Fideuà

Fideuà served in a traditional paella pan

What is fideuà?

The word fideuà is the Valencian pronunciation of fideuada, which means “noodle dish” in Catalan. As mentioned, fideuà is closely related to seafood paella, but instead of rice, it’s made with short, thin noodles called fideus (similar to Mexican fideos). Traditionally, it’s cooked in a wide, shallow pan known as a paellera. [Some debate this, calling the pan itself paella. In Catalan, though, “paella” refers to any pan, so the one used for this dish is colloquially referred to as a paellera].

The noodles are typically shallow-fried until golden and crispy, giving the dish a subtly toasted flavor. Then, they’re simmered in rich fish stock alongside seafood like prawns and cuttlefish, mixed with sofregit (known as ‘sofrito’ in Spanish)—a delicious base of sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers. In my version, I use onion, tomato, and nyora peppers, a smoky Catalan pepper that might be tricky to find elsewhere. If needed, you can substitute with smoked paprika or a mild, non-spicy Mexican pepper.

It’s also worth noting that in Catalonia and Gandia, the dish almost always uses short, thin noodles. In some places, you might come across versions made with hollow, elbow-shaped pasta, but that’s not considered authentic. A signature feature of traditional fideuà is how the noodles curl upwards when served, usually with a side of allioli.

The origin of fideuà

Fideuà originated in the coastal town of Gandia, in the Valencia region. Legend has it that fishermen on a boat often ran out of rice when making arròs a banda, a traditional seafood and rice dish, because their captain had quite the appetite. To solve this, the cook on board swapped the rice out for noodles, hoping the captain wouldn’t like it as much, leaving more for the crew.

But the plan backfired—in a good way. The dish was a hit, quickly spreading to local restaurants and the rest of Spain. Today, in the La Safor region where fideuà was born, there’s even an annual competition where chefs compete to make the best version of this iconic dish.

My fideuà recipe

When I make fideuà, I usually go with cuttlefish, prawns, and some kind of shellfish, like mussels or wedge clams. I tend to skip adding bell peppers to the sofregitbecause I feel their flavor doesn’t quite complement the rest of the dish. I also like to add a personal touch—a sprinkle of ground, toasted almonds on top, which everyone seems to really enjoy.

For the stock, I use what we call fumet in Catalan, a rich fish broth. You can also use store-bought fish stock or even vegetable broth if you want to save time. And finally, I always serve it with a side of homemade garlic mayonnaise. The sharpness and slight acidity of the allioli cuts through the rich flavors of the fideuà, balancing out the overall heartiness of the dish.

Ready to give it a go yourself? Keep reading for the full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions.