Paella vs Fried Rice: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Paella has 9.5 g of protein and 169 calories, while Fried Rice has 4.0 g of protein and 174 calories. Paella is higher in protein and lower in calories.

Paella and Fried Rice are popular rice-based dishes with distinct flavors and ingredients. This comparison highlights their nutritional profiles to help you make informed dietary choices.

What Is the Difference Between Paella and Fried Rice?

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish made with rice, saffron, and various proteins like seafood or chicken. It is often cooked in a wide, shallow pan. Fried Rice is a dish made from pre-cooked rice stir-fried in a wok with ingredients like vegetables, eggs, and often meat. It is a staple in many Asian cuisines.

Paella vs Fried Rice: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional values of Paella and Fried Rice per 100 g.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Paella	Fried rice
Calories	169 kcal	174 kcal
Protein	9.5 g	4.0 g
Carbs	15.8 g	32.8 g
Sugar	0.7 g	0.6 g
Fat	7.2 g	3.0 g
Fiber	0.6 g	1.1 g
Sodium	737 mg	387 mg

Which Is Better, Paella or Fried Rice?

For weight loss: Paella has 169 calories, while Fried Rice has 174 calories, making Paella the lower-calorie option.

For muscle and protein: Paella contains 9.5 g of protein, significantly higher than Fried Rice's 4.0 g.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Fried Rice has 32.8 g of carbs and 0.6 g of sugar, while Paella has 15.8 g of carbs and 0.7 g of sugar.

How to Track Paella and Fried rice Accurately

Portion sizes and macro content can be easily misjudged, leading to inaccurate dietary assessments. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers presented are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which dish has more protein?

Paella has 9.5 g of protein, while Fried Rice has 4.0 g of protein.

Which dish has fewer calories?

Paella has 169 calories, whereas Fried Rice has 174 calories.

What are the carbohydrate contents?

Fried Rice contains 32.8 g of carbohydrates, while Paella has 15.8 g.

How much fat is in each dish?

Paella contains 7.2 g of fat, while Fried Rice has 3.0 g of fat.

What is the sodium content in both dishes?

Paella has 737 mg of sodium, and Fried Rice has 387 mg of sodium.

How much sugar is in each dish?

Paella has 0.7 g of sugar, while Fried Rice has 0.6 g of sugar.

Key Takeaways

• Paella has 169 calories per 100 g.
• Fried Rice has 174 calories per 100 g.
• Paella contains 9.5 g of protein.
• Fried Rice contains 4.0 g of protein.
• Paella has 15.8 g of carbohydrates.
• Fried Rice has 32.8 g of carbohydrates.