Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in paella? ›

Sofrito. Sofrito is a flavorful mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers that is used as a base for many Spanish and Latin American dishes, including paella. It's often called the "secret ingredient" in paella, as it adds a depth of flavor and richness to the dish.

Paella (pai·ei·uh) is a classic Spanish rice dish made with rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood cooked and served in one pan.

The ten permitted ingredients are: rice, water, olive oil, salt, saffron (or food colouring), tomato, flat green beans, lima beans, chicken and rabbit. No fish or shellfish.

Herbs & spices used in Paella

Saffron is the main spice to use, when making Paella. Saffron is the most expensive spice on Earth and is the red-yellow stigma of the crocus flower and must be hand-picked during short annual flowering seasons.

A: Traditional paella doesn't contain onions, as they may make the meal a bit soggy. If you want to add some, it would be considered a different type of rice dish (called arroces) by the Spanish.

Carrots, mushrooms, or any other extra vegetables are not welcome in a traditional paella. Stock: It might speed up the cooking time, but no true Spaniard would use ready-made stock in their paella recipe. Instead, they would make their own stock from scratch, using water, 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, some paella cooks use turmeric or dyes instead. Saffron is the spice used in paella to give the rice its distinctive golden color.

The rice is cooked uncovered – this is a distinct cooking technique for paella compared to other iconic rice dishes of the world like Jambalaya and Biryani. Initially, we cook the rice for just 10 minutes – at this stage, it will be partially cooked though it will seem to absorb most of the liquid.

(Keep reading to the bottom to see our paella do's and don'ts infographic!) DON'T: Add chorizo to your paella. Sorry guys, but this is a big no-no! Spanish people laugh in my face when they find out that British people do this.

Do you have to rinse paella rice? ›

In culinary circles, washing is advocated for some dishes when a separated grain is sought after. Yet for other dishes such as risottos, paella and rice puddings (where you need a sticky, creamy effect), washing is avoided.

Paella should be made with Bomba or Calasparra 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. The rice really is the best part of a paella.

The broth, together with saffron and sofrito, a mix of olive oil, tomato, garlic, and paprika, are responsible for the paella's flavor. Lledo says that a cook should not overload the paella with ingredients, either meat or vegetables. He says limiting ingredients and letting each element of the dish shine is key.

Your final paella needs to be a "dry" rice and having the dish too full will not allow the rice to dry out once cooked. As a basic rule of thumb a paella should not be deeper than the rivets for the handles on the paella pans.

Perfect Paella Proportions

The average proportion of rice to broth for paella is approximately 1 part rice to 3.5 parts liquid and we would suggest that you use 80-100 grams of rice per person (that's about ½ cup uncooked rice).

The broth, together with saffron and sofrito, a mix of olive oil, tomato, garlic, and paprika, are responsible for the paella's flavor. Lledo says that a cook should not overload the paella with ingredients, either meat or vegetables. He says limiting ingredients and letting each element of the dish shine is key.

While saffron can be expensive, it is an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking and particularly in the iconic dish of paella. The unique flavor and aroma that saffron brings to the dish cannot be replicated with any other spice, making it an indispensable ingredient in Spanish cuisine.

Flavour boost

Chorizo is a classic addition to any paella. So, even if the recipe doesn't call for it, use it to give your rice colour and flavour early on, and add depth to the finished dish.