Paella is a vibrant and flavorful rice dish hailing from the sun-drenched coasts of Spain (namely, Valencia); it's sometimes dotted with shellfish and fish, or nods to the Spanish tierra with links of chorizo and pork. Traditionally, it's made in a massive paella pan and cooked over a blazing wood fire.
Our resident paella aficionado and culinary director Daniel Gritzer gave us his two cents on how the pan makes an impact: “The whole concept of paella, the ideal texture of rice, the ratio of crispy bottom to tender al dente grains, the need to build flavor quickly with a high-heat searing step...all of this is connected to the form and build of the pan and to the very specific cooking technique to achieve the desired results.”
In other words, the pan has to be responsive to a variety of heat changes, be it screaming hot searing, or low and even simmering. So, to find a great paella pan, I tested six popular ones made from stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, and enameled steel. I used them on a gas stove and over a charcoal grill (since most of us aren't necessarily cooking over woodfire). The winners cooked up tender rice with a perfect socarrat every time.
The Winners, at a Glance
This sturdy pan performed better than any pan in our tests, cooking over both gas and charcoal. It was also easy to clean and its wide handles made it comfortable to lift.
An enameled paella pan like the Machika brings some notable advantages, like not having to season the pan or worry about rust. It also cooked up tender, flavorful paella.
Even though you can only use this pan over gas or electric heat, the fantastic performance and jaw-droppingly beautiful construction are enough to be worth the splurge.
The Tests
- Stovetop Paella Test: I made this recipe for stovetop paella to gauge the pans' cooking performance and to see how easy they were to lift and move. After cooking, I washed and dried the pans, noting any difficulties or blemishes.
- Grilled Paella Test (Winner’s-Only): I used the winners to cook a grilled paella over a charcoal grill. I examined the results, how the pan made up for any inconsistencies in heating, and if there were any blemishes or damage.
How to Make Paella
Creating a classic paella is an art form that combines tradition with culinary skill, and it involves several essential steps. Chef Teresa Montaño of Otoño in Los Angeles said, “To cook a great paella you must understand the layering of flavors and execution of the rice cookery.”
First, start with a good paella pan—one that's wide and shallow—to ensure even cooking and the development of the coveted socarrat, the crispy rice crust at the bottom. Begin by sautéing onions, garlic, and other vegetables in olive oil to make a sofrito, laying the foundation for the dish's rich flavors. This gets cooked down until almost a paste, then removed from the pan while you sear the proteins. Once browned, the proteins get pushed to the side and spices like saffron and paprika are added to the middle to brown, along with the sofrito. Next, add a fragrant broth that matches the proteins (like clam stock for a seafood paella), then scatter in the rice—typically a short-grain variety like Bomba or Calasparra. The dish is then embellished with any remaining proteins, like mussels, rabbit, or shrimp.
It's crucial to distribute the ingredients evenly and not to stir the rice after adding it to the broth. The paella is cooked over a steady heat until the rice is al dente and the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to cook until the rice starts to crackle and pop, which indicates the formation of the socarrat. “The way I teach my cooks to cook paella is to engage all of their senses. As the broth cooks down and concentrates into the rice, you can hear the rice start to crackle in the pan. Because there is a fine line between burning and achieving the crispy rice, you must use your nose to smell for burn as you are crisping the rice," Montaño says. Finally, garnish with ingredients like peas, roasted red peppers, and lemon wedges, and let rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
What We Learned
Which Material Was Best?
Traditional paella pans are made of thin stainless steel, which is very responsive, and allows you to control the process over a hot woodfire. But for the home cook who might not be able to (or want to) cook over an open flame, I found carbon steel or enamel-coated steel pans were the most versatile; they performed well both on the stovetop and grill. The stainless steel models I tested performed best over charcoal.
Choosing a material also depends on how you feel about maintenance and care; while carbon steel conducts heat well and allows for even cooking, it requires regular seasoning to prevent rust. Stainless steel or enameled steel pans are easier to maintain and are rust-resistant, though they may not distribute heat as evenly. But, in the end, all of these materials created a great pan of paella in my tests, so it really depends on whether you want to cook inside or outside (or both), and how much effort you want to exert in terms of maintenance.
