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Loading...A cassolada is the Valencian name for a one-pot feast cooked and served from a cazuela, the earthenware clay pot that anchors home cooking across Spain's Mediterranean coast. This version layers bone-in pork shoulder and smoky chorizo with chickpeas and saffron-scented short-grain rice, baked slowly so the grains drink in the paprika-stained broth and the bottom forms a toasty socarrat crust. It is rustic, deeply savory, and meant to land in the center of the table with a wooden spoon.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Total Time80 mins
Servings4
Yield4 generous servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 720 kcalCalories
- 32 gFat
- 10 gSaturated Fat
- 58 gCarbs
- 6 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 42 gProtein
- 920 mgSodium
- 880 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 5 mgIron
- 28 mgVitamin C
- 85 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Meat Base
- 1 1/2 lbs bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 6 oz dry-cured Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the Sofrito
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ripe tomato, grated on a box grater (about 1/2 cup pulp)
- 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce)
For the Rice and Assembly
- 1 1/2 cups Bomba or Calasparra short-grain rice
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
- 3 1/2 cups hot low-sodium chicken or pork stock
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, to finish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the pork pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an unglazed earthenware clay pot (about 9-inch diameter) over medium-high on the stovetop until shimmering.
- Brown the pork in a single layer in two batches, turning carefully, until deep golden on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Add the chorizo to the pot and cook 2 minutes until it renders its paprika-stained fat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt; cook 7 to 8 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized. Add the garlic and grated tomato and cook 3 minutes more until the tomato darkens to a thick, jam-like paste. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, stir constantly for 20 seconds, then return the pork and any juices to the pot along with the chickpeas.
- Pour in the hot stock and the bloomed saffron (with its soaking water) and stir gently to distribute the pork and chickpeas evenly. Scatter the rice across the surface in an even layer and do not stir again. Taste the broth and adjust salt; bring to a bare simmer on the stovetop.
- Cover the clay pot with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the oven, and bake 35 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid, with a golden crust forming around the edges. For an extra-thick socarrat, remove the lid for the final 5 minutes.
- Lift the pot from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 8 minutes so the grains finish steaming and the crust sets. Scatter with chopped parsley and bring the clay pot straight to the table; serve with a wooden spoon, scooping down to the caramelized bottom.
Cook’s Notes
- If Bomba rice is unavailable, substitute Arborio and reduce the stock by about 1/2 cup to keep the grains from turning mushy.
- Soak a new unglazed clay pot in cool water for 30 minutes before first use to season the earthenware and help prevent cracking under direct heat.
- For a vegetarian twist, swap the pork shoulder and chorizo for 1 lb of diced butternut squash plus 4 oz of smoked paprika-spiced tempeh, using vegetable stock.
- To use dried chickpeas, soak 3/4 cup overnight in salted water, then simmer 40 to 45 minutes until just tender before adding them at step 3.
- A small splash of dry fino sherry stirred in with the stock brightens the earthy pork and saffron notes without overpowering them.
