Bomba rice is the Spanish rice variety commonly used in paella and often called Valencia rice.
Bomba is a short- to medium-grain variety cultivated mainly in eastern Spain. Its cooking behavior makes it valuable for paella: the grains absorb substantial amounts of flavorful stock while retaining their shape instead of becoming sticky or collapsing. That helps produce a dry, separate grain and a concentrated taste.
Bomba’s unusually high amylose content contributes to its firm texture. It can absorb roughly two to three times its volume in water, although the exact liquid ratio depends on the pan, heat, and recipe. The variety is associated with several Spanish growing areas, including Calasparra and parts of Valencia, and protected-origin examples can be relatively expensive.
“Valencia rice” can also be used more broadly for rice grown in the Valencian Community, so the expression is not always a precise synonym for one cultivar. In a paella quiz, however, Bomba is the conventional single answer. Arborio is a common mix-up: it is also absorbent, but its starch makes it creamy and is better suited to risotto.