Authentic Paella Valenciana: The Original, and Where to Find It

The Dish Valencia Is Protective About

Valencia has a complicated relationship with paella. It invented it. And then watched the rest of the world take it, add cream and chorizo and prawns and broccoli, and call it "paella."

Valencians have opinions about this.

The original version — paella valenciana — contains rice, chicken, rabbit, green beans, butter beans, tomato, saffron, water, and olive oil. Snails are traditional and appear in the oldest recipes. There is no seafood. There is no chorizo. There is no cream. There are no peas.

Coming to Valencia and eating a menu-del-día seafood rice is the equivalent of going to Naples and ordering a Hawaiian pizza. Technically a thing. Not the point.

Master Valencia in Minutes

Don't waste hours planning. Get our condensed, digital cheat sheet with everything you actually need.

Shop Guide on Etsy →