Fideuà is similar to paella but uses what instead of rice?

Fideuà is similar to paella but uses pasta noodles instead of rice.

This seafood dish originated on the coast of Valencia, especially around Gandia. Its noodles are commonly cooked with fish stock, squid or cuttlefish, monkfish, shrimp and other shellfish. Unlike ordinary pasta, the noodles are sautéed and then absorb the seasoned broth in the pan.

A popular origin story places its invention on a fishing boat. The cook, Gabriel Rodríguez Pastor, supposedly substituted noodles for rice so the captain would not eat such a large share of the crew’s arròs a banda. The sailors liked the result, and the preparation spread to harbor restaurants.

Fideuà is cooked in a wide, shallow paella pan, although casserole versions also exist. The name comes from the Valencian fideuada, meaning a large quantity of noodles, ultimately related to an Arabic term for noodles. It is often finished with lemon and served with allioli. The key distinction is the starch: fideuà is noodle-based, while paella is rice-based.