If you want to make paella at home, the size of the pan is one of the first choices you need to make. Is a 28 cm paella pan large enough? When is it better to choose 32 cm? And when does a spacious 36 cm paella pan come in handy?
The right size depends mainly on the amount you want to prepare, the number of ingredients, and the surface of your cooktop.
In this guide, we compare different sizes and explain what to look for when choosing. Do you want to see the available models right away? Then discover the pans and paella pans at TEKZEN.
What is a paella pan?
You can recognize a paella pan primarily by its wide and relatively low shape.
That shape ensures that the ingredients can be distributed over a large surface. That is an important difference from, for example, a high cooking pot or soup pot.
A traditional paella pan also has handles on the sides instead of one long handle.
Within the current TEKZEN assortment, you will find various Kadirelli paella pans in multiple diameters, so you can match the size to the amount you want to prepare.
Why is the size of a paella pan important?
With a paella pan, it is not just about how much food physically fits inside.
The wide cooking surface is an essential part of this type of pan. It allows rice and other ingredients to be spread over a larger area.
If you use a very small pan for a large amount of ingredients, a thicker layer is created in the pan. Conversely, using a pan that is too large for a very small amount is not always practical either.
That is why it is useful to choose a size that matches the portions you usually prepare.
Which sizes of paella pans are available at TEKZEN?
Within the current Kadirelli assortment at TEKZEN, you will find paella pans of:
- 28 cm
- 30 cm
- 32 cm
- 34 cm
- 36 cm
In addition, there are black Kadirelli paella pans of 32 and 36 cm. The current models are offered as suitable for induction.
This allows you to choose a diameter quite accurately that fits your cooking habits.
Paella pan 28 cm: compact size
A 28 cm paella pan is the smallest size within the current Kadirelli assortment at TEKZEN.
This size is interesting when you want to prepare smaller amounts and do not need a large pan.
A more compact paella pan also takes up less space on the cooktop and is easier to store than a very large version.
If you usually prepare small portions, 28 cm can therefore be a logical starting point.
Paella pan 30 cm: slightly more cooking surface
With a 30 cm paella pan, you get slightly more surface area than with the 28 cm version.
The two-centimeter difference may seem small, but because the diameter increases, the total cooking surface also increases.
This intermediate size can be interesting when 28 cm is on the compact side, but you do not yet need a large paella pan.
Paella pan 32 cm: versatile medium size
A 32 cm paella pan sits nicely in the middle of the current size series.
You get more room to spread rice, vegetables, meat, fish, or other ingredients across the bottom, while the pan is not yet as large as a 36 cm version.
Within the current TEKZEN assortment, 32 cm is also available in various versions, including a black Kadirelli paella pan.
For those who regularly prepare different quantities, 32 cm can therefore be an interesting size.
Paella pan 34 cm: extra space
Do you want more cooking surface without jumping directly to the largest size? Then you can look at a 34 cm paella pan.
This size offers extra room to distribute ingredients and can therefore be pleasant when you regularly prepare somewhat larger quantities.
With a larger diameter, do check whether the pan fits well on the cooking zone you want to use.
Paella pan 36 cm: largest size within the current assortment
The 36 cm paella pan is the largest diameter within the current Kadirelli paella pans at TEKZEN.
This size gives you a generous cooking surface and is therefore especially interesting when you want to prepare larger quantities.
TEKZEN currently has both a regular 36 cm Kadirelli paella pan and a black version of the same size.
If you often cook for several people or like to be able to spread many ingredients across the pan, this larger diameter can be useful.
How many people per paella pan?
With paella pans, you often see tables where each diameter is linked to an exact number of people.
Such a table can provide an indication, but it is not an absolute rule. The space required depends on the portion size, the amount of rice, and how many other ingredients you add.
A richly filled paella with many vegetables, meat, or fish, for example, requires more space than a smaller and simpler preparation.
Therefore, look primarily at the amount you normally make rather than exclusively at a fixed number of people.
Which paella pan for 2 people?
For a smaller quantity, you can start with the more compact sizes.
A 28 or 30 cm paella pan can be interesting, for example, when you usually cook for a small household.
If you like to make larger portions or consciously want a more thinly distributed layer of ingredients, you can of course also choose a larger diameter.
Which paella pan for a family?
