Arroz de marisco: how to put it on the menu
Arroz de marisco is a “malandrinho” rice — soupy, not dry like a paella — cooked with mixed seafood (prawns, clams, mussels, crab or lobster), tomato, onion, garlic, white wine and coriander.
Updated October 2026
How it reads on the menu, in each language
| Language | Name | Line for the guest |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese | Arroz de marisco | Arroz malandrinho com camarão, amêijoas, mexilhão e sapateira em caldo de tomate e coentros. |
| English | Arroz de marisco | Soupy seafood rice with prawns, clams, mussels and crab in a tomato and coriander broth. |
| Spanish | Arroz de marisco | Arroz caldoso con gambas, almejas, mejillones y buey de mar en caldo de tomate y cilantro. |
| French | Arroz de marisco | Riz aux fruits de mer, bien juteux, avec crevettes, palourdes, moules et tourteau dans un bouillon de tomate et coriandre. |
Usual allergens to check
- Crustaceans
- Fish
- Molluscs
A guide based on the traditional recipe. Only your recipe and your suppliers tell you what the dish contains. How to list allergens
What Arroz de marisco is
It is served bubbling in the pot, almost always for two or more.
How to write it for visitors
Say “soupy” in English: many visitors expect a paella and are surprised by the broth. State how many people the price is for and which seafood it contains — lobster is not the same as prawns only.
Where and when it is eaten
Along the coast, in seafood restaurants and fish restaurants from the Minho to the Algarve. See also cataplana.
Frequently asked questions
Which allergens does arroz de marisco contain?
Crustaceans and molluscs, and often fish (fish stock) and sulphites (white wine). It carries some of the most serious allergens on the menu — always list them.
Is arroz de marisco the same as paella?
No. Portuguese seafood rice is soupy; paella is dry.