Appropriate side dish or salad with paella

I'm looking for a vegetable side dish or salad that will go well with paella. Something relatively simple would be appreciated.

Christine
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11 Comments

PamelaM
PamelaM October 29, 2023
I was asked to bring a salad. So who am I to judge whether a salad is an appropriate side dish for paella. I did some research and found several recipes that compliment paella. I made salad that consisted of several different types of organic greens, thinly sliced fennel, toasted almonds, sliced green Castelvetrano olives and thin slices of orange. Many chefs commented that the combination of citrus with the olives and crunchy toasted almonds (or marcona) make for a wonderful pairing to paella. They were not wrong. The dressing was a simple champagne (or sherry if that’s what you have) vinaigrette with shallots.
 
bigpan
bigpan March 1, 2012
I think paella is complete by itself. In our house we often serve boquerones as a starter before the paella. Then a brûlée for dessert.
 
pierino
pierino March 1, 2012
I make paella all the time, usually cooked outside. What I like to serve alongside is a tray of big, fat green olives with roasted marcona almonds and some ridiculously wonderful boquerones (white anchovies in vinegar). It's the knockout punch before your guests even get to the paella. Then they are down for the eight count.
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx March 1, 2012
Agree with salad perhaps with shaed Manchego and Marcona Almonds with a Spanish Sherry Vingarette.
 
Christine
Christine March 1, 2012
Do you have a recipe for that salad?
 
healthierkitchen
healthierkitchen March 1, 2012
or maybe some hearts of palm and/or artichoke hearts
 
susan G.
susan G. March 1, 2012
I like the salads for a clean taste to offset (and enhance) the richness of the paella.
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx March 1, 2012
My basic dressing - can be multiplied. Pile greens of your choice (I like red leaf, bibb with some watercress on plate, mix with dressing to coat, sprinkle marcona almonds (i usually dont toast them), and using vegetable peeler shave chhese on top. Dressing can be made up 2 days ahead & refrigerated. I do add some minced shallots and sometimes a bit of dijon mustard.
For the vinaigrette:
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. sherry wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
I also found this: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/fig-salad-with-cabrales-cheese-and-marcona-almonds.html?cm_src=RECIPESEARCH
 
GIOVANNI50
GIOVANNI50 March 1, 2012
Paella is a heavy dish, usually served by itself. May be an appetizer with some pears and blue cheese as wssmom says or serrano with cantaloupe. Don't overcomplicate it, the paella if well done is the star of the dinner.
 
wssmom
wssmom March 1, 2012
Juli's salad sounds wonderful! I also am addicted to arugula and usually serve with some peeled, sliced pears and a bit of crumbled blue cheese, although the orange dressing would be a lovely complement to the paella.
 

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Juli G.
Juli G. March 1, 2012
I love to place some arugula on a serving plate, Then orange segments (save the juice for the dressing), next thinly sliced red onion and black olives(I usually have kalamatas) . For the dressing I mix olive oil, the remaining juice from oranges, a splash of sherry vinegar and salt and pepper. It is such a light and pretty salad. Enjoy.
 
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