Thinner Pans Were More Responsive
While thicker gauge metal pans often yield better results in terms of even browning and good heat conduction (especially with saute pans), for paella, a thinner pan is traditional. This is likely because paella was traditionally made over large fires, and cooks needed the pan to both heat up fast to boil and then cool down for the final simmer. As Daniel noted, "The thinness of the steel...reduces the thermal mass of the pan, making it especially responsive to temperature changes." When you're cooking paella at home over a stovetop or grill, this same thinner construction helps to give you more control over the final product (paired with some temperature tweaking, of course).
Surface Area Was Key
When the rice is added to the pan, it should be no more than a finger’s width deep, so a wide diameter is crucial, or you’ll end up with unevenly cooked paella. All of the pans in my final round of testing were between 12 and 14 inches in diameter at the opening, and the pans that created the best paella, like the Garcima, were at least 11 inches across on the bottom. Some of the winners had a 1-inch variation between the diameter at the top and bottom, which made a difference in funneling the heat to the right spots and preventing burning. Even though pans with a smaller surface area fit better over smaller gas burners, I found that a paella pan tends to push heat toward the center, where the rice cooks faster. Wider pans allowed the heat of the broth to circulate better and produced a better final product—even on burners that were much, much smaller than the overall diameter of the pan.
The Criteria: What to Look for in a Paella Pan
Cast iron and enameled steel were the most versatile, while stainless steel was great for outdoor cooking, so choose a pan with that in mind. A thinner pan is traditional and helps you adjust to the extreme temperature swings needed to cook a proper paella.
When it comes to size, the pan should be large enough to allow the rice to spread thinly over the surface, which is essential for creating the perfect socarrat (the crispy layer of rice at the bottom). I preferred pans with at least an 11-inch wide diameter at the base or those that had no more than a 1-inch difference between the base diameter and the opening diameter. The depth of the pan is also crucial: A good paella pan is typically shallow, which aids in the even cooking of the rice and socarrat development.
The pan should have a flat bottom to ensure even heat distribution, especially if you're using a regular stovetop. Look for pans with slightly sloping sides, which help distribute the broth and cook the rice uniformly. The handles are another consideration—they should be sturdy and heatproof, making it easier to handle the pan, especially when it's full. Pans with wide, looped handles were easier to grab, and those that were coated stayed cooler.
The Best Paella Pans
What we liked: This well-made pan is crafted in Valencia, the birthplace of paella. It has a restaurant-grade construction and is made of carbon steel. The Garcima paella pan has a slightly thicker ply steel that distributes heat evenly, while still being responsive. The coated handles stayed cool during cooking (unless subjected to direct flame), and the bottom of the pan didn’t warp or bend. It produced a perfect socarrat during the stovetop paella recipe and, though the socarrat burned a little over the charcoal grill, I was able to scrape it off and clean it easily and without any soaking.
What we didn't like: It won’t work on an induction stove and needs a good layer of seasoning before use.
Key Specs
- Materials: Carbon steel
- Diameter at opening: 13.5 inches
- Diameter at base: 11 inches
- Max temperature: 482°F
- Weight: 3 pounds, 12 ounces
- Dishwasher-safe: No
What we liked: After both tests, the enamel coating was still really simple to clean and didn’t require intense scrubbing. It doesn’t discolor after use, even when exposed to charcoal smoke, and it doesn’t need to be seasoned. Its sides are almost straight up and down, which made for a lot of heat circulation during cooking and resulted in an excellent paella. It’s affordably priced and comes in a variety of sizes.
What we didn't like: Enamel can be prone to chipping over time (though the pan I used was fine) and once it does, it’s pretty much ruined. This finish is also not as attractive as some of the other materials for presentation purposes.
