The traditional paella pan is made of what material?

The traditional paella pan is made of steel.

A paella pan is a wide, shallow vessel traditionally made from polished or coated steel, with two side handles. Its broad shape spreads rice into a relatively thin layer, helping the grains cook evenly and allowing the liquid to reduce across the pan.

The pan is central to the dish’s identity: in Valencian and Catalan usage, paella means “frying pan,” and the rice dish took its name from the vessel. In some regions, especially outside Valencia, paellera is also used for the pan, while paella refers to the food.

Steel is sometimes confused with cast iron, copper, or earthenware because modern cookware comes in many materials. Those alternatives can work for particular recipes, but they are not the traditional material described for the Valencian paella pan. Proper cooking can also produce socarrat, the prized layer of lightly scorched rice at the bottom.