Is the paella covered when cooking?

Every dish has its recipe, and with it, the steps to follow. While many may seem logical, some might initially appear strange or even unnecessary.

Paella is not usually covered; it’s not necessary. However, in certain situations, it might be a good idea to do so — such as when the rice is undercooked, if there’s not enough liquid, for hygiene, or simply to retain heat...

In this blog post, we’ll explain why paella is sometimes covered and the reasons behind it.

When should we cover paella?

Paella should only be covered in certain exceptional cases:

To finish cooking the rice

When letting paella rest for about 5–10 minutes, covering it with a lid can help the steam and residual heat finish cooking the rice.

To achieve a creamier texture

Due to the additional steam, covering the paella during cooking can give the rice a creamier texture.

For hygiene

If you're in an open space like a mountain, countryside, or garden, a lid can help prevent dust or insects from landing on your paella.

To retain heat

If there's going to be a delay before serving, covering the paella helps retain heat without needing to reheat it.

To prevent excessive broth evaporation

In very hot environments, the broth may evaporate faster than expected. Covering the paella traps the steam, helping preserve the liquid needed for proper cooking.

Out of habit

It may sound odd, but some people simply cover the paella during resting out of habit. This doesn’t have any negative effect, so it’s not a problem if you do it.

But why isn’t it necessary to cover it while cooking?

The reason paella doesn’t need to be covered, as pointed out by paella experts and known for many years, is this: paella pans are designed with a wide surface area, which allows for uniform evaporation of the broth. The liquid evaporates at the right pace to maximize flavor while the rice absorbs all the necessary broth without any excess.

Still, in some places, myths suggest that covering the paella during cooking or resting enhances its flavor and texture. But is this true, or just a myth?

Advantages of covering paella during cooking

While uncovered cooking is the traditional and preferred method among many chefs and cooks, covering it can offer certain benefits:

Better temperature control

Covering the paella helps maintain a stable temperature inside the pan, which can help ingredients cook more evenly, especially in challenging weather. It may help prevent rice from burning or cooking unevenly.

Better moisture retention

Using a lid helps trap moisture inside the pan, which is crucial for achieving the desired rice texture. Retaining moisture prevents the rice from drying out, allowing it to absorb all the flavors. This is especially useful when cooking in places where adding more broth isn’t an option, like in the mountains or countryside.

Even cooking

Covering the paella helps distribute heat evenly throughout the pan, ensuring that all ingredients cook at the same rate.

Disadvantages of covering paella during cooking

Despite these advantages, there are downsides to using a lid when cooking paella:

Texture changes

Covering the pan can lead to excess steam, which may affect the rice’s texture.

Too much steam can make the rice overly soft or sticky, instead of having the loose, firm texture desired in a proper paella. Although, this can be beneficial if making a soupy or creamy rice.

Loss of socarrat

Using a lid may prevent the formation of the beloved socarrat — that crispy, caramelized rice layer at the bottom of the pan.

The additional steam creates a moist environment that hinders the toasting of the rice, preventing the necessary chemical reactions that produce the socarrat.

So, should we cover the paella while cooking?

Considering these pros and cons, should we use a lid while cooking paella? Generally, the answer is no — only in specific situations.

Traditionally, paella is cooked uncovered. The pan’s design promotes even cooking without needing additional steam. Likewise, a lid is not necessary to achieve the socarrat and may even hinder it.

Cooking paella with a lid may result in an undesirable soft texture and loss of socarrat — both undesirable when preparing a proper paella.

That said, it may be useful to cover the paella if the broth runs out too soon. The extra steam can help finish cooking the rice without needing to add more liquid.

In that case, we recommend lowering the heat and covering the pan. The heat and steam should help the rice cook perfectly without burning or turning mushy.

Similarly, if the sofrito splashes too much, you can cover the pan temporarily while cooking the base, lifting the lid occasionally to stir and prevent burning.

Is there a specific reason some people cover the paella while it rests?

As mentioned before, it’s typical to let paella rest for 5–10 minutes after cooking. The main reason is to allow residual heat to finish cooking any rice grains that may still be slightly undercooked — but the explanation goes deeper into physics and chemistry:

1. Moisture balance

When covered, the steam from the hot rice doesn’t escape. Instead, it’s trapped inside the pan, forming a closed environment.

This steam condenses and redistributes on drier areas, usually the top rice layer.

This reduces the moisture difference between the top (drier) and bottom (wetter) layers, resulting in consistent texture throughout.

2. Passive cooking from residual heat

Also known as heat transfer — even after turning off the heat, the pan and rice retain thermal energy.

Covering creates a low-temperature “closed oven” effect. This trapped heat allows the rice starch to finish gelatinizing (around 70–80°C), in case it didn’t fully cook earlier.

3. Retention of aromas and volatile compounds

Aromatic compounds — such as oils and aldehydes — are volatile and evaporate with heat.

Leaving the paella uncovered leads to aroma loss. Covering helps retain and reabsorb them, enhancing the flavor when served.

If you’re not serving immediately, covering — even with a sprig of rosemary — will keep the aroma strong.

4. Starch structure stabilization

Also called molecular reorientation — as the rice rests without agitation or sudden moisture loss, starch molecules undergo partial reorganization.

This helps the rice become firm and loose, without clumping.

That’s why many recipes recommend covering during resting — to maintain ideal temperature and humidity for this process.

Conclusion

From all this, we can highlight two main takeaways:

- Covering the paella while cooking is generally unnecessary. The design of the pan and cooking method make it unnecessary and sometimes counterproductive.

- Covering the paella during resting (5–10 minutes) is highly recommended. It finishes cooking, retains aromas, and ensures loose, firm rice. It’s a passive step but crucial for a perfect, flavorful, and consistent paella.

Types of paella lids

Lids come in many materials — cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel — but aluminum is the most popular.

This is due to its excellent thermal conductivity, which distributes heat evenly. It helps cook the paella uniformly and avoids hotspots. Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to handle.

Split lids for paella

Besides the classic lid, there are split-lid models that open halfway, allowing continued cooking without fully lifting the lid. These are mainly used for giant paellas.

General questions

Why do some people use cloths or newspapers to cover paella?

You might have seen someone — a friend, or your grandmother — use a cloth, towel, or old newspaper to cover the paella while it rests.

The reason is simple: the moisture gets trapped in the cloth and falls back into the paella, preserving liquid during the resting phase.

Though a traditional trick, we recommend using a lid or cloth over a newspaper, as the ink could transfer to the food.