Spanish Paella

Andy | Dinner | Spanish

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 1 min Servings: 4

Paella Valenciana is the original paella. Not the seafood version you see on every restaurant menu, not the one with chorizo thrown in for colour. This is the dish that started it all: a rustic, meat-based rice cooked over wood fire in the rice paddies of Valencia, Spain. Before making this recipe, I chatted with Frank Camorra who runs the iconic Spanish restaurant MoVida in Australia, on how to make this dish properly.

The most important thing to understand about paella is that the goal isn’t perfectly fluffy rice. The goal is the socarrat. That’s the dark, caramelised, almost-scorched crust that forms on the base of the pan during the final minutes over high heat, and it’s where all the concentrated flavour lives. I cook mine on a kettle BBQ over wood because the wide, radiant heat is ideal for a paella pan and the smoke adds another layer of depth. A wide gas burner works too if that’s what you’ve got. Either way, once the rice goes in, do not stir it. Not once. That single rule is what separates a proper paella from a pan of soft, starchy rice.

Ingredient Notes

Valencian arroz redondo (rice): The non-negotiable ingredient. It is a short-grain Valencian rice that absorbs far more liquid than regular rice while staying firm and separate. It doesn’t release starch the way arborio does, so you get defined, flavour-packed grains rather than a creamy texture. Bomba is the common variety and you should be able to find it at European delis, quality greengrocers, or online. Calasparra rice is the closest substitute if you can’t track it down.

Saffron: At just 0.5g this looks like nothing, but saffron is the world’s most expensive spice for a reason. The threads come from the stigmas of the crocus flower, harvested entirely by hand, and they carry an intense floral, honey-like flavour that defines the colour and aroma of the dish. The foil-toasting step before grinding is essential. Heat releases the fat-soluble compounds in the saffron, meaning you get dramatically more colour and flavour from the same small quantity. Don’t skip it.

Sweet paprika: Use sweet paprika here, not smoked. It adds a subtle earthy depth that complements the saffron and tomato base without overpowering them. Spanish sweet paprika (pimentón dulce) is the most authentic choice and worth seeking out at a deli or Spanish grocer. Smoked paprika will shift the flavour profile entirely and isn’t traditional in Valencian paella.

Chicken: For the chicken, you want meat with the bone in and that’s why I like to buy a whole bird and break it down. You only need the legs and thighs for this recipe, around 500g total, so cut those away and save the crown and breasts for another meal as they’re too lean for paella and will dry out over the long cook. You can also just buy chicken legs if you don’t want to break the chicken down. For families with young kids who are nervous about bones, chicken thighs off the bone work well: just cut them into similar-sized pieces before adding to the pan.

Rabbit: Rabbit is the other traditional paella meat and worth tracking down. Ask a good butcher, as most will order it if they don’t stock it regularly. It also turns up at farmers markets and specialty game meat suppliers. You need around 500g-1kg, which is roughly half a whole rabbit. To break it down: separate the back legs at the hip, the front legs at the shoulder, then cut the saddle across the spine into two pieces. You should end up with 4 to 6 pieces total. The flavour is mild, somewhere between chicken and pork, and it handles the long cook over the BBQ very well.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Tongs
Paella pan (I used a 28cm base, 34cm top)
Kettle BBQ or wide gas burner
Mortar and pestle
Box grater or coarse grater
Foil

Ingredients

2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes (200g grated or crushed tomato)
200g fresh broad beans
200g runner beans
1 small whole chicken, or 500g of bone in chicken legs and thighs
1 small rabbit (500g-1kg)
0.5g saffron threads
60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to season
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 sprigs rosemary
1.2 L water or chicken stock
400g (2 cups) Valencian arroz redondo (rice)

