Arroz a banda is Valencia's seafood-stock rice, cooked in a fish broth made from rockfish, served alone with allioli on the side: a sailor's rice from the Cabanyal fishing quarter.

Arroz a banda emerged from the Cabanyal fishermen who could not sell the small rockfish (morralla) at market. They cooked the rice in the fish stock until the broth was absorbed, then ate it with allioli on the side. The name (banda = separately) refers to the fish being served apart from the rice, in the older tradition. Modern Valencian restaurants serve the dish without the fish, just the deeply-flavoured rice with allioli, at La Riua, Casa Carmela and the El Palmar restaurants.

Where to eat Arroz a banda in Valencia

4 editor picks for Arroz a banda in Valencia, ranked by editorial score. All Valencia signature dishes · Arroz a banda across every city.

  • Casa Carmela

    Order The paella valenciana cooked over orange-wood embers, ordered when you book.

    Casa Carmela on the Malvarrosa beachfront in Valencia has cooked wood-fired paellas to order since 1922, with a 20-strong rice repertoire and a lunch-only.

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  • La Riua

    Order The paella valenciana or the arroz a banda; the house Utiel-Requena tinto is honest.

    La Riua on Carrer del Mar in Valencia's old town has run a family-tavern rice kitchen since 1978, now in the third generation, with a dozen paellas.

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  • Rausell

    Order The pescaito frito plate of the day plus a half-portion of arroz a banda.

    Rausell on Carrer d'Angel Guimera in Valencia's Extramurs is a family-run rice and seafood kitchen since 1948, now in its third generation.

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  • La Pepica

    Order The paella valenciana with rabbit, chicken and ferraura beans at lunch.

    La Pepica on Passeig de Neptu in Valencia's Malvarrosa beach has served paella since 1898; Hemingway, Queen Sofia and Orson Welles all ate the rice here.

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 400g bomba rice
  • 1 kg mixed rockfish for stock (galleras, morralla, rascasse)
  • 1 large ripe tomato, grated
  • 1 onion, peeled, halved
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • Generous pinch of saffron
  • 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1.4 litres water
  • Sea salt
  • Allioli, to serve

Method

  1. Make the stock: bring 1.4 litres of water to the boil with the rockfish, onion, smashed garlic, salt and a splash of olive oil. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain. Reserve 1.2 litres of stock.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 40 cm paella pan over high heat. Add the grated tomato and reduce for 3 minutes.
  3. Stir in the paprika off the heat for 10 seconds.
  4. Pour in the hot strained stock and bring to a hard boil. Season with salt.
  5. Add the saffron and the rice in a cross across the pan. Stir once.
  6. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, then lower the heat for 8 more minutes until the rice is dry.
  7. Rest for 5 minutes off the heat, covered with a clean towel. Serve with allioli on the side.

Editor tip. The stock is everything. Use small whole rockfish, not just bones, and skim the foam. Add the saffron at the boiling-stock stage, not later.

Common allergens: Fish, Egg (allioli).