Description
This Easy Seafood Paella recipe is a flavorful Spanish rice dish packed with shrimp, mussels, calamari, and aromatic spices. Perfect for a special dinner or weekend meal, this one-pan seafood paella is both impressive and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Paella:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 ½ cups Arborio or short-grain rice
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 3 ½ cups seafood or chicken broth, warm
- 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 pound mussels or clams, scrubbed and debearded
- 1/2 pound calamari rings or firm white fish (optional)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
For Garnish:
- Fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and bell pepper.
- Add Rice and Spices: Stir in rice, paprika, saffron, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer: Mix in tomatoes and broth, then simmer without stirring for 15 minutes.
- Add Seafood: Arrange shrimp, mussels, and calamari/fish over the rice. Sprinkle peas on top.
- Finish Cooking: Cover and cook for 10 more minutes until seafood is done and mussels have opened.
- Serve: Let rest, then garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Enhance flavor with a splash of white wine in the broth.
- Avoid stirring after adding broth for a crispy bottom layer (socarrat).
- Substitute saffron with turmeric if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
