Classic Spanish Paella Recipe: Tips, Ingredients, and Techniques

Paella is both the name of the Spanish rice dish, and the large two-handled pan traditionally used to prepare it. Paella is the Catalan word for “pan,” derived from the Latin patella. (So “paella pan” is technically redundant!) This special pan contributes to paella’s unique texture—thin and shallow, a paella allows for quick and even cooking, yielding a dry rice dish (called arròs seco) in which each grain is separate. In a true Spanish paella, the cooking liquid is fully absorbed when the rice is al dente, making paella more like fried rice than creamy risotto.

While paella can have many different components, from rabbit and snails to the plethora of seafood beloved in coastal regions, it almost always contains the following key ingredients:

1. 1. Rice. Arguably the most important ingredient, paella rice should be very absorbent short- or medium-grain rice, never long-grain. Short-grain rice can absorb more water before becoming mushy, helping you achieve the perfect, dry texture. Kinds of rice that work well in paella include Spanish Bomba or Calasparra varieties, as well as the more widely available Italian Arborio rice.
2. 2. Sofrito. Like mirepoix in French cuisine, sofrito is an aromatic base that serves as the foundation of paella’s flavors. Spanish sofrito typically contains green or red peppers, onions, garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes.
3. 3. Stock or broth. A good stock can turn good paella into great paella. Meat-based paellas typically use chicken stock, while seafood paellas rely on fish stock. If you have homemade stock, use it!
4. 4. Herbs and spices. The most important spice for a traditional paella is saffron, which gives the ish its rich, golden color. However, because saffron is so expensive (more expensive by weight than gold, in fact), some paella cooks use turmeric or dyes instead. Other key spices for paella include pimentón, or smoked sweet Spanish paprika, and rosemary, a traditional spice from the time when snails were a common paella ingredient.
5. 5. Seafood. Prawns, shrimp, clams, mussels, crayfish, squid, and langoustines are all popular additions to seafood paella.
6. 6. Meat. Although rabbit, chicken, and snails are the most traditional paella meats, pork and Spanish chorizo have become popular, too. (Paella purists, however, insist that chorizo flavor overpowers a complex paella.)
7. 7. Vegetables. A traditional paella valenciana contains three types of beans: ferraura (string bean), garrofo (similar to a lima bean), and tavella (white bean). However, most preparations outside Valencia feature green beans, peas, lima beans, or other types of white beans. Artichoke hearts are also a common addition to paella, and vegetarian paellas can feature all kinds of vegetables, including the coveted calçot—a special type of Spanish spring onion—when in season.

Cooking paella can be a large undertaking. Here are some tips for getting the best results.

1. 1. Use the right pan. The large, shallow profile of a paella ensures even cooking, with as much rice as possible making contact with the bottom of the pan. Paellas pans are thin, which means they heat up very fast. That, combined with an extra-large surface area, means the cooking liquid evaporates quickly, yielding the desired dry texture. If you don’t have a paella, you can use one or more large skillets, preferably made of thin aluminum or stainless steel. Avoid cast iron and other heavy materials.
2. 2. Leave the rice alone. The best paellas thoroughly cook the bottom layer of rice to create a crispy crust called socarrat. These bits of caramelized rice found on the bottom and sides of the pan are highly coveted, and will only form if you resist stirring the paella once the rice has been added.
3. 3. Use the right heat. Traditional paella chefs cooked over open flames, resulting in an expansive heat source that accommodates a wide pan and evenly cooks the paella on all sides. If you don’t have a wood fire or barbecue, you can replicate this effect on your stove by dividing your paella into smaller pans, or heating multiple burners at once and moving the pan around. To ensure quick cooking and caramelize your bottom layer of rice, be sure to cook your paella over high heat.
4. 4. Skip the onions. While some paella recipes include onions, many chefs choose to leave them out. That’s because onions contain a lot of moisture, which can make your paella rice soft.
5. 5. Don’t cover the pan. Unlike many other rice dishes, paella should always be cooked uncovered. This helps paella rice retain its signature al dente, “dry” texture.
6. 6. Leave shellfish shells and heads on. When using shrimp or other shellfish, be sure to leave the heads and shells on. adds flavor to the paella’s cooking liquid.
7. 7. Use bone in, skin-on, dark meat chicken. As with shellfish, chicken bones and skins contribute significant flavor to your cooking liquid. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are also generally preferred to chicken breasts for paella because they’re less likely to dry out during the cooking process.