Cast-Iron Paella

You can make a delicious, authentic Paella--the most popular dish of Spain--in your own kitchen with simple ingredients like rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood.

The technique for paella is pretty straightforward: Unlike with risotto, paella is hardly stirred or not at all. And equally unlike with risotto (but very much as with <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020207-polo-ba-tahdig-persian-rice-with-bread-crust">Persian tahdig</a>), you want a brown bottom, which is called<span> socarrat, the sign of a good paella</span>. This can be a matter of chance. But the likelihood increases if you keep the heat relatively high, turning it down only when you smell a little scorching. (That won’t ruin the dish as long as you catch it in time.) Perhaps the best thing about this recipe is that it is delightfully adaptable: Add whatever meat, seafood, vegetable or seasoning that sounds good to you.

Spices lose their flavor over time but few as quickly as paprika, which starts out tasting of pepper and sunshine but deteriorates in but a few months to sawdust and bitterness. For this recipe, get some new at the market: sweet or hot Hungarian paprika is best, but the generic article isn’t terrible and the smoky Spanish varieties known as pimentón de La Vera would not be out of place either, lending a deep, woodsy aroma reminiscent of cooking over an open fire. It’s a dish that pairs beautifully with butter-slicked egg noodles.

The best vegetable paella recipe! It's loaded with vegetables, chickpeas, and savory, smoky rice. This Spanish dish is perfect for serving at dinner parties, since it's vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. Recipe yields 6 hearty servings.

The perfect one-pan dinner! This Greek chicken and rice is bursting with fresh flavors. Once you've made it once, you'll realize how simple it is to make, and it uses mostly pantry and fridge staples.

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this salmon rice bowl recipe is packed with veggies and topped with a spicy sauce. Make it for lunch or dinner.

This is the only steak recipe you'll ever need. Steakhouse-level results with a foolproof cast iron method that creates an incredible crust every time. The garlic herb butter takes it completely over the top - people will think you went to culinary school.

This Vegetable Paella is an easy, hands-off sheet pan dinner that delivers big Mediterranean flavor with almost no effort. The oven does all the work, giving you tender rice, roasted vegetables, and a naturally nutritious meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.