The Authentic Paella
Valenciana Recipe 

By Edu Valor / Author - Spanish Chef

World-famous and controversial in Spain—that’s what the authentic paella Valenciana recipe is. Every town seems to have its own mix of ingredients.

It’s probably the most debated topic both in and outside the country—and you’d understand why if you saw the dishes.

The tradition lacked authenticity—nothing more, nothing less. But they did something about it, as described below.

I sometimes smile when Mediterranean pride shines through, especially for something like a national dish.

You see this same trait with our French and Italian friends too. I find it interesting. It shows a shared passion, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Freshly made paella Valenciana without the snails.

Listen! The ingredients for paella have always been flexible, even in the old days. So, how do you protect paella Valenciana if it’s not clearly defined?

Well, you involve the people from 266 towns in Valencia to see how they make it. Today, there are 10 essential ingredients and other optional ones to help preserve the tradition.

Understand this: there isn’t just one unique paella Valenciana recipe. It’s estimated there are around 200 variations.

Every town has its own version. They’re not too different from each other, but you can still recognize them as paella Valenciana.

Often, families use whatever is available locally, either in their kitchen or their region. In my case, snails aren’t always on hand. In fact, a study shows they’re not the most common ingredient.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 18 minutes for the Bomba rice, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour total.
*Measurements in metric and USA Imperial system. For British/Canadian measurements please use the metric conversion calculator.

Use preferably fresh or frozen white beans. Dry beans need to be soaked at least 12 hours or overnight and boiled for 10 minutes. When done, drain and rinse thoroughly. Canned/jarred bean preserve doesn't need to be soaked!

• 500g/18 oz chicken, cut
• 400g/14 oz rabbit, cut
• 150g/6oz garrofón beans (white large beans, butter beans are good too)
• 250g/9 oz flat green beans, cut pinky finger long
• 20-25g seasalt
• 1.3L/44fl oz water

• 150g/5.5oz tomato puree or cubes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 400g/14 oz Bomba rice
• 15-20 saffron strings or 1 tsp yellow food dye
• 2-3 tsp paprika powder
• 12 snails (optional)
• 100ml olive oil (Extra Virgin)

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Let's make an Authentic Paella

1. Pour oil into the pan and sprinkle salt over it.
2. Brown the meat well over medium heat until it's crispy and golden. If using snails, add them at the end of the browning process.
3. Lower the heat to medium-low. Push the meat (and snails) to the sides of the pan, then add the tomato, garlic, and paprika. Sauté until the tomato juice evaporates completely. This is important for flavor! Some chefs even brown the tomato mixture.
4. Add the flat and white beans. Stir everything together with the tomatoes and meat.
5. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the rest of the water. Wait for it to boil.
6. Taste the broth and add salt if needed.
7. Add the bomba rice and saffron. Spread the ingredients evenly over the pan. Do not stir the rice after this point. Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 8 minutes.
8. If you want the socarrat, insert a narrow spatula to check the bottom of the pan. Is the rice browned underneath? If not, increase the heat to high and cook for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
9. Lower the heat. Insert the spatula again to check the rice.
10. Turn off the heat and cover the pan with aluminum foil (a clean kitchen towel or lid works too). Let it rest for 5 minutes.
    
    

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A classic ready to be shared and enjoyed.

TIPS: 

• Sauté the tomato with garlic and paprika well. It'll enhance the taste.
• Adding the salt in the beginning will limit browning of the pan as well as oil splatters.
• Another rice than Bomba may have different cooking time.
• Taste before adding the rice.
• Use meat with bones, it adds taste.
• Bean preserves do NOT need to be soaked.
  
  

The Scientists' and Chefs' Revenge

The dish was losing its value and tradition, turning into something unrecognizable, which had many professionals concerned.

After all, paella is the quintessential Spanish dish, symbolizing togetherness and celebration. Interestingly, "paella" originally referred to the pan itself, but over time it became the name for the rice dish.

It seems they’d had enough of scattered recipes that lacked authenticity. A push for revival was needed, and research was inevitable. You can find the study here!

Region-wide research conducted by the UCV (Catholic University of Valencia) identified the following essential ingredients:

• Rice (Arroz de Valencia)
• Chicken
• Rabbit
• Saffron (saffron threads also add flavor)
• Garrofón beans (a type of lima bean, similar to butter beans)
• Flat green beans
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Water
• Salt
• Tomato

Additionally, there were 38 commonly used and 50 occasionally used ingredients. These are considered optional but still permitted in an authentic paella Valenciana.

Leaving out snails (a traditional ingredient) doesn’t make the dish any less authentic, as long as you stay true to the essence of this beloved Spanish classic.

Personally, I don’t care for snails unless they’re the smaller ones. However, I do like to enhance my dishes with garlic and paprika.

Again, the ingredient list above represents one way to make authentic paella Valenciana.

In my opinion, they should have also included other traditional recipes, like those with ribs, sausages, and meatballs. These are too good to be left out!

What You Will Need

How Difficult is it to Make?

There are a few things to keep in mind if you want to make this authentic paella Valenciana recipe truly delicious.

Making this dish is an art, but fortunately, it's one that's fairly easy to master. For quick success, be sure to check out the technique tips here. After a few attempts, you'll get the hang of making a good paella.

As you may know, recipe steps like these are just guidelines. I don’t know what equipment you’re using, the weather conditions, or the exact ingredients you have on hand. There's a big difference between stale and fresh ingredients.

With some cooking skills and common sense, you'll be able to make a successful and authentic paella Valenciana. You’re the chef!

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Edu's Authentic Spanish Paella Recipes

Paella Valenciana (traditional paella)

Paella de Cangrejo de Rio (crawfish paella)

Paella de Verduras (vegetables paella)

Paella de Pollo (chicken paella)

Paella de Costillas (pork ribs paella)