Spanish Seafood Paella
Saffron-stained rice with shrimp, mussels, and chorizo, finished with the prized crispy bottom layer (socarrat). Sunday lunch on the Valencia coast.
- Total time:
- 1 hr
- Servings:
- 6
- Per serving:
- 580 kcal
- Cost per serving:
- $8.20
- Difficulty:
- hard
Step-by-step
Bloom saffron in 2 tbsp warm stock for 5 minutes.
Heat oil in paella pan. Brown chorizo 3 minutes. Remove.
Sauté onion and bell pepper 5 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, tomatoes. Cook 4 minutes.
Add rice. Toast 2 minutes, stirring to coat.
Pour in hot stock and bloomed saffron. Salt to taste. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes. Do not stir.
15 min timer
Arrange shrimp, mussels, peas, and chorizo on top. Cook 8–10 minutes more until rice absorbs liquid and mussels open.
9 min timer
Increase heat to high 1 minute for socarrat (crispy bottom). Listen for crackling. Off heat. Rest 5 minutes covered with foil.
Garnish with parsley and lemon. Serve from the pan.
Cook's tip
Do not stir once rice is added. The socarrat. caramelized rice crust. is the soul of paella.
Storage
Best fresh. Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Freezer: Do not freeze.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 580
- Protein
- 36g
- Carbs
- 68g
- Fat
- 18g
- Fiber
- 4g
- Sugar
- 5g
- Sat Fat
- 4g
- Sodium
- 1180mg
Estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. See our nutrition disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Skip the saffron?
You can use 1 tsp turmeric for color but flavor is meaningfully different. Real saffron worth the splurge.
Land-only version?
Sub seafood with chicken thighs and rabbit (traditional Valencian).
Reviews
Marcus B.
1 week ago
First time cooking this and the timing notes saved me. Did not lift the lid once. The crust at the bottom was the best part.
✓ Would make again
Aisha K.
2 weeks ago
Loved it but added an extra scotch bonnet — we like it spicy. Recipe scales well, made a double batch.
✓ Would make again
Tola O.
3 days ago
Made this for Sunday lunch — the smoky bottom turned out perfect. Family demolished the pot in twenty minutes.
✓ Would make again
Reviews shown are illustrative pre-launch. Real user reviews appear here as the community grows.
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