~460 cal · 16g protein · 94g carbs · 2g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Wide paella pan of saffron rice with green beans, artichokes, and peppers
🇪🇸 Valencia
Paella was born in the rice paddies around Valencia's Albufera lagoon as a field-workers' lunch cooked over orange-wood fires. Valencians judge a paella by its socarrat — the caramelized crust on the pan bottom — and consider stirring the rice a crime.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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1.5 cups Spanish bomba or Calasparra rice
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4 cups vegetable stock, hot
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a pinch, steeped in the stock saffron threads
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1 cup flat green beans, cut
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1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
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1 red bell pepper, strips
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1 ripe tomato, grated
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
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4 tbsp olive oil
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to serve lemon wedges
Instructions
1
Heat the oil in a wide, shallow pan. Sear the green beans, artichokes, and pepper until blistered; push to the edges.
2
Fry the garlic and grated tomato in the center until darkened and jammy, then stir in the paprika for 30 seconds.
3
Scatter in the rice and stir once to coat every grain — this is the last time you stir.
4
Pour the hot saffron stock evenly over. Simmer briskly 10 minutes, then gently 8–10 more until the liquid is gone.
5
Raise the heat 60–90 seconds until you hear a faint crackle — that's the socarrat forming. Rest 5 minutes under a towel; serve with lemon.
Huerta de Valencia market cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Valencia. The birthplace of paella, cooked over orange-wood fires.
🗺️
Spain. Rice fields, olive groves, and a coastline of seafood.
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Europe. Village recipes guarded for generations.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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