Savoury dishes
Arròs Brut: Mallorca’s spicy "dirty rice"
The name does not sound very inviting, but the dish all the more so: arròs brut is a soupy, spicy rice stew served on cool days in Sa Pobla and Inca.
Quick answer
Arròs Brut: Mallorca’s spicy "dirty rice"
Arròs brut is a soupy Mallorcan rice stew with rabbit, poultry and mushrooms, which gets its name ‘dirty rice’ from its blurred, soupy consistency.
What does "dirty rice" mean?
The name does not refer to hygiene but to the consistency: unlike dry paella rice, the ingredients in arròs brut merge into a soupy, spicy broth. This blurred boundary between rice, meat and liquid gave the dish its name. It is usually served straight from the clay pot.
Ingredients: rabbit, poultry, snails, mushrooms, cinnamon, nutmeg
The basics are rabbit and poultry, often supplemented with snails and wild mushrooms. It is generously seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg and saffron, which give the stew its characteristic aroma. The rice is not cooked separately beforehand but cooks directly in the spicy broth.
Origin: Sa Pobla and Inca
Arròs brut comes from the area around Sa Pobla and Inca in the interior of the island, where rice growing and farmhouse cooking have traditionally been closely linked. To this day the dish is considered one of the best-known local specialities there. Restaurants in this area often have arròs brut as a regular item on the menu.
Season: why it is an autumn/winter dish
Traditionally, arròs brut is eaten mainly in the cooler months, as the hearty, warming broth suits autumn and winter weather. Many restaurants nevertheless offer the dish all year round. If you are looking for the original seasonal experience, it is best to plan your visit in autumn or winter.
Practical tips
- In Sa Pobla or Inca, ask for traditional restaurants serving arròs brut.
- The dish is particularly suited to the cooler months.
- Check in advance whether snails are part of the particular recipe.
- Have it served with a local wine from the centre of the island.
Good to know
Price ranges, opening hours and airline rules change. We only give verifiable features and rough orders of magnitude – check details directly with the seller or your airline before buying or flying.
Product knowledge
The specialities on this topic
Dish Traditional Centre of the island / Inca
Arròs brut
Dirty rice
Soupy rice pot with meat, mushrooms and saffron – a winter classic from the island’s interior.
- Ingredients
- Short-grain rice, rabbit and poultry, mushrooms, often snails, saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, stock
- Diet
- gluten-free
- Price range
- included in the menú del día or in the low double-digit range
- Buy
- Weekly markets for spices and rice
- Flight
- A dish to eat locally – saffron and spices, on the other hand, are easy to take home.
Last checked: August 2026
Price ranges, opening hours and airline rules change. We only give verifiable features and rough orders of magnitude – check details directly with the seller or your airline before buying or flying.
| Product | Hand luggage | Suitcase | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arròs brut | no | no | A dish to eat locally – saffron and spices, on the other hand, are easy to take home. |
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called "dirty" rice?
Because of its soupy, blurred consistency, in contrast to dry paella rice.
Is arròs brut available all year round?
It is mostly served all year round, but traditionally it is an autumn/winter comfort dish.
Where does the dish originally come from?
From the area around Sa Pobla and Inca in the interior of the island.
More topics
-
Paella on Mallorca
Paella is not originally a Mallorcan dish, but it has become firmly established with local seafood and its own local habits.
-
Porcella
Crisp as crisps, butter-soft inside: porcella is Mallorca’s answer to classic suckling pig – traditionally eaten at Christmas, but available all year round in the cellers of the island’s interior.
-
Frit Mallorquí
Documented since the 14th century: frit mallorquí uses what is left over from slaughter day – offal, potatoes and plenty of fennel in a hot pan.
Related
- Restaurants on Mallorca Inns with arròs brut on the menu.
- Towns in the interior Discover Sa Pobla and Inca.
Next steps