For a family, the available cooking surface becomes more important.
A 32 or 34 cm paella pan, for example, gives more space to distribute different ingredients over the bottom than a compact 28 cm version.
Which diameter ultimately fits best depends on how much your family eats and how richly you fill the paella.
Which paella pan for larger quantities?
If you regularly prepare a large quantity, a larger diameter is the obvious choice.
Within the current assortment, 36 cm is the largest available size.
The advantage of such a spacious pan is not just the capacity; you primarily get more surface area to distribute the ingredients over the bottom.
Is a larger paella pan always better?
No. The largest pan is not automatically the best choice.
A large paella pan takes up more space, both while cooking and when storing. In addition, the pan must fit the heat source well.
If you almost always prepare small quantities, a smaller paella pan can be easier to use.
The best size is therefore primarily the size that matches the quantities you actually make.
Can a paella pan be used on induction?
Not every paella pan is automatically suitable for induction. The bottom must be suitable for this heat source.
The current 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 cm Kadirelli paella pans at TEKZEN are offered as suitable for induction.
This also applies to the current 32 and 36 cm black Kadirelli versions.
Always check the full specifications and suitable heat sources for the chosen product before using the pan.
Which size paella pan for induction?
With induction, in addition to the diameter of the paella pan, you must also take the dimensions of the cooking zone into account.
A very large pan on a relatively small cooking zone can ensure that not every part of the bottom is heated in the same way.
Therefore, also consult the instructions of your induction cooktop to check which bottom diameters are suitable for the relevant cooking zone.
If you have a cooktop with a flex zone, there may be other possibilities for larger pans.
Paella pan or frying pan: what is the difference?
A paella pan and a frying pan are both relatively wide but have a different shape and application.
A frying pan normally has one long handle and is widely used for daily frying preparations.
A paella pan is wide and low and usually has two handles on the sides. This makes the model specifically suitable for preparations where you want to distribute many ingredients over a wide surface.
Are you looking for a regular pan for daily frying? Then read our guide Which frying pan size do you need?.
Paella pan or roasting pan?
A roasting pan also has a different shape and application.
A roasting pan is generally deeper and is widely used for roasting, stewing, and slow cooking.
A paella pan is relatively low and wide, which creates a large cooking surface.
Which pan you need therefore depends primarily on the dish you want to prepare.
Can you use a paella pan for other dishes?
A wide low pan does not have to be used exclusively for one recipe.
Depending on the model and the method of preparation, you can also use the spacious surface for other dishes where you like to spread ingredients over a wide bottom.
Always take the properties of the pan, the heat source used, and the preparation method of the dish into account.
Why does a paella pan have two handles?
Unlike a frying pan, a paella pan usually does not have a long handle, but two handles on either side.
That is practical for a wide pan because it allows you to grip it from two sides.
Keep in mind that handles can get hot during cooking. Use suitable pot holders or oven mitts if necessary and follow the pan's usage instructions.
How much rice do you put in a paella pan?
The amount of rice depends on the recipe, the portion size, and the other ingredients.
Therefore, do not use only the diameter of the pan to determine how much rice you need.
Preferably follow a paella recipe that matches the number of portions you want to make and then choose a pan in which the ingredients can be sufficiently distributed over the bottom.
28, 30, 32, 34, or 36 cm: which paella pan do you choose?
You can view the current sizes at TEKZEN roughly as follows:
- 28 cm: compact size for smaller quantities;
- 30 cm: slightly more cooking surface than 28 cm;
- 32 cm: versatile medium size;
- 34 cm: extra space for larger preparations;
- 36 cm: largest current size for generous quantities.
Use this as a practical comparison and not as a hard division by number of people. The amount of ingredients ultimately remains the deciding factor.
Buying a paella pan at TEKZEN
When choosing a paella pan, the available cooking surface is primarily important. A smaller pan is practical for compact preparations, while a larger diameter gives more room to distribute rice and other ingredients over the bottom.
Within the current TEKZEN assortment, you will find Kadirelli paella pans of 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 cm. In addition, there are black versions of 32 and 36 cm. The current models are offered as suitable for induction.
View the paella pans and other pans at TEKZEN and compare the size that best matches your way of cooking.
Do you also want to compare other pans? Then read more about choosing the right frying pan size or discover which soup pot size you need.