Few dishes shout “España” as loudly as a saffron-stained Seafood Paella. Brimming with shrimp, mussels, squid, and smoky paprika notes, this one-pan stunner is a guaranteed traffic magnet for “authentic Spanish recipes” and “seafood dinner ideas” searches.
Ingredients (serves 6)
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2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
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1 small onion, finely diced
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1 red bell pepper, diced
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3 garlic cloves, minced
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2 medium tomatoes, grated (discard skins)
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1 tsp smoked paprika
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1 pinch saffron threads, bloomed in ¼ cup hot stock
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2 cups (400 g) Spanish Bomba or Calasparra rice
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4 cups (950 ml) seafood stock, warmed
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12 large raw shrimp, peeled & deveined (tails on)
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12–15 mussels, scrubbed & debearded
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½ lb (225 g) calamari rings
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½ cup peas (fresh or frozen)
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Salt & cracked pepper
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Lemon wedges & chopped parsley, to garnish
Method
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Sofrito Base – Heat olive oil in a 15″ paella pan over medium. Sauté onion & bell pepper 5 min. Add garlic; cook 30 sec. Stir in grated tomato; simmer to a thick paste (sofrito), 4 min.
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Spice & Rice – Add paprika, saffron liquid, then rice. Stir 2 min so every grain is coated and translucent at edges.
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Add Stock – Pour warm seafood stock evenly; season lightly. Do not stir from this point—essential for the socarrat crust. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat to medium–low.
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Layer the Seafood – After 10 min, nestle shrimp, calamari, peas, and mussels on top. Cook another 8–10 min until rice is al dente and mussels open.
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Rest & Serve – Remove from heat, cover with a kitchen towel 5 min. Garnish with parsley & lemon wedges. Present straight from the pan.
Pro Tips
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Use a wide, shallow pan so liquid evaporates evenly.
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Taste stock first; well-seasoned broth = flavorful rice.
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Rotate pan over flame for even socarrat.
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Swap mussels for clams if preferred.
Final Thoughts
Serve Paella de Mariscos family-style with crisp Albariño. The dramatic colors and tableside presentation guarantee social shares—tag #DaillyRecipes when your golden paella hits the feed!
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