Paella gets a vegan reboot in Barcelona. This 4-hour class at In Bloom Cooking School turns Spanish rice know-how into a hands-on meal, not a lecture. I really like the small group of 4, which keeps attention on your questions and your pan.

Second, I love the range of dishes you make, not just one showstopper. You’ll work with bomba rice for paella and bake-and-black-rice styles too, so the cooking feels like a mini tour of Catalan flavors.

One possible drawback: the menu changes with group size, so the exact number of recipes you cook can vary, and extra drinks cost extra after the included one.

Key points to know before you go

• A 100% vegan cooking school focused on Spanish rice classics, with plant-based ingredient swaps that still fit the dish
• Small group format (4 people), so the session stays interactive rather than crowded
• Multiple rice styles in one sitting, from Paella Valenciana to arròs negre and fideuà
• You make and taste everything together in a buffet spread after cooking
• Konjak-based plant seafood and Heura-style chicken show up across the menu for texture and flavor
• Bring a container if you want leftovers, since you can take food home

A vegan paella school near Plaza España that keeps things hands-on

This experience is based at In Bloom Cooking School, behind Arenas mall near Plaza España. The big idea is simple: you cook Spanish rice dishes using vegan ingredients, then eat what you prepared as a shared buffet. It’s a practical setup for learning, because you’re not just watching someone else do it.

The atmosphere is friendly and upbeat, and the instructor approach matters here. You’ll get teaching in Catalan, English, German, or Spanish, so you can follow what’s happening without guessing. Since the course runs with a group of 4, you’re less likely to feel lost at the counter when questions come up.

Paella Valenciana: bomba rice, garrofó, and Heura-style chicken

Your paella start is Paella Valenciana, built around ingredients that define the dish. You’ll work with bomba rice, plus green beans and garrofó, which are the Valencian fava beans used in the classic version. On the plant side, the role of chicken gets handled with marinated and grilled Heura “chicken style,” paired with vegetable broth.

Why this works as a learning experience: paella isn’t only about flavor. It’s also about how the rice absorbs broth and stays in the right texture. Using bomba rice is the foundation, and building the dish around the “real” paella ingredients helps you understand what the rice is meant to support.

The Heura-style portion also teaches you something useful for vegan cooking. Instead of trying to make everything taste like meat, the class leans into marinating and grilling for that savory bite, then uses broth and rice to carry the whole thing.

Arròs al forn: baked rice with black-bean vegan sausage and bacon-style mushrooms

Next comes Arròs al forn with vegan sausage, which is essentially oven-baked rice comfort in Catalan style. Here you’ll use bomba rice again, but the direction shifts toward tomatoes, potatoes, and chickpeas. You’ll also include vegetable broth, so the oven method isn’t about drying out—it’s about building depth while the rice turns tender.

Two details stand out from the menu. First, the vegan sausage is made out of black beans. Second, the dish includes marinated mushrooms “bacon style,” which is a clever way to add smoky-salty flavor without using actual bacon.

If you’re thinking this is just a paella class repeat, it’s not. Baked rice behaves differently than a pan paella. You learn how the oven changes the process, and that helps if you want to recreate these dishes at home without mimicking a stovetop only.

Arròs negre: black sea rice with Konjak prawns and seaweed broth

Then you’ll move into the dramatic-looking arròs negre, made with black rice and seaweed. This one is built for bold color and strong umami, with peas plus green and red pepper added for balance.

The class includes “rancid wine” as listed for the recipe, along with seaweed broth. If that ingredient name sounds odd, treat it as part of the traditional ingredient list for black rice style cooking, where the broth depth is the point.

For the vegan seafood note, you’ll use grilled vegan prawns made out of Konjak, plus the seaweed broth that ties the whole bowl together. Konjak-based pieces can be great for mimicking the shape and chew you’d expect from seafood, and pairing that with black rice style flavors helps it feel like a full dish rather than a substitute on the side.

Allioli and fideuà: garlic sauce plus fine-pasta paella with vegan squid

After the black rice lesson, the class finishes with two more flavor anchors: Allioli and fideuà with vegan konjak squid. Allioli is a garlic sauce, and it matters here because it gives you a creamy, punchy counterpoint to the more brothy rice dishes. It’s the kind of sauce that can turn a simple rice bite into a complete mouthful.

