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.
Both Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay’s go-to paella recipes include peas, chicken, chorizo and prawns. But new research has found that cooks from Valencia use just ten ingredients when making their national dish, none of which are fish.
How to Make Spanish Paella:
1. Sauté: Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent. Add chopped tomato, bay leaf, paprika, saffron, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add white wine. Cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add chicken & rice. Add chopped parsley and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add broth. 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!). Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Give the pan a gentle shake back and forth once or twice during cooking.
5. Cook uncovered: Cook paella uncovered for 15-18 minutes, 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 uncooked, add ¼ cup more water or broth and continue cooking).
6. Cover and let rest. 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.
7. Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve.
Spanish rice (also called “bomba” rice, calaspara rice, arroz redonda) is traditional in Paella, and it’s what I recommend using. It’s a short grain rice that absorbs more water than regular rice, without turning mushy. You can buy Spanish rice on Amazon, World Market or an international food market.
- Substitution for Spanish rice: If necessary you can substitute medium grain rice, like Calrose rice which can be found at Walmart or most grocery stores. Reduce the chicken stock in the recipe to a total of 3 ¾ cups. (I don’t recommend using Arborio rice or long-grain rice for Paella).
- Don’t wash the rice before cooking because we want to keep the outer layer of starch.
- Don’t stir the rice while cooking! Traditional paella cooks a crusty, flavorful rice layer at the bottom of the pan called the socarrat. The socarrat is a key component of authentic paella. Also, stirring the rice will make it mushy.
What I LOVE about this recipe:
- I learned to make it in Spain, from the woman I lived with for several months while attending school in Madrid. She was an incredible cook and I wrote down her basic instructions for paella, in my notebook. I have since tested the recipe many times on my own to perfect the exact ingredient amounts and method for making it in my U.S. kitchen.
- No paella pan needed: You can use a regular large skillet for this recipe. See tips below.
- One-pot meal: All in one pan meals mean quicker cooking and clean-up!
- Adaptable: There are many ways of adapting this traditional paella recipe. Read on.
Paella (pai·ei·uh) is a classic Spanish rice dish made with rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood cooked and served in one pan. Although paella originates from Valencia, it’s recognized as the national food of Spain and there are several different varieties. The most common types of paella are chicken paella, seafood paella, or mixed paella (a combination of seafood, meats, and vegetables).
The main ingredients in every paella dish are rice, saffron, chicken, and vegetables. From there, ingredients vary depending on the type of paella or region where it’s made. The ingredients in this easy paella recipe include:
- Produce: onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, frozen peas.
- Spices: bay leaf, paprika, saffron, salt and pepper.
- Saffron: this may be the most important ingredient, so it’s best to buy high quality. If your grocery store doesn’t carry it, try an International food market, or Amazon. If necessary, substitute 1 teaspoon saffron powder.
- Seafood: jumbo shrimp, mussels, calamari.
- Chicken thighs: I prefer thighs to breasts in the recipe since they don’t dry out as easily during longer cook times.
- Olive Oil: Spanish olive oil , or any good quality olive oil.
- White wine.
- Spanish Rice: See my notes below about the rice, and possible substitutions.
- Chicken Broth: Authentic paella would include making your own fish stock from the discarded shells of seafood. I usually substitute chicken broth, for convenience.
Authentic Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe – Colab With Best Bites Forever
FAQ
Can paella not have seafood?
What constitutes a paella?
What are the rules for paella?
Does paella always have shellfish?
Does paella contain fish or shellfish?
Read our A truly authentic paella does not contain any fish or shellfish, according to Valencians. The rice dish, which is widely regarded as a national dish of Spain, is officially recognised as a symbol of Valencian culture.
Can you eat fish in a paella?
Both Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay’s go-to paella recipes include peas, chicken, chorizo and prawns. But new research has found that cooks from Valencia use just ten ingredients when making their national dish, none of which are fish. These are: rice, olive oil, water, salt, saffron, tomatoes, flat green beans, lima beans, chicken and rabbit.
What are the different types of paella?
Paella de Marisco, or seafood paella, is usually made with shrimp, lobster, squid, clams, mussels, and other types of seafood. This dish is particularly popular during the summertime. Paella Mixta, which contains meat and seafood, is a combination of Paella Marisco and Paella de Marisco. This is one of the most popular types of paella worldwide.
What ingredients are in a seafood paella?
In this easy seafood paella, I kept the ingredient list short, focusing on two seafood options: shrimp and lobster. If either is not available to you, feel free to get creative using a firm fish or some mussels or clams.