Quick answer: fideuà is a seafaring dish just like paella but with thin noodles instead of rice. It was born on the Valencian coast, aboard a fishing boat. It's eaten with all-i-oli and costs €19-21 per person at Dénia's rice restaurants. Where to eat it? See rice restaurants with prices and phone numbers →
What is fideuà?
Fideuà is a seafaring dish typical of the Costa Blanca made with thin noodles instead of rice. The noodles are cooked in a good fish and seafood stock, with a tomato and ñora sofrito, and finished in the oven or over the fire so they come out lightly toasted and curled upwards. The result: a dish with all the flavour of the sea and a texture quite different from rice.
The origin of fideuà
The most widespread story places its origin in the Gandía area, among fishermen. Legend has it that a sailor used to make rice for the crew, but since the skipper always went back for seconds, he swapped the rice for noodles so the skipper would like it less… and it turned out so good it stuck for good. Today it's a classic across the whole Valencian Community and, of course, at Dénia's rice restaurants.
Which noodle goes in a fideuà (and why it matters)
Not just any noodle will do. Fideuà is made with a short, thin noodle, size 2 to 4, and in many places with what's called a hollow or perforated noodle: it has a channel running through it that fills with stock, and that's the trick. That hollow is what makes a noodle taste of the sea.
The look is also meant to be different from rice. In fideuà the noodles should come out pointy, slightly raised like spikes, a sign they've been cooked just right and haven't clumped together. A local cook checks that before the taste.
Fideuà vs paella: the key difference
The essential difference is simple: paella is made with rice and fideuà with noodles. The concept — seafaring stock, sofrito, dry cooking with socarrat — is very similar. If you want to see all the differences including arroz a banda, we cover it here: paella vs arroz a banda vs fideuà.
Where to eat a good fideuà in Dénia
Many of Dénia's best rice restaurants also do fideuà justice. Find them in our guide:
See the best rice and fideuà restaurants in Dénia →
Frequently asked questions
Where is fideuà from? What's its origin?
From the Marina Alta and the Gandía area, on the Valencian coast. The most widespread story says it was born aboard a fishing boat: the cook, seeing that the skipper always went back for more rice and left little for the rest of the crew, swapped it for noodles to see if he'd like it less. It turned out the opposite, and the dish stuck.
Which noodle is used for fideuà?
Short, thin noodles, from size 2 to 4, and in many places hollow noodles, which have an inner channel that fills with stock. That's what gives it the taste of the sea.
Is it eaten with all-i-oli?
Yes, and for locals it's non-negotiable. It's served on the side and each diner adds as much as they want, just like with arroz a banda.
What is fideuà?
A seafaring dish made with thin noodles instead of rice, cooked in fish and seafood stock.
How does it differ from paella?
In the base: paella uses rice and fideuà uses noodles. The rest of the concept is very similar.
What does it come with?
With all-i-oli, which is mixed in with the noodles to bring out the flavour.