Traditional Paella
A classic Spanish dish made with saffron-infused rice, meats, seafood, and vegetables for a rich and flavorful one-pan meal.
Equipment
- Paella Pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Paella Base
- 2 cups Bomba rice or another short-grain paella rice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp saffron soaked in warm water or broth
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
For the Proteins and Vegetables
- 1/2 lb chicken cut into pieces
- 1/2 lb rabbit cut into pieces (optional)
- 1/2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/4 lb mussels cleaned
- 1/4 lb clams cleaned
- 1 squid cleaned and sliced into rings
- 1 cup green beans chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1/2 cup bell peppers diced
- 1/2 cup peas
For the Broth
- 6 cups stock chicken, seafood, or vegetable
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large paella pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- If using meat, sear the chicken and rabbit until golden brown, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook the sofrito by sautéing chopped tomatoes, garlic, paprika, and salt until the mixture thickens.
- Add the Bomba rice to the pan and stir for 1-2 minutes to coat the grains in oil and flavor.
- Heat the broth and dissolve saffron in it. Slowly pour into the pan to cover the rice evenly.
- Arrange the proteins (shrimp, mussels, clams, squid) and vegetables on top of the rice.
- Let the paella simmer for 15-20 minutes without stirring, until the rice absorbs the broth.
- Once the liquid is mostly absorbed, increase the heat for 1-2 minutes to develop the socarrat (crispy bottom layer).
- Remove from heat, cover with a clean towel, and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
For authentic paella, do not stir the rice after adding broth. This helps create the perfect texture and socarrat.