When it comes to food
When it comes to food, plenty of ingredients make each dish interesting and delightful. Rice is one of them, with its great versatility spotlighted in many international dishes, including Latin cuisine. It’s often made into yummy snacks, mixed with proteins or vegetables, or even turned into refreshing drinks.
In Spain, rice is an essential part of cooking the iconic paella. This popular dish combines rice, vegetables, meat, seafood, and seasonings to tickle your taste buds and satisfy your cravings. Read on to learn more about paella and get a basic recipe to recreate it at home.
A Closer Look at Paella, Its Origins & Types
Paella is a rice dish containing short-grain rice, saffron, vegetables, and meat or seafood. It’s traditionally made in a big, deep pan over an open fire for well-cooked, distinctively tasty rice. Many cooks add saffron-infused broth to their paella recipes and top them off with lemon wedges.
While numerous stories have been told about paella’s origins, it’s widely believed that rice workers in Valencia made the dish first. Rice from Valencia’s surrounding wetlands, called Bomba rice, is often used for paella.
You may wonder why this classic Spanish dish is named “paella.” It shares the name with the pan where it’s cooked, called “paella.” Plus, you can have this dish as the main course of your meal or eat it as an appetizer or side dish. Whichever way you serve paella, you’ll enjoy its distinct Mediterranean flavor.
Your Quick Guide to the Different Types of Paella
Valencian paella
The most common variation of paella. It usually contains premium-quality rabbit meat.
Meat paella
A type of paella made on Sundays in Spain. Chicken is the main ingredient of meat paella.
Seafood paella or paella marinera
This variation of paella tastes like iodine, with the seafood adding this distinct flavor to the dish. Squid, prawns, mussels, and clams are often used for seafood paella.
Mixed paella
Contains meat and seafood. It’s also popular among Spanish cooks and made in every household.
Vegetarian paella
A type of paella with artichokes, asparagus, mushrooms, and olives mixed into the rice.
Lobster paella
Originating from Huelva, this variation of paella only contains lobster (as its name suggests).
White paella
An easy-to-prepare dish that contains ham and salami. It comes from eastern Andalucia and is served as tapas with beer or summer red.
The Basic Ingredients for Paella
Each type of paella has four key ingredients: rice, saffron, chicken, and vegetables. You may also find ingredients other than the ones we’ve mentioned, which vary by region. Some variations may contain meat, vegetables, seafood, or a combination of two or three of these ingredients.
Explaining the Various Types of Paella Rice
For paella rice, numerous varieties are available, adding different flavors and textures to the cooked dish.
Traditional paella is cooked with bomba rice. Unlike other types of paella rice, it absorbs flavors fast and well. There’s also Calasparra rice, another type of rice originating from Spain. It cooks slower than other types of rice, with a fluffy texture and a nutty taste added to a dish.
Alternatively, many cooks use Arborio rice for paella. It’s exceptional at absorbing flavors, has a longer grain, and doesn’t stick to pans, plates, bowls, or utensils. Sushi rice is another option for a distinct taste. Although it’s often shaped into savory rolls, the rice can also be turned into paella.
If you’re cooking and are unsure what type of rice is great for paella, you’re free to choose the best one. Just make sure to use fully cooked rice when preparing your meal.
Notes on Other Ingredients
For saffron, getting it in the best quality possible is important. This spice can be bought at an international food market or online, although you can add a teaspoon of saffron powder to paella.
Paella can also be cooked with Spanish olive oil or another high-quality alternative.
For the broth, Spanish cooks make fish stock out of discarded seafood shells. Chicken broth can be used instead of the former.
The kinds of seafood added to paella include clams, scallops, and chopped bits of fish. In the absence of fresh seafood, you can use frozen seafood.
How to Make Paella at Home
If you crave paella, you might find it at your nearest Spanish restaurant or food market. (Tip: Use an online business directory to search for local eateries.) Otherwise, save the basic recipe listed below and try cooking it for your next meal.
Ingredients
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or its Spanish variant
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
4 cloves of garlic
3 Roma tomatoes, very finely diced
Bay leaf
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 pinch saffron threads
Salt and pepper
¼ cup white wine
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, divided
2 cups Spanish rice
½ cup frozen peas
½ lb jumbo shrimp or prawns (around 12 pieces, peeled with tails on)
½ lb mussels (around 10-12 pieces, beards completely removed)
8 oz calamari rings
Lemons for garnishing
Instructions
Sauté your aromatics, vegetables, spices, and seasonings.
Pour olive oil into a skillet or paella pan over medium heat.
Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic, then sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika, saffron, salt, and pepper.
Stir and cook everything for 5 minutes.
Pour white wine into the skillet or paella pan. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add chicken, rice, and chopped parsley. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth.
Slowly pour the broth around the skillet.
Shake the pan for evenly layered rice.
Let the mixture boil, then set your stove to medium-low heat.
Tip: Gently jiggle the pan back and forth once or twice while cooking.
Cook the paella uncovered.
Let the dish cook for 15 to 18 minutes.
Add shrimp, mussels, calamari, and peas to the rice.
Keep cooking for about 5 minutes. (Avoid stirring the rice.)
Check if the rice has soaked up most of the liquid and is almost tender.
Remove the pan from heat and place a lid or tinfoil over it. Put a kitchen towel over the cover, then let the rice rest for 10 minutes.
Top off the cooked paella with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, then serve.
Feast on Delicious Paella Today
Rice has broken into Spanish cuisine, becoming a staple of the well-loved paella. It’s combined with aromatics, proteins, vegetables, and seasonings for a flavorful addition to your dining table or list of favorite dishes. Plus, paella has many varieties, so you can try something different while enjoying its unique Mediterranean flavor.
Need some paella in your tummy? Find Spanish restaurants or grocery stores near you on United Tribes’ online business directory today. Or, if you want to try other international dishes, visit our blog for more information about them.
