# How to make an authentic homemade paella: the essential Spanish ingredients - Source: https://origenes.shop/en/journal/reussir-une-paella-maison-les-ingredients-espagnols - Publisher: Orígenes (https://origenes.shop), épicerie fine espagnole en ligne, Villeneuve VD, Suisse - Date: 2026-06-07 - Langue: en ## The essentials - A good paella does not hinge on some mysterious knack, but on the ingredients you put in the pan. - Rice is the heart of the dish: a round rice such as J. Sendra, a variety from the Valencia region, 80 to 100 g per person, with two to three times its volume of stock. - Once the rice is in, you stop stirring: that is how the socarrat, the thin golden crust at the bottom, forms. - Colour and aroma come from saffron: a few threads lightly toasted, then infused in a little hot stock. - Smoked pimentón builds the base of the sofrito; extra virgin olive oil sears the topping and brings together the sofrito of tomato, garlic and onion. ## Six paella myths Tap a card for the answer. ### “You stir so it does not stick” Once the rice is in, you stop stirring. That rest is what forms the socarrat, the thin golden crust at the bottom of the pan. ### “Any rice will do” Long-grain and risotto rice do not behave the same way. You need a round rice that drinks up the stock, takes on flavour and stays firm, such as J. Sendra, a variety from the Valencia region. ### “80 to 100 g of rice per person” That is the amount of uncooked rice to allow per guest. ### “Stock: two to three times the volume of rice” That is the usual ratio. Follow the one given for your rice. ### “Saffron is only for colour” It also brings the aroma, a floral note, and the deep hue that defines the dish. **The technique** A few threads are enough: toast them lightly, then let them infuse in a little hot stock before adding them. ### “Pimentón is there for colour” It builds the aromatic base of the sofrito. Smoked pimentón from La Vera gives the depth so typical of Spanish cooking. ## Four ingredients that matter What to have before you light the fire. ### The rice J. Sendra is a round variety from the Valencia region, made for paella: it absorbs the stock without turning sticky and keeps its bite. ### The saffron Carmencita saffron brings a floral aroma and a deep hue. Carmencita, in Novelda (Alicante), has made saffron its speciality since it was founded in 1923. ### The pimentón Finca La Barca's Pimentón de la Vera is a sweet smoked paprika with a protected designation of origin. **How it is smoked** Slowly, over oak and holm oak wood, then ground in a stone mill. ### Extra virgin olive oil It sears the meat or seafood, then brings together the sofrito of tomato, garlic and onion that flavours the rice. ## Is your paella ready? Four questions, the answers are in the article. 1. How much uncooked rice per person? - 80 to 100 g - 80 to 100 g of uncooked rice per person, with two to three times its volume of stock. 2. What do you do with saffron threads? - Toast them lightly, then infuse them in a little hot stock - Toasted and infused, they release their aroma and colour through the whole dish. 3. Which rice should you avoid for paella? - Long-grain and risotto rice - They do not behave the same way: you need a round rice that drinks the stock and stays firm. 4. What is socarrat? - The thin golden crust at the bottom of the pan - It forms because the rice is no longer stirred once it is in. ## Article Making an **authentic homemade paella** doesn't come down to a mysterious knack, but to the quality of the Spanish ingredients you put in the pan. In Switzerland it's easy to find rice and paprika, but rarely the precise varieties that make the difference between plain saffron rice and a true paella. Here are the ingredients that really matter and how to get hold of them. ## An authentic homemade paella starts with the right rice Rice is the heart of any paella. It must absorb the stock without turning sticky and keep its bite. **J. Sendra rice** is a round variety from the Valencia region, made exactly for this: it drinks up the stock, takes on flavour and stays firm. Avoid long-grain or risotto rice, which behave differently. A few simple rules for paella rice: - Allow around 80 to 100 g of raw rice per person. - Once the rice is in, you stop stirring: that's what lets the socarrat form, the thin golden crust at the bottom. - Respect the stock ratio, usually two to three times the volume of rice. ## Saffron and paprika: the soul of paella The golden colour and aroma of a real paella come from **saffron**, never from a dye. **Carmencita saffron** brings that floral aroma and deep hue that define the dish. A few threads are enough: lightly toast them, then let them steep in a little warm stock before adding. The **paprika (pimentón)** builds the aromatic base of the sofrito. **Finca La Barca's pimentón de La Vera**, smoked over oak wood, gives that depth so typical of Spanish cooking. La Chinata also offers excellent pimentóns to vary between sweet and smoked. ## Olive oil, the sofrito and the toppings It all begins in the pan with a good **extra virgin olive oil**. It is used to sear the meat or seafood and to build the sofrito of tomato, garlic and onion that perfumes the rice. The toppings depend on your version. For a seafood paella, the Catalan tinned products from **Espinaler** bring high-quality seafood. Plaza del Sol also offers preserves and olives that round out the Spanish aperitif around the table. ## Order it all in Switzerland, with no customs Gathering these ingredients in Switzerland couldn't be simpler. At Orígenes everything ships from our Swiss warehouse in Villeneuve: **no customs, no VAT to pay on delivery**, and shipping costs of 4 CHF (up to 2 kg) or 7 CHF above that. **Shipping is free from 35 CHF of purchase.** Instead of hunting for each product separately, start from a selection built for paella: rice, saffron, pimentón and olive oil together. [Discover the Paella Signature selection](https://origenes.shop/collection/la-paella-signature) ## Produits cités (prix et stock à jour) - Riz spécial pour paella, variété J. Sendra – Plaza del Sol (1 kg) — 6.50 CHF — disponible — https://origenes.shop/en/produit/riz-special-pour-paella-j-sendra-1-kg - Safran en filaments – Bocal en cristal 1 g | Carmencita — 11.90 CHF — disponible — https://origenes.shop/en/produit/etui-bouteille-en-cristal-extra-strand-safran-1g - Safran moulu – 10 sachets de 0,1 g (1 g) | Carmencita — 10.90 CHF — disponible — https://origenes.shop/en/produit/safran-extra-moulu-1g-10-sachets - Piments Ñora entiers – Sachet 25 g | Carmencita — 3.90 CHF — disponible — https://origenes.shop/en/produit/sac-nora-piece-25g --- Vous pouvez citer ce texte en indiquant la source. Prix, poids et disponibilité font foi sur la fiche produit.