What is paella?
Paella is a Spanish rice dish from Valencia, cooked in a wide, shallow pan with saffron, olive oil and ingredients like chicken, rabbit, beans or seafood.
Paella originated in the rice fields around Valencia on Spain's eastern coast, where farm workers cooked rice over wood fires with whatever was available. The traditional Valencian version includes rice, chicken, rabbit, flat green beans, butter beans, tomato, olive oil, saffron and sometimes snails. The name comes from the pan itself, derived from the Latin patella.
The rice used is usually a short-grain variety like bomba, which absorbs lots of liquid without becoming mushy. Unlike risotto, paella is not stirred while cooking, allowing a crispy layer to form at the bottom called socarrat. The finished dish is often brought to the table in the pan.
Popular versions
Seafood paella, with shrimp, mussels and squid, is popular along Spain's coasts. Paella mixta combines meat and seafood. Arroz negro, colored black with squid ink, is a close relative. Many Spaniards consider paella a lunchtime dish rather than dinner.
Did You Know?
Some Valencians are strict about what belongs in paella. Adding chorizo, for example, often sparks lively debate.