It has many names: arroz al senyoret, arroz del senyoret, paella del senyoret, or even arroz del señorito. Whatever the case, we're talking about a very popular recipe on the Alicante coast and throughout Valencia, a culinary gem that wins everyone over with its flavor and the convenience of eating it without getting your hands dirty.
In this article, we'll tell you what "arroz al senyoret" is, its origin, what ingredients it contains, and how we prepare it at El Paeller , so you can cook our recipe step by step at home.
And if you don't want to prepare it from scratch—cleaning the fish, making the broth, and assembling everything—you can take our prepared pack of arroz al senyoret . It'll be ready in 18 minutes, with all the flavor of the sea, and you'll be able to impress your guests like a master chef.
What is arroz al senyoret?
Arroz al senyoret is, in essence, a seafood paella. Its name comes from the fact that all the seafood ingredients—shrimp, squid, and fish—are served already peeled and cleaned, so that the "señorito" doesn't have to get his hands dirty when eating it.
Its origins lie in the wealthy families of the Levantine coast, where fish and shellfish were cooked clean for easy consumption. Over time, these seafood-based, brothy rice dishes were adapted to a dry format, similar to paella, using fish and shellfish broth to concentrate the flavor.
Today, arroz al senyoret is one of the most requested dishes in restaurants throughout Valencia, both by locals and tourists, for the convenience of eating it effortlessly and with all the flavor of the sea.
And now, we're going to reveal how we prepare it at El Paeller so you can make it at home too.
Ingredients of senyoret rice
First, we'll tell you what you need, because to make a senyoret rice dish like ours, just any broth or seafood isn't enough.
At El Paeller, we start with a broth cooked over wood, made with water, galera, whitebait, salmorreta (a Mediterranean blend of tomato, garlic, and sweet paprika), extra virgin olive oil, crab, shrimp heads, onion, leek, carrot, and salt.
To this base we add squid (puntilla) and shrimp, which provide their sweetness and texture, and of course good rice, which acts as a canvas for all these flavors to integrate perfectly.
And if you want to take it a step further, add your personal touch with fresh ingredients like squid or shrimp. That little something extra will make all the difference and make your arroz al senyoret speak volumes.
How to prepare rice al senyoret step by step
With our Senyoret rice pack, you only need 18 minutes. It comes with everything you need for 2 or 3 servings, depending on your appetite: broth, sofrito, fish, and rice.
Step 1. Prepare the paella
Take a 34cm paella pan and pour the broth with the sofrito, which already includes all the fish.
Step 2. Bring to a boil
Turn the heat to maximum until the broth comes to a boil.
Step 3. Add the rice
When it boils, add the rice and spread it evenly throughout the paella pan. Important: Don't stir it throughout the cooking process.
Step 4. Cook over high heat
Keep the heat on high for 10 minutes and adjust the salt if necessary.
Step 5. Continue over medium heat
Reduce heat to medium and let it cook for another 7 minutes, always with a constant, even boil.
Step 6. The finishing touch
To finish, increase the heat to maximum for 1 minute or until the broth has completely evaporated.
Step 7. Rest the table now
Turn off the heat, let it rest for three minutes… and then eat.
What if you don't have our pack?
If you don't have our kit, the process is very similar, but you'll need to add a few additional steps: cleaning all the fish and preparing the broth and sofrito. In this article, we'll explain how to make our fish stock.
Afterwards, you'll just have to follow the instructions above and in no time you'll have your arroz al senyoret ready to enjoy.
Tips for achieving the perfect arroz al senyoret
If you've made it this far, you already know everything you need to prepare a perfect arroz al senyoret. Before you get started, remember these key points:
- Use a good broth : it's the soul of the dish. If it's wood-fired, even better.
- Respect the timing : high heat at the beginning so the rice absorbs the flavor, medium heat so it cooks evenly, and a final blow for the socarrat.
- Don't stir the rice : this way it will stay loose and have the perfect texture.
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Adjust the salt to taste : always better at the end.
And if you want to save time without sacrificing flavor, our al senyoret rice pack is your best ally. In 18 minutes, you'll have a paella on the table that will impress anyone, with everything peeled and ready so that you're the only "master"... but you're the chef who has won over your guests.
If you want to try our other preparations, we recommend you try:
