Which sauce is usually served with arròs a banda?

Arròs a banda is usually served with alioli, a garlic-and-oil sauce whose name is also written allioli or aioli.

The rice dish comes from the coastal area of Alicante and is made by cooking rice in a strongly flavored fish stock. Its name means “rice on the side,” reflecting the traditional practice of preparing two courses from one pot: a fish-based stew or broth first, followed by rice cooked in the remaining stock.

Alioli accompanies both parts of this maritime meal. Its rich texture and intense garlic flavor add calories and contrast to a dish that historically developed among fishermen who sold valuable fish and used less marketable fish and bones for stock. The sauce therefore has both culinary and historical significance.

Arròs a banda is sometimes confused with arròs del senyoret. Both use fish broth, but senyoret traditionally includes peeled seafood so it can be eaten without shelling. Béchamel, pesto and romesco may accompany other dishes, but alioli is the characteristic pairing here.