you can swap sweet paprika for another pepper-based spice, such as cayenne or chili powder. Like using other types of paprika, these spices will lend your recipe a different flavor than you would get from the sweet paprika.
Smoked paprika is paprika that's made from peppers that have been dried and smoked before grinding, and it has a distinctive smoked, charred aroma and flavor.