Could I use orzo instead of paella Rice?
I'm making a paella but don't have paella Rice! Could I use orzo?
Best Answer
It's not a direct substitution, but you can use orzo in place of paella rice as long as you vary the liquid. When I make a paella I use 3x the liquid as the rice by volume. With orzo that may be too much - if it doesn't absorb it you'll have a watery paella.
My approach would be to add 1.5 times liquid to the pasta by volume (not including your tomatoes) and see how it goes. If it starts to dry out and the pasta isn't done you can add small amounts of liquid until it is cooked.
FYI, any short grain rice will do for paella, you don't have to buy rice specifically saying paella rice.
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What can I substitute for paella rice?
Best substitute for paella rice is risotto rice (arborio rice) which has similar characteristics ie. ability to absorb lots of liquid, except risotto goes creamy if you stir it. The next best is medium grain rice \u2013 the same rice I use for rice pudding.Can orzo be used instead of rice?
Orzo is also a perfect substitute for rice, which is how we used it in today's recipe. Our creamy orzo is very similar to risotto, a dish made with a short-grain rice called Arborio. Risotto recipes typically call for toasting, or slightly browning the rice before adding any liquid.What rice is most like paella rice?
Short grain rice, or Arroz Redonda (round rice) is preferred for paella, and in Spain the main varieties used for paella are senia, bomba, bahfa, and thaibonnet.Can you use Risoni for paella?
Our cheat's version of the classic paella swaps rice for risoni!The Perfect Rice Recipe (Spanish Paella)
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Answer 2
I make paella often and any short grain rice is preferred to orzo. If you can find Arborio rice (which is what I use living in middle america rather than the more classical bomba or calasparra rices), that works great in a pinch. You could probably make orzo work if you pay attention to the water content and make sure to cook all the water off by the end, without over cooking the orzo.
Answer 3
Rice is a grain, orzo is a pasta. A small, rice-sized and -shaped pasta, but still a pasta. If you try to substitute, you will have no idea of how much water to use, and chances are you will end up with hideously overcooked orzo. In addition, you cannot expect the starch releasing effect of a paella/risotto rice with orzo, which would simply disintegrate, if you try too hard to stir it.
I would recommend any short-grain rice instead. You can usually find perfectly adequate versions in any Asian grocery store, much cheaper than in more specialized stores. Or just look on the lower shelves of your supermarket, if you're in the US.
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