Act No. 42/2023: Official Valencian Paella Recipe
Traditional Valencian paella recipe, approved by the Parliament of Gastronomia and published in the Official Gazette of Gastronomia.
Title I — Rice
Article 1. Type of rice
400 grams of bomba rice with Valencia designation of origin shall be used. The use of any other variety of rice is prohibited.
Article 2. Broth
The rice shall be cooked in chicken and vegetable broth prepared from the bones and trimmings of the proteins in Title II. The use of commercial broth or bouillon cubes is prohibited.
Title II — Proteins
Article 3. Chicken
500 grams of free-range chicken cut into irregular bone-in pieces shall be used. The use of boneless or industrially-produced chicken is prohibited.
Article 4. Rabbit
300 grams of bone-in chopped rabbit shall be used. Rabbit is a mandatory and irreplaceable ingredient.
Article 5. Exclusion of seafood
The addition of any type of seafood is expressly prohibited, including but not limited to: shrimp, mussels, squid, prawns, and clams. Valencian paella does not contain seafood.
Title III — Sofrito and Seasonings
Article 6. Vegetables
200 grams of broad green beans (bajoqueta), 100 grams of lima beans (garrofon), and 1 grated ripe tomato shall be used. The addition of onion, bell pepper, peas, or any other unlisted vegetable is prohibited.
Article 7. Saffron
Real La Mancha saffron threads shall be used for color and aroma. The use of food coloring, turmeric, or any saffron substitute is expressly prohibited.
Article 8. Oil and other seasonings
Extra virgin olive oil shall be used for the sofrito. The dish shall be seasoned with salt and a sprig of fresh rosemary. The use of any other oil or aromatic herb is prohibited.
Title IV — Cooking and Presentation
Article 9. Cooking vessel
The paella shall be cooked exclusively in a polished steel paella pan of appropriate diameter for the number of diners. The use of frying pans, casseroles, pots, or non-stick paella pans is prohibited.
Article 10. Heat source
Cooking shall be performed exclusively over a wood fire, preferably orange wood. The use of gas, electric, induction, or any other artificial heat source is prohibited.
Article 11. Socarrat and presentation
During the last 2 minutes, the heat shall be raised to form the socarrat (crispy rice layer at the bottom). The paella shall be served directly in the pan, never plated individually. It shall rest for 5 minutes covered with newspaper before serving.