Paella Recipe

You can make a delicious, authentic Paella–the most popular dish of Spain–in your own kitchen with simple ingredients like rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood. If you love cooking International food, you will fall in love with this comforting dish!

If you love Spanish food, don’t miss my other popular recipes like Torijas and Tortilla de Patatas.

My goal with this paella recipe was to use the tutelage I received while living in Madrid to create a traditional Spanish paella that anyone can make (and without special equipment, like a paella pan). After lots of trial and error, I am so excited to share everything I know and have learned about making Paella, as authentically and practically for the home cook, as possible.

Spanish Paella

You can make a delicious, authentic Paella–the most popular dish of Spain–in your own kitchen with simple ingredients like rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood.

Prep: 20min

Total: 60min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 535 kcal, Carbohydrate 59 g, Protein 37 g, Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 260 mg, Sodium 1159 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 3 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive Oil ((Spanish EVOO if you have it))
• 1 Onion (, diced)
• 1 bell pepper (, diced (I like to use ½ red and ½ green))
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 3 roma tomatoes (, very finely diced (or 8 oz. tomato sauce))
• Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon paprika (, sweet or smoked)
• 1 pinch saffron threads*
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup white wine
• 4 boneless , skinless chicken thighs (, cut into pieces*)
• ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley (chopped, divided)
• 2 cups Spanish Rice*
• 5 cups Chicken Broth*
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• ½ lb Jumbo Shrimp or prawns (, about 12 – peeled, tail on)
• 1/2 lb Mussels ((about 10-12), cleaned properly (beards off))
• 8 oz calamari rings
• Lemons (, for garnish)

Instruction:

1. *Please note, this is my version of Paella Mixta I learned to make while living in Madrid, Spain. I’ve simplified the recipe as best I could for anyone to be able to make without a special pan or equipment. There are MANY variations to Paella so please be respectful that my authentic recipe may be different from yours!
2. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell peppers and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add chopped tomato, bay leaf, paprika, saffron salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add white wine and cook for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
3. Add chicken pieces, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and rice to the pot. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Pour the broth slowly all around the pan and jiggle the pan to get the rice into an even layer. (Do not stir the mixture going forward!).
5. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Give the pan a gentle shake back and forth just once or twice during cooking. (We don’t ever stir the rice, so that a crispy crust forms at the bottom, called a socarrat).
6. Cook for about 15-18 minutes (uncovered), then nestle the shrimp, mussels and calamari into the mixture, sprinkle peas on top and continue to cook (without stirring) for about 5 more minutes. Watch for most of the liquid to be absorbed and the rice at the top nearly tender. (If for some reason your rice is still not cooked, add ¼ cup more water or broth and continue cooking).
7. Remove pan from heat and cover pan with a lid or tinfoil. Place a kitchen towel over the lid and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
8. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve.

Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella

Prep: 10min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 365 kcal, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 36 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Sodium 325 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 6 g, unSaturated Fat 30 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 tube of squid (cleaned)
• 12 raw jumbo shrimp (peeled & deveined)
• 8 fresh mussels (cleaned)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 ml)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (112 grams)
• 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika (1.30 grams)
• 2 1/2 cups fish broth (600 ml)
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads or powder (.17 grams)
• 1 cup uncooked round rice (200 grams)
• 2 lemon wedges
• handful finely chopped parsley
• sea salt & black pepper

Instruction:

1. Rouchly chop 3 cloves of garlic, finely dice 1/2 onion, finely chop 1/2 red bell pepper and cut 1 cleaned tube of squid into small squares
2. Heat a paella pan with a medium-high heat and add in 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, after 1 minute season the olive oil with sea salt and add in the cut squid, mix with the olive oil and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside, then add in the diced onion & chopped garlic into the pan, mix with the olive oil, after 1 minute add in the chopped bell pepper and continue to mix so everything evenly sautees
3. After 3 minutes, add in 1/2 cup tomato sauce and season everything with 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika, sea salt & black pepper, mix together, after 2 minutes and the tomato sauce has thickened, add the squid back into the pan, mix together, then add in 2 1/2 cups fish broth and the saffron
4. Once the broth comes to a boil add in 1 cup round rice, give it one final mix so everything is evenly distributed, after 5 to 6 minutes add in the shrimp and the cleaned mussels, after another 5 minutes, lower the fire to a low-medium heat and simmer until all the broth has been absorbed by the rice, then hit back to a medium-high heat to achieve the socarrat, just go between 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and cover
5. After 5 minutes uncover the pan, and garnish the paella with lemon wedges and finely chopped parsley, enjoy!

Paella Recipe

Paella even has its own emoji!

Prep: 15min

Total: 60min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 589 kcal, Carbohydrate 83.8 g, Protein 26.2 g, Fat 17.5 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 112 mg, Sodium 353 mg, Fiber 2.8 g, Sugar 3.1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 30 threads saffron (lightly crushed, about 1/2 tsp)
• 1/4 cup neutral oil (high heat such as grapeseed preferred)
• 2 links Spanish chorizo (sliced)
• 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
• 10-12 large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1 small onion (minced, about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 3 medium tomatoes (diced or grated, about 2 cups, see notes)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 6 cups chicken broth (no sodium preferred)
• 2.5 cups bomba rice
• 1 red or orange pepper (sliced into 1″ strips)
• 12 clams

Instruction:

1. Stir the saffron into 1⁄4 cup hot water in a small bowl and let bloom for 15 minutes.
2. In a 16″–18″ paella pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and the chicken, skin side down. Add the the shrimp and cook, flipping occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes, then transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving the meats to sear in the pan.
3. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and paprika and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 6 minutes. Add the saffron and 4 cups of chicken stock. Flip the chicken so it’s skin side up and bring everything to a boil over high heat.
4. Sprinkle in the rice, distributing evenly, then add the peppers on top. Cook, uncovered, without stirring, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, about 12-15 minutes. If the pan is larger than the burner, rotate it every two minutes to evenly distribute the heat. Once the stock is low enough, add the remaining 2 cups chicken stock.
5. Reduce heat to low, and top with the cooked shrimp. Nestle in the clams, hinge side down. Continue to cook, without covering or stirring, until the clams opened and the rice absorbs the liquid and is al dente, 5–10 minutes more. Turn heat to high for 1-2 minutes to create the socarrat. Remove pan from heat, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes before enjoying.

The Perfect Rice Recipe (Spanish Paella)

FAQ

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