Directions

Prep the ingredients
Grate the tomatoes on a coarse grater and weigh out to get 200g.
Pod the broad beans and trim and slice the runner beans on an angle.
Break down your chicken. Cut the chicken legs off, then cut into 3 pieces each. Remove the knuckle of the drumstick, using the heel of your knife. We only need about 500g chicken so reserve the chicken crown and breast for another use.
Remove the legs from the rabbit at the joint, then cut into 2 pieces each. Remove the feather bone. Cut through the vertebrae at about 5cm intervals to make back saddle pieces of the rabbit. You are aiming for 1kg (2.2 lbs) of rabbit meat in total.
Place the saffron in the middle of a large square of foil and fold up into a flat parcel.
Start the paella
Preheat a kettle BBQ to medium-high heat. Hold the saffron foil parcel over the heat with tongs and rotate to heat on both sides, to toast lightly until you can smell it, about 20 seconds.
Set aside to cool slightly, then unwrap and transfer to a small mortar and pestle. Grind gently to release the oils, then mix with about 1 tablespoon of water.
Place the olive oil in a paella pan and place over the heat. When the oil is hot, sprinkle over some salt.
Add the chicken and rabbit, cook for 7-8 minutes, turning, until well browned on all sides. Move it to the outside of the pan.
Add the broad beans and runner beans, cook for 5 minutes, then push to the outside of the pan also.
Pour in the tomatoes, season with some salt and stir to combine everything. Add the paprika, saffron and the stock or water, mix well and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about a third.
Sprinkle over the rice evenly and mix gently to just get the rice incorporated. Add the rosemary, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmering. Cook, without stirring, for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid has fully absorbed.
Finish and serve
Increase the heat to high and continue cooking until you achieve the socarrat crust on the base. You should be able to hear some crackling from the base and you are aiming for a dark golden colour on the bottom.
Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
Serve the paella from the pan at the table.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Toast the saffron in foil first

Wrap your saffron threads in a small square of foil and hold the parcel over the heat for about 20 seconds, rotating so both sides warm through, until you can just smell it. The gentle heat releases the fat-soluble oils locked inside the threads. Once it’s cooled for a moment, unwrap and grind it in a mortar and pestle, then dissolve in a tablespoon of water before adding to the pan. You get noticeably more colour and flavour from the same tiny quantity.

Never stir the rice once it goes in

Spread the rice evenly across the pan and leave it completely undisturbed from that point on. Stirring releases starch and makes the rice gluey, but more importantly it destroys any chance of forming the socarrat. The socarrat is the dark, caramelised crust on the base of the pan, and it is the whole point. Towards the end of cooking, increase the heat and listen for a gentle crackling from underneath. That sound means it’s forming. You’re aiming for deep golden, not burnt.

Controlling heat on a charcoal BBQ

Light your charcoal well in advance and let the coals fully ignite and start to ash over before you put the pan on. You want a steady, even heat rather than raw flames licking the base. The heat will settle if you don’t stoke the coals for a while and then when you want to ramp it up just add more wood. If your BBQ has vents, you can ontrol the temperature using the bottom vents: fully open means maximum airflow and maximum heat, half-closed means a steadier medium heat. For browning the meat and building the sofrito, you want high heat. Once the stock goes in and the rice is cooking, you want the heat to settle so the liquid absorbs gradually without scorching the base too early. For the final socarrat, push the heat up and listen for the crackle from underneath. Cook with the lid off throughout.

Storage

Paella is best eaten straight off the heat after the 20-minute rest. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a small splash of water or stock to prevent the rice from drying out. I don’t recommend freezing this one as the texture of the rice deteriorates significantly once frozen and thawed.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of rice? I’d strongly recommend against it. Regular long-grain or jasmine rice won’t absorb the liquid the same way and you won’t get the right texture or the socarrat. If bomba is unavailable, Calasparra is the closest alternative. At a stretch, arborio will work but the result will be creamier and much less authentic.

Can I make it vegetarian? Traditional Valencian paella is a meat dish and the flavour base built from browning chicken and rabbit is central to what makes it taste the way it does. A vegetarian version would be a genuinely different dish. That said, you could build a solid base with good vegetable stock, mushrooms for depth, and keep the traditional beans. Artichoke hearts are also a traditional Valencian addition when in season.

Can I cook it on a gas stove instead of a BBQ? Yes. Use the widest burner you have to distribute the heat as evenly as possible across the base of the paella pan. The challenge on a domestic stove is uneven heat, which can mean the edges cook faster than the centre. Rotate the pan occasionally during the simmering stage and keep a close eye on it. You can still achieve a good socarrat; it just requires a bit more attention.