Paella Spices: Saffron, Sweet Paprika and Rosemary, and What Valencian Recipes Leave Out

Valencian paella is lightly spiced. Its seasoning comes down to saffron, sweet paprika (pimentón), a sprig of rosemary and salt, with garlic as an option, in the two Spanish recipes compared here. Britannica defines paella by its saffron-flavored rice.¹ There is no legal recipe: when the Valencian regional government declared paella a protected cultural good in 2021, the decree did not include an official recipe, because there are many versions.² This page covers each spice, what the recipes leave out, and what to know when buying saffron. Quantities appear only where a named recipe gives them.

At a glance

What paella is

Britannica describes paella as saffron-flavored rice cooked with meats, seafood and vegetables, originating in the rice-growing areas of Spain’s Mediterranean coast and especially associated with Valencia.¹ It takes its name from the paellera, a flat, round two-handled pan, and is traditionally eaten from it.¹ Britannica’s general version sautés meat or seafood in olive oil with onions, garlic and herbs, then simmers rice, tomatoes, saffron and stock together.¹

The Valencian version is narrower. In 2021 Valencia’s regional government declared paella a bien de interés cultural, a protected cultural good, but the decree does not set an official recipe.² Two official tourism bodies publish the classic version:

Neither lists onion, chorizo, black pepper or cayenne.³⁴

The core spices

Saffron: the one that defines the dish

Saffron is the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus, an iris-family (Iridaceae) plant; ISO’s specification covers saffron obtained from the flower’s pistils.⁵⁶⁷ Britannica calls it the most expensive spice in the world and notes that a pound represents 75,000 blossoms.⁵ Its color comes from crocin, and Britannica describes its taste as bitter, with a strong aroma.⁵ Britannica also records that the Arabs cultivated saffron in Spain around 961.⁵

In the Visit València recipe, saffron goes in with the beans and salt after the water is added; in the Spain.info recipe, the saffron strands and the rosemary go in together.³⁴ Neither gives a weight for the saffron, so “a pinch” is as precise as the sources get. Because the color is water-soluble, steeping crumbled threads in a little warm water or stock first spreads it evenly (common practice). See cooking with saffron and saffron uses; if a pan has gone medicinal, see too much saffron.

Buying saffron. It is often said that Persian saffron is better than Spanish. No source checked supports a country ranking; the objective measure is grade. Under ISO 3632, saffron is tested by spectroscopy and sorted into four commercial grades: Extra Class, I, II and III.⁸ Fraud is a real issue: a 2022 adulterants bulletin listed corn stigmas dyed in beet juice among the substitutes found.⁹ Buy threads rather than powder from a seller who states the grade (our advice). See why saffron is so expensive and how to store saffron.

Sweet paprika: fried briefly

Both recipes use paprika: one tablespoon of sweet paprika for Visit València, 6 grams for Spain.info.³⁴ Visit València fries it over very low heat for one minute before the liquid goes in.³ Paprika scorches easily, so that short time matters (our judgment).

Spanish pimentón comes sweet, bittersweet or hot; the Pimentón de la Vera specification describes the sweet type as mild and completely sweet.¹⁰ La Vera pimentón is smoke-dried, which gives the smoky flavor associated with smoked paprika.¹⁰ It is often said that paella calls for smoked paprika; neither recipe here asks for it, so smoked paprika is a variation rather than the Valencian standard. See paprika and paprika substitutes.

Rosemary: a sprig, late

Both recipes use a single sprig of rosemary, optional in Spain.info’s.³⁴ Visit València adds it near the end and cooks it about five minutes.³ Britannica describes rosemary’s taste as pungent and slightly bitter.¹¹ A fresh sprig can be lifted out; dried leaves stay in the rice, so in our judgment fresh is the better choice here. See dried vs. fresh rosemary and too much rosemary.

Garlic: optional

Spain.info lists garlic as optional, and Visit València says some cooks add a bit of garlic to the sauté while noting that opinions are divided.³⁴ Britannica’s general description of paella includes garlic.¹ See garlic.

What the recipes leave out

Black pepper and cayenne. Neither recipe uses them.³⁴ A little heat is a personal choice, not part of the Valencian dish. See paprika vs. cayenne.

Chorizo. Chorizo appears in neither recipe.³⁴ Spanish chorizo is not a cinnamon-and-clove sausage: the Chorizo de Cantimpalos specification names salt and pimentón as its basic ingredients, and Chorizo Riojano is seasoned with salt, pimentón and garlic.¹²¹³ So adding chorizo mostly adds more paprika, garlic and pork fat to the pan (our reading of those specifications).

Turmeric as a saffron stand-in. Turmeric, a plant in the ginger family, is traditionally used to give boiled white rice a golden color, and its yellow comes from curcumin.¹⁴¹⁵ It reproduces saffron’s color, not its flavor, so it is a budget stand-in rather than an equivalent (our judgment). See saffron vs. turmeric and saffron substitutes.

Related

• Saffron
• Smoked paprika
• Saffron vs. turmeric
• Safflower vs. saffron
• The master list of herbs and spices