Paella Valenciana: Recipe and Ingredients

Paella Valenciana brings together chicken, rabbit, vegetables and rice in a wide pan. This version serves 4–6 and uses the ingredients listed below; the amount of liquid and cooking time can vary with the pan, burner and rice, so watch the rice as it cooks.

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

• 400 g Bomba rice
• 500 g chicken, cut into pieces
• 250 g rabbit, cut into pieces
• 150 g flat green beans (ferraura or bajoqueta, if available)
• 100 g garrofón beans
• 2 ripe tomatoes, grated
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• A pinch of saffron threads
• About 1.2–1.5 litres hot water or unsalted chicken broth, adjusted as the rice cooks
• 75 ml extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste
• Fresh rosemary, optional

Method

1. Brown the meat. Heat the olive oil in a wide paella pan over medium heat. Brown the chicken and rabbit on all sides.
2. Cook the vegetables. Add the flat green beans and garrofón. Cook for a few minutes, then add grated tomato and reduce it until thick. Stir in the paprika briefly without burning it.
3. Build the broth. Add hot water or broth and saffron. Season with salt and simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste the broth before adding rice.
4. Add the rice. Distribute the rice evenly through the pan. Once it is spread, avoid stirring. Cook at a lively simmer for about 8–10 minutes, then lower the heat for roughly 8–10 minutes more. Adjust the heat and liquid as needed for your pan.
5. Finish and rest. When the rice is cooked and most liquid has evaporated, briefly raise the heat if you want a crisp socarrat, taking care not to burn the base. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

What to buy and how to adapt it

Bomba is a useful choice because it remains distinct while absorbing flavour. Our guide to choosing paella rice explains the difference from everyday rice. If garrofón or flat green beans are unavailable, use the closest fresh or frozen beans you can find and describe the substitution to your guests. This is a practical adaptation, not an identical traditional ingredient.

Choose a pan wide enough for a relatively shallow layer of rice; pan width and burner heat affect evaporation, so a fixed stock ratio is only a starting point. For rice, saffron, paprika and pans, shop our paella ingredients in Canada.