{"id":1216,"date":"2025-09-28T04:00:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T11:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=1216"},"modified":"2025-09-28T03:45:41","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T10:45:41","slug":"paella-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/paella-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Paella Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paella has bits of everything I love: rice, seafood, and most importantly socarrat: crispy crunchy toasted rice bits.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you ever been obsessed with a dish even though you\u2019ve never eaten it? For me, that dish was paella. It was one of those food bucket list items \u2013 I don\u2019t remember how or why I became so obsessed with having paella from its birthplace of Valencia, but I\u2019m pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that paella is so pretty and such an iconic dish. It\u2019s so iconic that people around the world think of it as the quintessential Spanish dish, even though it\u2019s actually more Valencian. I mean, Valencia is ultimately in Spain, so it\u2019s all good to me.<\/p>\n

\"paella<\/picture><\/p>\n

Many years ago, Mike and I went to Valencia and the first thing we ate was paella. We literally got off the train and went to a paella restaurant. On the way there, there were a bunch of Valencian orange trees that had some pretty tempting looking oranges but apparently the orange trees that line the streets of Valencia are not the same sweet ones that they use for juice. Anyway, the paella in Spain was as good as I imagined. So good that all of our meals in Valencia were either paella or Spanish churros dipped in chocolate. We actually ate 3 different paellas that day.<\/p>\n

The paella was all things good: juicy seasoned meats, tender-crisp beans, and the best part, saffron scented rice with crispy toasty rice bits. It was a dream come true.<\/p>\n

\"paella<\/picture><\/p>\n

What is paella?<\/h2>\n

Paella, pronounced pay-EH-yah! is a rice dish made in a shallow, wide pan over an open fire. Paella means \u201cfrying pan\u201d in Valencian. Traditionally, paella includes short grain rice, beans, rabbit, chicken, and saffron, but nowadays there are a huge number of variations, from seafood to vegetarian. I made a mixta paella here, which is essentially a mixed paella that has meat, seafood, and vegetables.<\/p>\n

\"paella<\/picture><\/p>\n

How to make paella<\/h2>\n
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  1. Soak the saffron.<\/strong> This will release both color and aroma. Pop some saffron into a small bowl with hot water and set aside.<\/li>\n
  2. Sear the proteins.<\/strong> Heat up some olive oil in your paella pan over medium high heat and give your proteins a quick sear: the chicken goes in skin side down and the chorizo gets browned. Shrimp gets a quick toss in before being removed so it doesn\u2019t over cook.<\/li>\n
  3. Sweat the aromatics.<\/strong> Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and paprika and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant.<\/li>\n
  4. Add the liquids.<\/strong> Carefully add chicken stock and the saffron water and bring everything to a boil. Flip the chicken skin side up so it\u2019s pretty.<\/li>\n
  5. Add the rice.<\/strong> Time to sprinkle in the rice! Try to add it in a thin, even layer and use a spoon to spread it out if you need to. Let everything come to a simmer and cook, uncovered until the rice absorbs almost all the liquid.<\/li>\n
  6. Add the seafood.<\/strong> Nestle in the clams and add the shrimp back on top.<\/li>\n
  7. Cook on low<\/strong> until the clams open up and the rice is al denote.<\/li>\n
  8. Socarrat time!<\/strong> Turn the heat up to high for 1-2 minutes to create a crispy toasty crunchy rice crust.<\/li>\n
  9. Rest and enjoy.<\/strong> Cover the paella with some foil and let rest for 5 minutes before enjoying.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"cooking<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Paella Ingredients<\/h2>\n

    Rice<\/h3>\n

    Because paella is truly all about the rice, the rice is the most important ingredient. Bomba rice, from Spain, is the best choice.<\/a> It absorbs 3 times as much liquid than regular rice giving it 3 times as much flavor when all the liquid is absorbed. Plus cooked right, it stays firm and al dente. You can usually find bomba rice at Whole Foods or online.<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"bomba<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Smoked Spanish Paprika<\/h3>\n

    Smoked paprika comes in sweet and bittersweet, go for sweet smoked Spanish paprika. It adds smokiness, aroma, and color.<\/p>\n

    Protein<\/h3>\n

    There\u2019s a lot of controversy about what kind of protein goes into paella. If you\u2019re not super concerned about authenticity you can customize your paella and put anything you want it. If you\u2019re going with chorizo try to get a Spanish chorizo, which is dried and cured. But if you only have Mexican chorizo available, I think that\u2019s okay too.<\/p>\n

