Authentic Paella Valenciana Recipe

What is the most authentic Spanish paella recipe? It's a controversial subject! But this classic paella valenciana recipe is the traditional chicken paella that many call the original. It combines chicken and either pork ribs or rabbit (your choice!) with green beans, butter beans, garlic, paprika, and saffron.

If you love paella, you'll definitely want to try my recipes for seafood paella, black paella, vegetable paella, and prawn and chorizo paella (my mother-in-law's favorite).

Spanish

Unfortunately, most paellas served across Spain are bad copies of the real thing. Their artifical neon yellow color comes from food coloring rather than saffron, and the rice is piled high to conceal the overcooked shrimp mixed in.

Authentic Spanish Paella Recipe With Seafood

Most visitors to Spain think that paella is a mix of seafood and meat. While this version does exist, there are many regional variations of paella, and they feature only a few key ingredients, as the rice itself is supposed to be the star of the show. You can read more about the history of paella if you're curious.

Contrary to popular belief, the traditional version of paella from Valencia doesn't contain seafood! While the most well-known versions of the dish include shrimp and mussels, traditional

Is made with chicken and rabbit (and often snails), and is spiced with sweet paprika and a few strands of golden saffron.

Paella Valencia/paella Valenciana

A mark of a good paella is thesocarrat. The slow, undisturbed simmering of the rice in broth means that the bottom layer will start to caramelize, and it’s this crispy base of rice that makes paella a taste sensation! Keep reading for tips on how to get socarrat.

If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.

6. Add the butter beans. (If you're using jarred butter beans, be careful not to break them.) Gently toss the beans in the oil and garlic, then

Traditional Valencian Paella Recipe

(loosen all of the stuck bits below). Use a wooden spoon to scrape off all these flavorful bits and incorporate them into the dish.

9. Add the saffron. Make sure to infuse this in a couple tablespoons (30-45 ml) of boiling water for at least 10 minutes prior to adding.

11. Insert a toothpick (or wooden spoon handle) into the center of the pan. See the water mark on the toothpick? This is the perfect amount of liquid you'll need to cook the rice.

Authentic Paella Valenciana

13. Add the other 4 cups (960 ml) of water. Boil for about 10 minutes, and then simmer for 15-20 minutes. There should be 5 cups of water left in the pan (the amount needed to make rice for 4 people). Check by using your toothpick;

No matter how tempted you are! This is key to making sure the rice cooks properly and doesn't release tons of starch.

15. Cook the rice on medium-high for the first 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 8-10 minutes. The exact cook time depends on the variety of rice (for reference, Bomba rice takes 20 minutes in total).

Paella Valenciana — Thyme & Envy

, is forming. Once you hear this, turn the heat up for about 30 seconds, but make sure to stop and turn off the heat if you smell burning!

Then let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve the paella family-style--directly out of the pan using a wooden spoon. If you prefer to use plates, just make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan and give everyone some

Traditional Valencian paella consists mostly of short-grain rice, which the star of the dish, and a generous amount of protein, which can come from chicken, pork, rabbit, or snails. This version of paella also traditionally includes a simple

Easy

The Best Restaurants To Try An Authentic Paella In Valencia

There are hundreds of different rice dishes in Spain, and many are called paella. Seafood paella is very popular, but many Valencians would argue that the dish called paella can only be traditional

A short-grain, round rice is best for paella; also a variety preferably grown in Spain. My favorite type is Senia, but it can be hard to find, so other varieties like Bomba or Calasparra are excellent choices. In a pinch, you can substitute with Arborio rice, but this will yield a different result.

Means frying pan, which is also the name for the distinctive shallow pan traditionally used for cooking this rice dish. It can be confusing because the dish (

Vigo Authentic Paella Valenciana, Yellow Rice & Seafood Dinner, Spanish Recipe (yellow Rice & Seafood Dinner, 19 Ounce (pack Of 3)) Yellow Rice & Seafood Dinner 19 Ounce (pack Of 3)

Paella Valenciana makes the perfect weekend lunch meal. Like the hamburgers at a barbecue, it's the main event! But while waiting for it to cook, start with some tapas, like gazpacho shooters, ham croquettes, or boiled shrimp.

Make Ahead: Both the sofrito and stock can be made in advance. You can make the entire dish up to the point of adding the rice, then let it cool and

When you are ready to prepare the paella, bring the mixture to a rapid simmer and make sure any liquid that evaporates is added back (so you have a 3:1 rice/water ratio). Then add the rice and continue with the recipe as written.

Paella Valenciana Recipe

Reheating: Heat up leftover paella on the stove or in the microwave. let it warm up for about 30 minutes before reheating, then put some olive oil in a frying pan and gently stir the paella until it's heated through.

This authentic recipe for traditional paella valenciana is as simple as it is delicious! Try it for yourself, and taste the real flavors of Spanish rice.

Authentic

Paella Valenciana Recipe The Traditional Paella Valenciana

I love eating paella. And one of my favorite things about it is how many different ways there are to make it. Honestly, no two Paella Valenciana recipes will be alike, and I love that.

Paella Valenciana is, simply put, paella from the Valencia region – it is generally considered to be the most authentic and traditional version of paella. Which begs the question, what is paella? Paella (meaning “frying pan”) is a Spanish rice dish made using a variety of ingredients. The rice is noticeably yellow due to the use of saffron in the recipe.

What ‘authentic’ paella Valenciana is comprised of has been a debated issue. As with many traditional rice dishes, every family has a separate way of preparing their “authentic” version of paella Valenciana.

Secrets Of Authentic Paella From Valencia, Spain

The ingredients vary from household to household but the premise remains the same, a delicious Spanish rice dish filled with a variety of flavors. Many accounts of authentic Spanish paella Valenciana list chicken, rabbit, and varieties of Spanish green beans as the original ingredients.

By that account, this paella recipe is probably not the most classical take as it involves a mixture of chicken and seafood (which is sometimes called

However, this version was shown to me and referred to as an authentic paella Valenciana by a lovely Spanish chef, and out of respect to her, I’m calling it a (Seafood) Paella Valenciana too.

Spanish Paella Recipe

Paellas use quite a few different ingredients (don’t skimp, or you risk losing that hearty paella feel!), but they come together wonderfully.

The

While there are several ingredients involved in making a paella, there are thankfully only a few steps required to make this delicious chicken and seafood paella.

Start by heating a paellera (or any large flat skillet) over a medium-high heat and adding olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper and saffron (this is called the sofrito, and forms the base of your paella’s flavor).

Vegan Paella Valenciana

Cook for around ten minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture becomes fragrant. Push the sofrito to one side (or, if your pan isn’t large enough, you can move the mixture to another bowl temporarily), add the chopped chicken and cook until golden brown. Set the chicken aside.

Add the rice to your paellera, and cook for two to three minutes, mixing with the paella sofrito already in the pan. Add the seafood stock, season to taste with salt and pepper. Once the stock begins to boil, add in the calamari, shrimp, mussels, roasted red peppers, and peas.

Cook at low to medium heat for approximately fifteen minutes, or until the rice is completely cooked through. (The fish often cooks quicker than the rice, but double-check your seafood is cooked too please!) Mix the cooked chicken back into your paella.

Authentic Paella Valenciana Recipe

One of the best things about one pot recipes like this paella Valenciana with seafood is that it can come together in one pot, or rather, a single paellera . That said, if you don’t have a specialized paella pan, you can use a large, flat nonstick pan. Make sure it’s large and flat – a deep saucepan may prevent some

Paella Recipe

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Authentic Paella Valenciana Recipe

Authentic Spanish Paella Recipe With Seafood