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What to Serve With Paella Recipe: 15 Best Side Dishes

Enhance your paella feast with delightful side dishes that elevate its rich flavors. Try a Spanish Green Salad, featuring fresh vegetables and a citrusy vinaigrette, or enjoy a creamy Garlic Aioli as a flavorful dip. Grilled Vegetables add color and charred sweetness, while Manchego Cheese offers a nutty, tangy contrast. For a crispy and spicy addition, Patatas Bravas are perfect with their golden fried potatoes and zesty sauces. These sides will make your paella meal truly memorable. There are many more delicious options to discover that can complement your paella in delightful ways!

Spanish Green Salad

healthy and flavorful dish

A Spanish Green Salad, featuring fresh vegetables and a light vinaigrette, is a perfect complement to a traditional paella.

The crisp greens meld beautifully with a herb vinaigrette, offering an invigorating contrast to the rich flavors of the main dish.

A hint of citrus dressing adds a zesty twist, balancing the meal and enhancing the overall dining experience with vibrant, fresh notes.

Garlic Aioli

delicious condiment for dipping

Why not elevate your paella experience with a side of garlic aioli, a creamy and flavorful dip that pairs excellently with the dish?

Its rich flavor profile complements the savory and aromatic notes of the paella.

For pairing tips, consider serving it as a drizzle over the rice or as a dip for seafood and vegetables.

This combination brings out the best in both dishes.

Grilled Vegetables

healthy summer bbq option

Complementing your paella with a side of grilled vegetables adds a delightful burst of color and texture to your meal. Using seasonal produce like bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant guarantees fresh and vibrant flavors.

The charred flavor from grilling enhances the natural sweetness of the vegetables, creating a perfect harmony with the savory notes of the paella. It's a simple yet elegant addition.

Manchego Cheese

spanish aged sheep cheese

Manchego cheese, with its nutty and slightly tangy flavor, serves as an exquisite pairing to enhance the overall dining experience when enjoying paella.

This beloved Spanish cheese, known for its regional origins in La Mancha, complements the rich and savory notes of the dish.

Cheese pairings like Manchego add a delightful contrast, making your meal even more enjoyable and authentic.

Patatas Bravas

spicy spanish potato dish

Equally enticing as Manchego cheese, Patatas Bravas are a vibrant and flavorful side dish that perfectly complements the dynamic essence of paella.

This traditional Spanish dish features crispy potatoes topped with a spicy tomato sauce and aioli.

For cooking tips, make sure the potatoes are fried until golden.

Regional variations include different spice levels and sauce thickness, adding a unique twist to each serving.

Roasted Red Peppers

flavorful roasted red peppers

Roasted red peppers, with their rich and smoky flavor, provide a delightful contrast to the vibrant ingredients of paella.

These versatile peppers can be transformed into delectable stuffed peppers, filled with cheese or grains for added texture.

Alternatively, a creamy pepper dip made from roasted red peppers can serve as a flavorful accompaniment, enriching the overall dining experience with its smooth, savory taste.

Gazpacho

refreshing summer soup recipe

Gazpacho, an invigorating cold soup made from blended vegetables, offers a light and tangy complement to the rich flavors of paella.

This chilled soup, bursting with the freshness of ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, serves as a delightful summer rejuvenation.

It balances the hearty, savory notes of paella with its revitalizing coolness, making it a perfect pairing for warm weather gatherings.

Marinated Olives

savory greek olive recipe

A small bowl of marinated olives provides a briny, flavorful contrast that enhances the complex taste profile of paella. Olive varieties like Kalamata, Castelvetrano, and Manzanilla are perfect for marinating.

Simple marinating techniques using herbs, garlic, and citrus zest can elevate their taste. This delightful side dish adds a burst of flavor, making it an ideal accompaniment to your paella experience.

Crusty Bread

freshly baked artisan loaves

Complementing the marinated olives, a loaf of crusty bread serves as an excellent side to soak up the rich, flavorful broth of the paella.

Whether you opt for a fresh baguette or a hearty sourdough loaf, the bread's texture and taste add a delightful contrast.

A warm, crusty slice enhances each bite, making your paella experience even more memorable.

Chorizo Tapas

delicious spanish small plates

Adding a touch of spiciness and smokiness, chorizo tapas serve as an ideal accompaniment to elevate the flavors of your paella.

Originating from Spain, chorizo is a versatile ingredient found in various tapas variations.

These small, flavorful bites enhance the dining experience by adding depth and richness, making them a perfect match for the vibrant and hearty nature of paella.

Spanish Tortilla

egg and potato dish

In addition to the vibrant flavors of chorizo tapas, the classic Spanish tortilla brings a comforting and hearty element to your paella spread.

With historical origins rooted in simple, rural cooking, this dish features layers of thinly sliced potatoes and onions, bound by eggs. Cooking techniques involve slow frying and flipping, creating a golden crust and a tender interior, perfect for complementing paella.

Piquillo Peppers

sweet spicy spanish delicacy

Roasted piquillo peppers provide a sweet and smoky flavor that pairs exquisitely with the robust taste of paella.

These delightful peppers can be served as stuffed peppers, filled with cheese or seafood, offering a delicious contrast.

Alternatively, a pepper sauce made from piquillo peppers can be drizzled over the paella, adding a rich and savory depth to the dish.

Tomato Bread

savory tomato bread recipe

Tomato bread, a traditional Catalan dish known as 'pan con tomate,' offers a invigorating and flavorful accompaniment to a hearty paella. Celebrated for its Catalan origins, this simple yet delicious side dish involves rubbing ripe tomatoes onto toasted bread, then drizzling it with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

For added zest, consider a touch of garlic. This quick preparation enhances any meal.

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

piquillo peppers stuffed tastily

Frequently appearing on Spanish tapas menus, stuffed piquillo peppers provide a vibrant and savory complement to any paella spread. A staple of Basque cuisine, these peppers are typically filled with cheese, seafood, or meat, offering a delightful burst of flavor.

Among various pepper varieties, piquillo peppers stand out for their sweet, slightly smoky taste, enhancing the overall dining experience with their unique profile.

Are the same side dishes suitable to serve with both paella and shrimp fra diavolo?

When serving paella, traditional Spanish side dishes like garlic bread or a simple salad are perfect complements. However, when serving shrimp fra diavolo, the best side dishes for shrimp fra diavolo include garlic knots or a side of pasta with marinara sauce. Each dish pairs best with its own set of sides.

White Asparagus

delicate springtime vegetable delicacy

White asparagus, another elegant addition to a paella meal, offers a delicate and slightly sweet flavor that harmonizes beautifully with the robust tastes of the dish. Its nutrition benefits include being rich in vitamins and antioxidants, making it a healthy choice.

White asparagus is typically available seasonally, usually in spring, allowing you to enjoy it at its freshest and most flavorful.