Traditional Paella

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).

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.

Which Is The Authentic Spanish Paella?

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.

Original Valencian Paella

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

Authentic Spanish Seafood 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.

What Is Paella? Exploring A Spanish Art

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 Recipe The Traditional Paella Valenciana

, 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

Traditional Valencian Paella Recipe

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 (

Traditional Paella Kit (includes Pan & 2

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.

Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe • Ciao Florentina

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.

Calories: 1165.71 kcal | Carbohydrates: 89.65 g | Protein: 47.86 g | Fat: 67.7 g | Saturated Fat: 21.77 g | Trans Fat: 2.24 g | Cholesterol: 166.69 mg | Sodium: 3665.03 mg | Potassium: 899.12 mg | Fiber: 4.36 g | Sugar: 4.18 g | Vitamin A: 1668.15 IU | Vitamin C: 19.77 mg | Calcium: 109.71 mg | Iron: 4.92 mg

Traditional Spanish Paella With Seafood And Chicken In A Pan Stock Photo