Key Specs
- Materials: Enamel-coated steel
- Diameter at opening: 12 inches
- Diameter at base: 11 inches
- Max Temperature: 400°F
- Weight: 2 pounds, 3 ounces
- Dishwasher-safe: No
What we liked: With fancy flourished brass handles, the Mauviel paella pan doesn’t exactly look like a traditional paella pan, but that doesn’t stop it from producing some amazing results. It has a stainless steel core and a copper exterior, and really showed off during the searing stage of the recipe, producing golden brown chicken thighs. While I wasn't sure what to expect during the final stage (trying to achieve that perfect, crispy socarrat) the resulting golden layer of rice was nothing short of phenomenal. It may go without saying, but the gleaming copper and brass are positively gorgeous, and this pan will be the only centerpiece your dining table needs.
What we didn't like: The price of this pan compared to other paella pans is astronomical, but anyone who knows about copper pans (and specifically ones made by Mauviel) knows that that price tag often comes with superior construction and materials. Copper pans require special care when cleaning to keep that copper bottom shining, and they should never go in the dishwasher. This kind of pan isn’t suitable for use on an induction stovetop or on the grill (or very high temperatures at all) so keep that in mind.
Key Specs
- Materials: Stainless steel interior, polished copper exterior
- Diameter at opening: 13 3/4 inches
- Diameter at base: 10 3/4 inches
- Max temperature: 400°F
- Weight: 4 pounds, 14 ounces
- Dishwasher-safe: No
The Competition
- Smithey Round Roaster: As its name suggests, this is really more of a roaster than a paella pan. The base of the pan was too narrow to accommodate a paella recipe for four, and the handles were a bit small.
- de Buyer MINERAL B Carbon Steel Paella Pan, 12.5-Inch: This is a quality pan that would no doubt last years. However, its design is just not well suited to the task of cooking paella, specifically due to a narrow base and high sides that caused the rice to form a thick layer.
- El Cid Paella Pan: This is a great budget option and was only narrowly beaten by the Garcima.
FAQs
What can you make in a paella pan?
Beyond classic paella, there are a ton of ways to use your paella pan. First, it’s a great vessel for sauteing veggies or searing meat. The wide open surface area of the pan allows heat to escape so it doesn’t mess with browning. You could also roast a chicken or simmer a stew-like shakshuka. Basically, anything you would cook in a braiser, as long as the recipe doesn’t need a lid.
What is the best paella pan for stovetop use?
The best paella pan for cooking on a stovetop is the Garcima, which was easy to use and clean and made a great paella. A more budget-friendly option would be the El Cid Paella Pan, which did well on the stovetop and is half the price.
What is the best paella pan for grilling?
The Garcima pan also performed well during our grilled paella test, making up for hotspots in the charcoal and distributing heat where needed.
What size paella pan is best?
For four people, you’ll need at least a 13-inch paella pan. Any smaller and you might have trouble fitting in all the proteins and still leaving enough room for the rice and broth.
If you’re using a paella pan on a grill, what kind of grill should you use?
You can cook paella on a gas or charcoal grill, though today paella is often made on a large gas burner that is wide enough to apply heat to the entire bottom of the pan.
How do you season a paella pan?
If the paella pan you have requires seasoning, the first step is to give it a wash with hot, soapy water; oftentimes, the manufacturer will leave a thin protective coating on the pan to prevent rust, and you'll want to get rid of it before cooking. Some manufacturers also recommend simmering water (with a dash of vinegar) in the pan for around 10 minutes before emptying, washing, and drying. Finally, give the interior of the pan a wipe with some canola or vegetable oil.
How do you clean a paella pan?
All of the paella pans I tested were not dishwasher-safe. Instead, it's best to hand wash them with warm, soapy water, then dry them thoroughly. If the pan is carbon steel, giving it a thin wipe with a neutral oil will help the seasoning build.
Why We’re the Experts
- Taylor Murray has been working in food and food media for over 10 years, including in award-winning restaurants. She has written extensively for Serious Eats.
- She tested six paella pans by making two recipes on both a stovetop and a charcoal grill to examine how they performed.
- We interviewed our resident paella specialist Daniel Gritzer, as well as chef Teresa Montaño of Otoño in Los Angeles.
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