    Purists say that chorizo will overwhelm the other flavors, but we\u2019ve had multiple paella in Valencia with (and without) chorizo, so it\u2019s a personal choice. Other proteins you can use include chicken, pork, seafood, or really, anything you can dream of.<\/p>\n

    Vegetables<\/h3>\n

    Most paella has vegetables in it, especially the paella we had while we were in Valencia. Usually it\u2019s some sort of green bean, a variety that isn\u2019t so common here in North America. You can sub in other green beans, add peppers, asparagus, artichokes, peas, olives, beans, chickpeas, really, it\u2019s like the proteins, go wild!<\/p>\n

    Stock<\/h3>\n

    A nicely seasoned stock as this is what\u2019s going to add flavor to the insides of your bomba rice. That being said, if you\u2019re salt adverse, I would do low sodium stock and then season afterwards. If you have the time, make a homemade seafood\/shellfish or chicken stock, which makes it even easier to control the seasoning and flavor.<\/p>\n

    Saffron<\/h3>\n

    Saffron is what gives paella its gorgeous golden hue. The orange-red threads are earthy, floral, and add a distinct flavor. Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. You only need about 1\/2 teaspoon but it definitely adds to the overall flavor, so don\u2019t skip out on it. Look for saffron threads that are deep red-orange and evenly colored.<\/a> Saffron is sold in most large grocery stores and specialty food stores and of course, online.<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"saffron<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Paella pan<\/h2>\n

    If you want the all important toasty rice bits, or socarrat, you\u2019re going to need a paella pan<\/a>. The width of a paella pan helps with rice distribution, ensuring that the rice cooks in a thin layer. A pan that feeds two is generally about 10-12 inches and a pan that serves eight is about 18 inches. The most popular pan sizes are 14 and 16 inches, which feed 4-6. Which size pan you get depends on how many people you plan to feed.<\/p>\n

    The wider the pan, the more people it feeds. They even have pans that are 4 feet wide! Years ago, around Christmas, Mike and I were in London<\/a> and we saw two giant paella pans at Covent Garden. The saffron deliciousness wafting through the chilly air was so tempting so we decided to join the huge queue for a taste. I\u2019m sure Hola Paella (now closed forever) wasn’t the most authentic paella in London, but it attracted a lot of attention and was a perfect snack to warm us up on a cold day.<\/p>\n

    \"paella<\/picture><\/p>\n

    What if I don\u2019t have a paella pan?<\/h2>\n

    If you\u2019re wondering, can I use a cast iron skillet to make paella, the answer is yes! As long as you\u2019re using the right rice, you can definitely use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets are somewhat wide and conduct heat well, making them great for making paella. Use the biggest and widest cast iron pan you have so you can spread your rice out.<\/p>\n

    Paella in a frying pan<\/h2>\n

    If you have a craving for paella and you don\u2019t have a paella pan or a cast iron pan you can make it in a frying pan. Spanish people might look down on you, but hey, you do you! I\u2019ve definitely made paella in a frying pan in a pinch and it tastes good. You can use a non-stick or regular frying pan but if you\u2019re using non-stick, make sure you don\u2019t go too high on the heat. It really shouldn\u2019t be a problem, especially with paella since you don\u2019t use a huge amount of high heat anyway – keep it to medium high.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re looking for socarrat in a regular frying pan, my tip is keep it on low heat for a long time, until the moisture cooks out and you get crispy bottoms. If you are going to try this in a frying pan, I recommend halving it because the recipe as per below will not fit in your standard 12 inch frying pan.<\/p>\n

    What rice should I use?<\/h2>\n

    Paella should be made with Bomba<\/a> or Calasparra<\/a> rice, medium grain rices grown in Spain. Spanish rice is chubby and round, ideal for absorbing large amounts of liquid while still staying somewhat firm. You want your rice kernels stay separate and not creamy or mushy.<\/p>\n

    The rice really is the best part of a paella. I can eat loads and loads of that smoky, saffron flavoured rice and I have. I made a giant pan for Mike, myself and a good friend thinking there would definitely be leftovers (I used a pan that serves 6-8), but the three of us polished it off in one sitting. We totally fell into simultaneous food comas afterwards, but it was worth it. The best part was that there was more than enough socarrat to go around.<\/p>\n

    \"bomba<\/picture><\/p>\n

    What is socarrat?<\/h2>\n

    Socarrat is the essential layer of crispy crunchy toasted rice at the bottom of the pan when you cook your paella just right. Most people consider it the best parts. It\u2019s caramelized and toasty and nutty and has all the flavors of paella concentrated.<\/p>\n

    Paella FAQ<\/h2>\n

    What are the different kinds of paella?<\/h2>\n