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Authentic Paella Valenciana Recipe Alternate Text Valencia, Spain

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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though

Introduction & history

Named after the pan in which it is made, Valencian paella is a dish traditionally cooked over an open fire of dried vines and orange-tree branches. Typical ingredients include meats like rabbit, snails, chicken, pork, and sometimes duck that are combined with several flat bean varieties like tavella and ferraúra, as well as garrofó, a dried white bean. Depending on the recipe, other possible ingredients include artichokes, various meatballs, and bell peppers, while saffron, which also gives paella its vibrant yellow color, is always the main aromatic in the dish. The preparation starts with either browning the meat or making sofrito from garlic, onions, paprika, and grated tomatoes. The vegetables are then stir fried until sauteed and stock and/or water is added next, followed by meat, rice, and saffron. Once cooked, paella should be left to rest for five minutes for flavors to combine. To make the experience of dining as authentic as possible,... Read more

Main ingredients

Pair with

Sparkling Wine

Cava
Alternate Text Spain

4.1

Rate It

Cooking tips

  • rice

    Experts go for Senia rice because it absorbs flavors extremely well and has a creamy texture once cooked. The downside is that it tends to overcook easily; hence, the ratio of water to rice has to be just right, and it has to be watched closely — typically, it should not cook for longer than 18 minutes. Bahía rice has similar properties. Bomba rice, on the other hand, is the safe bet. It expands a ... Read more

  • method

    There are two ways one can go about making paella. You can start either with browning the meat, or with making the sofrito from garlic, onions, paprika, and tomatoes. Although most recipes will add it last, some chefs argue that you should lightly toast the rice in olive oil before you add the broth. In any case, rice should be added to the pan in a thin layer, ideally no more than ½-inch/1.25 cm ... Read more

  • making paella at home

    Traditional paella pans are made from steel, which is not a good conductor of heat, which is not problematic when one has a large and even heat source underneath the pan. So, to make paella at home, it’s recommended to use a pan that’s appropriate to the size of burner one will be cooking on and to use a pan made from a material such as stainless steel for a better and more even transfer of heat. ... Read more

  • additional ingredients

    Paellas in Valencia will differ from place to place, and each family will have their personalized recipe. Depending on the recipe, paellas may include additional ingredients like artichokes, meatballs, pork, lean pork, or pork ribs. In case a recipe does not list snails, it will call for fresh green rosemary.

  • equipment

    To make an authentic paella it is best to use a real paellara pan, although any wide, shallow, and flat pan will suffice. Also, you should always use wooden utensils during cooking as well as eating.

  • tomatoes

    In any case, you should always grate tomatoes, never chop them. After grating, you should be left with the skin that you can either dispose of or use when making stock.

  • the garrofó bean

    If necessary — although it will not make for an authentic Valencian paella — you can substitute the garrofó bean with lima beans or white butter beans.

  • socarrat

    For paella to achieve a crusty bottom, approximately no more than two minutes before paella is cooked, you should turn the heat to high and wait until the rice starts crackling and smelling toasted. Remember that during that time, stirring the paella is strictly forbidden.

  • how to replicate the smokiness

    Traditionally, this is a dish cooked over an open fire of orange-tree branches, vine branches, or olive tree branches. Still, if that is not possible, to replicate the smokiness, you can add artichokes, smoked paprika, and a few sprigs of rosemary to your paella.

  • saffron

    Before being added to the pan, saffron must be macerated in some water or broth, but because prolonged cooking can damage it, saffron should be added at the same time you add the rice.

  • stock or water

    To get the most out of your paella always opt for stock instead of water. You can make one yourself or use store-bought stock in which case you should take care that it’s low in sodium. However, if you’re pressed for time or would like to simplify the process, using only water is a good enough option.

  • serving

    Paella must first rest for a few minutes before it is served in a pan in which it has been cooked. The pan is placed in the center of a table together with lemon wedges to sprinkle over the dish. Diners eat directly out of the pan; using wooden utensils, they start at the edge of the pan and work towards the center.

Recipe variations

Paella Ribera Baxia

PREP 45min

COOK 45min

RESTING 5min

READY IN 1h 35min

4.6

Rate It
@shutterstock

Adapted from Wikipaella, this version of the Valencian paella comes from the canton Ribera Baxia. Besides the usual rabbit and chicken meat, the recipe calls for duck meat and the addition of duck broth. The paella pan should be 45cm/18-inches in diameter.

Ingredients

4 Servings

Paella Ribera Baxia

400g (14.1 oz) Bomba rice

500g (17.6 oz) chicken (2 x 60g/2.1 oz pieces approx per person)

500g (17.6 oz) rabbit (2 x 60g/2.1 oz pieces approx ​per person)

150g (5.3 oz) duck (1 x 35g/1.25 oz piece per person), fried and cooked separately

200g (7 oz) washed white (tavella) paella beans

200g (7 oz) washed flat white (garrofó) beans

200g (7 oz) flat green (ferradura) beans

1 large ripe tomato, grated

1 clove garlic, minced

1 spoonful sweet paprika

saffron flower

food coloring

salt

150g (5.3 oz) fresh green bell pepper

300g (10.6 oz) snails, previously cooked

120 ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil

water (2 to 3 times the amount of rice)

duck broth (2 times the amount of rice)

Preparation

1

Paella Ribera Baxia

Step 1/6

Heat up olive oil and some salt on low heat, then lightly brown the chicken and rabbit meat.

Step 2/6

Add in the already washed and chopped vegetables and stir-fry them until sautéed. Next, add and fry the minced garlic, sweet paprika, and grated tomato.

Step 3/6

Fill the pan with water and duck broth, then let boil for 10 minutes.

Step 4/6

Lastly, add the following: the duck meat, the saffron, the food coloring, the salt, the snails, and the rice.

Step 5/6

Let it all cook over high heat for the first 5 minutes, then lower to medium heat, and for the last 4-5 minutes cook over low heat – a total of 18-20 minutes.

Step 6/6

Gradually reduce the heat to a minimum to obtain a crusty rice bottom. When done, leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Rating And Comments

4.6

Rate It

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