What grain is the base of traditional paella?

Traditional paella is based on rice. In its Valencian home, cooks use short- or medium-grain rice that absorbs the seasoned cooking liquid while remaining distinct rather than becoming creamy like risotto.

Paella developed around Valencia’s Albufera wetlands, where rice cultivation was established and farm workers cooked one-pan meals from local ingredients. Early versions combined rice with available vegetables, beans, snails, or aquatic birds; the modern Valencian style commonly includes rice, chicken, rabbit, green beans, lima beans, tomato, saffron, olive oil, and water.

The word paella originally referred to the wide, shallow pan, not specifically to the dish. Seafood paella, mixed paella, and international adaptations can vary greatly, but they remain rice dishes. Fideuà is a common mix-up: it is a related Valencian preparation made with noodles instead of rice. Properly cooked paella may also form socarrat, a prized layer of toasted rice at the bottom of the pan.