Spanish word

paella

Pronunciation

IPA/paˈeʝa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounpaella

Example

¿Dónde hay buena paella aquí?

Where can I find good paella around here?

Illustration for paella (paella)

More examples

Probé una paella valenciana deliciosa.

I tried a delicious Valencian paella.

Core concept

Large shallow pan of saffron-colored rice and mixed ingredients meant for sharing.

Common phrases

  • paella valenciana

    Valencian paella

  • paella de mariscos

    seafood paella

  • ración de paella

    serving of paella

Similar words

arroz: Staple rice grain consumed on its own or incorporated as an ingredient in recipes.
plato: One serving presented as a single plateful of a prepared meal.
paellera: Wide flat shallow pan intended for preparing and serving large shared rice dishes.

Definition in Spanish

Plato tradicional consistente en arroz cocinado en una paella (sartén ancha) junto con caldo y otros ingredientes, frecuente en reuniones y comidas para compartir.

Word origin

The name comes from the paella pan used to cook the dish, a word that traces back to Latin patella 'small pan', so the vessel's name became the dish name.

Usage tips

  • In Spain paella is commonly cooked and served from the pan for several people, so menus often list whole pans or specify types like paella valenciana or paella de marisco rather than single portions.

Related words

  • paellerapaella pannoun
  • paelleropaella makernoun

Word lists with this word