Paella and jambalaya are not the same, but they share similarities as rice-based dishes. Paella originates from Spain and is seafood-based and less spicy. It often uses short-grain white rice with saffron to give its yellowish hue. While jambalaya comes from Louisiana, using Cajun spices, smoked sausage, chicken, shrimp, and sometimes tomatoes (depending on the region), and only uses long-grain rice.