No, they are completely different! Risotto rice you're supposed to stir to make it creamy, paella rice you're supposed to leave it alone so the grains are separate!.Definitely not interchangeable unless you want a risottella.
hmmmm risotto...not had that for ages, might make one tomorrow to use all the veggies up..... i would stick to arborio or theres another one (cant remember what its called sorry)
Hi crisgal. Yes, both arborio and, say, arroz bomba (a certain type of paella rice) are visually indistinguishable from one another. I have used arborio in in place of paella rice when the need has arisen.