Paella is a rice dish from Valencia, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. The original paella valenciana is made with chicken, rabbit, flat green beans, large white garrofó beans, saffron and short-grain rice, cooked in a wide, shallow pan, traditionally over a wood fire. Seafood paella and black rice are its coastal cousins. Spaniards eat paella at lunch, often on Sundays with family, and rarely at dinner.
Want paella in the rice fields outside Valencia on your trip? Talk to a planner, who replies within one business day.
What makes a paella authentic?
- The right rice. Short, round varieties such as bomba or senia absorb the broth without turning creamy.
- Real saffron, which gives the rice its golden color and gentle perfume.
- A thin layer of rice in a wide pan, so every spoonful touches the bottom.
- Socarrat, the caramelized crust that forms on the base of the pan and the part Spaniards fight over.
- Cooked to order. A good paella takes 20 to 30 minutes, so the best rice restaurants ask you to order ahead or enjoy a starter while it cooks.
What are the main types of paella and Spanish rice dishes?
| Dish | Where it comes from | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
| Paella valenciana | Valencia | Chicken, rabbit, green beans, garrofó beans, saffron, sometimes snails |
| Paella de marisco | The Mediterranean coast | Prawns, mussels, clams and squid in fish broth |
| Arroz negro | Valencia and Catalonia | Rice colored black with squid ink, served with alioli |
| Arroz a banda | Alicante | Rice cooked in rich fish stock, with the fish served on the side |
| Fideuà | Gandía, south of Valencia | Short noodles in place of rice, cooked like a seafood paella |
Where can you eat the best paella in Spain?
Valencia is the home of paella, and the restaurants of El Palmar, a village in the rice fields of the Albufera lagoon just south of the city, cook it over wood fires the traditional way. Alicante and the coast between them are famous for seafood rice. In Madrid and Barcelona, look for an arrocería, a restaurant that specializes in rice dishes. Our planners reserve tables at the rice restaurants we know and trust, usually for lunch, when paella is at its best.
Is paella the national dish of Spain?
Paella is Spain’s best-known dish abroad, but Spaniards see it as Valencian. Every region has its own pride: cured ham in Extremadura and Salamanca, pintxos in San Sebastián, gazpacho in Andalusia, and roast suckling pig in Segovia. Exploring those regional kitchens is one of the joys of a private trip through Spain.
Tell us what you love to eat, and we will plan the tables to match. Talk to a planner, who replies within one business day.
