Arroz a Banda: Alicante’s Classic Banda Rice Recipe (Step-by-Step)

Five essential steps to prepare a banda-style rice at home

Alicante coastal cuisine features arroz a banda as a standout dish. Its success hinges not on flashy technique but on selecting superb ingredients and handling them with care. The result is a bold, authentic flavor that captures the sea and the land in every bite.

The core of this dish lies in three pillars: a rich seafood stock, glossy onions and tomatoes, and the distinctive accent from the small dried peppers known as ñoras. When these elements harmonize, the rice becomes a celebration of the region’s culinary spirit and its ability to elevate humble ingredients into something memorable.

Here is a clear guide to creating a traditional banda rice with an unmistakable Alicante character, along with step by step instructions for achieving a truly satisfying result.

Five practical ingredients to have on hand for this dish are listed below. They form the backbone of the recipe and keep the process smooth from start to finish.

• 400 grams of rice

• 1 kilogram of white fish for the broth

• One large squid

• Rice shrimp to taste

• Two bell peppers

• Two tomatoes

• Two heads of garlic

• One cup of olive oil

• 2.5 liters of water

• Half a red bell pepper, regional variation may skip this

• Saffron threads

• Salt to taste

The method for a perfect result starts with stock and careful preparation. Begin by ensuring the fish stock is rich and clean, achieved by simmering white fish with aromatics and then straining it well before use, so the final broth remains bright and free of grit.

The secret to a flawless Alicante rice: balance and timing

Preparation centers on building a fragrant sofrito, a slow simmer of garlic, tomatoes, and peppers that forms the flavor skeleton of the dish. The ñoras are gently toasted to unlock their sweetness, then softened without burning to prevent bitterness. The resulting mixture is blended with the stock to create a deep, smoky base that infuses the rice.

1. Prepare a savory stock using white fish so the broth stays delicate and clean in flavor.

2. Toast the ñoras slowly in a pan until their aroma is released, watching closely to avoid scorching and bitterness, then set them aside.

3. Crush a few garlic cloves in a mortar with the softened ñora and add a little parsley. Fry the grated tomato and fold in the mortar mixture to deepen the sauce.

4. Combine the tomato sauce, garlic, and ñora with the smoky stock after separating the fish oil from the stock. Keep the fish ready for later cleanup and separate from the cooking aromatics.

5. Let the mixture simmer for at least thirty minutes to develop a rich aroma and a robust flavor foundation.

6. In a wide paella pan over a steady flame, prepare a sauce with finely chopped cuttlefish and shrimp, with optional peppers for extra bite.

7. Pour in the rice and stir with the sofrito to ensure each grain is coated and ready to absorb the stock evenly.

8. Add two to three times the volume of rice in liquid terms, plus a touch of extra broth to keep the grains separate and plump rather than swollen.

9. Scatter saffron over the simmering broth and rice so the color and aroma permeate the dish as it cooks.

10. Cook for about twenty minutes without stirring, allowing a gentle crust to form at the bottom for texture and depth.