For the fideuà, you’ll make a version that’s described as paella with fine pasta. Expect pasta plus aubergine and red pepper, with white wine included in the recipe. The plant-based “squid” here is vegan and made from Konjak, marinated and grilled, then finished with seaweed broth.

This combination is a strong closer because you get two skills in one: garlic sauce you can use beyond this class, and the pasta-based cousin of paella that’s especially handy if you want Spanish rice flavors but different textures.

How the 4 hours actually flow: cooking, tasting, and shared buffet plates

Plan for an experience that’s active from start to finish. The course is 4 hours, and the group size is 4 people. All participants prepare and taste the recipes, and the number of recipes you make depends on how many people are in your group.

That detail matters for expectations. If your group is full, you should anticipate a full spread with multiple recipes. If you’re in a smaller turnout, you might not cook every single recipe listed, but you’ll still be part of the shared tasting.

After you prepare everything, the whole group eats together as a buffet. That means you don’t have to choose one dish and hope you like it. You can taste across the menu—paella style, baked rice style, black rice style, and fideuà style—while everything is freshly made.

One drink is included in your price, after that you buy drinks at the school and pay at the end. It’s a small thing, but I like knowing where the costs are so the evening doesn’t surprise you.

Price and value: $93 for a 4-hour cooking meal in Barcelona

At $93 per person for 4 hours, this is best thought of as a meal + lesson package. You’re paying for the ingredients, the instruction, and the fact that you cook and then eat a buffet made from the dishes you worked on.

The included welcome drink helps, and the small group format keeps the experience from turning into a spectator sport. Also, because it’s a 100% vegan cooking school, you’re paying for a specialized approach to Spanish rice dishes rather than a generic cooking demo.

Where the value can slip for some people: drinks beyond the included one can add cost, and the exact number of recipes depends on group size. If you want a guaranteed list of every dish cooked regardless of turnout, you’ll want to double-check what your starting time and group size looks like when you book.

Who this vegan paella class is for (and who should skip it)

This class fits best if you fall into one of these buckets:

• You want a hands-on Barcelona food experience that’s actually practical, not just a tasting
• You enjoy vegan cooking and want Spanish rice dishes you can recreate
• You’re curious about plant-based seafood and meat alternatives in dishes where they still belong (Heura-style, Konjak prawns, Konjak squid)

You might skip it if:

• You’re traveling with children under 10, since the course is not suitable for that age group
• You want strictly traditional meat-and-seafood versions, because this is a 100% vegan cooking school and the menu uses vegan substitutes throughout

Should you book this vegan paella class?

If you want a focused, small-group cooking lesson that ends with a buffet made from what you cooked, I’d say it’s a solid booking. The menu hits several Spanish rice directions in one go—paella, baked rice, black rice, and fideuà—while keeping everything vegan and learnable.

Book it if you like the idea of learning textures and techniques, not only flavor. It’s also a nice way to spend a chunk of your time near Plaza España, then roll into the rest of your day with your stomach full and your cooking confidence up.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point?

You meet at In Bloom Cooking School, behind Arenas mall, and Plaza España.

How long is the experience?

The class lasts 4 hours.

How much does it cost, and what’s included?

It costs $93 per person. One drink is included, and after cooking the group enjoys the dishes together as a buffet.

What is the group size?

The course takes place with a group size of 4 people.

What will I make and taste during the class?

You’ll prepare and taste the recipes together, and the number of recipes depends on participants. The listed recipes include Paella Valenciana, Arròs al forn with vegan sausage, Arròs negre with grilled vegan prawns, Allioli (garlic sauce), and fideuà with vegan Konjak squid.

Are drinks included after the welcome drink?

You can purchase additional drinks at the location after the included one, and you pay for them at the end.

Should I bring anything?

Bring a Tupperware if you want to take leftovers home.

What languages are spoken by the instructor?

The instructor speaks Catalan, English, German, and Spanish.

Is the class suitable for children, and is it wheelchair accessible?

The class is not suitable for children under 10. It is wheelchair accessible.