paella

American  

[pahy-ey-yuh] / paɪˈeɪ yə /

noun

1. a Spanish dish prepared by simmering together chicken, seafood, rice, vegetables, and saffron and other seasonings.

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paella British  

/ paɪˈɛlə, paˈeʎa /

noun

1. a Spanish dish made from rice, shellfish, chicken, and vegetables

2. the large flat frying pan in which a paella is cooked

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Etymology

Origin of paella

1890–95; < Spanish < Catalan: literally, frying pan, pot < Middle French paella < Latin patella pan. See patella.

Explanation

You're most likely to see paella on the menu at a Spanish restaurant. It's a stew-like dish that combines seafood or meat with rice and vegetables, usually cooked in a large, low-sided pan. This Spanish dish of saffroned rice, usually with seafood and chicken thrown in, is ultimately from a Latin word for "pan," patella , and thus joins a number of foods in which a required cooking utensil forms part of the name of the dish: "hotpot," "hoecake," and "spoon bread," to name a few.

Example Sentences

And Gerard’s Paella and Mano Po are among those returning.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

On the night before the fight, the streets are lined with vendors making giant pans of delicious Paella on wood-burning fires.

From DOGO News • Sep. 8, 2023

Socarrat Paella Bar's Manso agrees, but cautions that restaurants need to educate customers on how to better support them.

From Salon • May 28, 2020

Meanwhile, the food trucks — like Port Townsend farmers market favorites Paella House and Gypsy Coffeehouse — that comprised the bulk of the food options took cash or card.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2019

One day tio Paella was brought home dead.

From Mayflower (Flor de mayo) A Tale of the Valencian Seashore by Livingston, Arthur