Quick answer: the difference is how much stock each one takes: dry around 2.5-3 parts per part of rice, creamy 3.5-4, and soupy 5-6. Dry is eaten with a fork and has socarrat; soupy is eaten with a spoon, right away. Where to order them? See rice restaurants by area →
When you look at the menu at a rice restaurant in Dénia, you'll see "dry", "creamy" and "soupy" rice dishes. It's not a whim: the difference is how much stock the rice has when it's served, and it completely changes the dish. Let's break it down.
Dry rice
This is rice with no liquid when served: the grain has absorbed all the stock and comes out loose, with a lightly toasted base (the famous socarrat). Paella and arroz a banda both fall here. It's the hardest to get exactly right, because the timing has to be precise.
Creamy rice (meloso)
Somewhere in between: it comes out juicy and velvety, bound together but not a soup. The stock coats the grain, giving it a creamy texture (hence the name). Creamy rice with lobster, or with cuttlefish and artichokes, is a treat, and it's also more forgiving on timing, which is why it's one of the easiest to get right.
Soupy rice (caldoso)
The juiciest of the three: served with plenty of stock, almost like a thick soup, eaten with a spoon. Perfect for cold days or for anyone after a comforting, deeply flavoured rice dish.
The real difference is in the stock
All three rice dishes can use exactly the same ingredients. What sets them apart isn't the recipe, but how much stock each one has per measure of rice, and that completely changes the result on the plate:
| Dry rice | Creamy rice | Soupy rice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock per measure of rice | About 2.5 – 3 parts | About 3.5 – 4 parts | About 5 – 6 parts |
| How it looks | Loose grain, no liquid | Creamy, bound, moves on the plate | Plenty of stock, almost a soup |
| Cooked in | Paella pan (the wide, flat one) | Shallow pot | Pot or casserole |
| Eaten with | Fork | Fork or spoon | Spoon |
| Has socarrat | Yes, that's the point | No | No |
| Wait before eating | Rests 5 minutes | Served right away | Right away: it keeps absorbing |
Which to order in Dénia?
- First time in Dénia: a dry rice (arroz a banda) to try the most typical dish.
- Want something creamy and safe: a meloso (it's more forgiving).
- Cold day, or you're in the mood for a spoon: a caldoso.
See the best rice restaurants in Dénia →
Frequently asked questions
What is dry rice?
It's rice cooked in a paella pan — the wide, flat one — with little stock, around 2.5 to 3 parts per part of rice, until the liquid evaporates completely. The grain ends up loose, and a socarrat forms at the bottom. Paella and arroz a banda are both dry rice dishes.
What's the difference between creamy and soupy rice?
The amount of stock. Creamy rice takes around 3.5-4 parts and comes out velvety and bound together, with no loose liquid. Soupy rice takes 5-6 parts and arrives almost like a soup, eaten with a spoon.
Which is easiest to get right?
Creamy rice is more forgiving. Dry rice needs the exact timing — one minute too long and it's overcooked — and soupy rice has to be eaten right away because the rice keeps absorbing stock on the plate.
What's the difference between dry, creamy and soupy rice?
The amount of stock: dry is served with no liquid, creamy comes out juicy and velvety, and soupy has stock, almost like a soup.