Simple Paella Recipe

This versatile and simple Paella recipe is easier to make than you think. We’ve gathered the research and tips for you to confidently create this impressive Spanish classic.

My sister, Kathy, recently bought Bomba rice and saffron at her local market and talked me into making a Paella dinner together for our family. It wasn’t that hard. I’ve been looking for an excuse to tackle a paella.

As always, I dove into research mode to find the best way of delivering a great dish in the most efficient way possible. Our goal was to research and test how to make a good paella so that you can skip all the background work.

We started with a sofrita (sauteed onions, garlic and red peppers in olive oil) and added smokiness with smoked paprika. We bulked up the rice with chicken, shrimp and Chorizo sausage. The chicken, we decided, would get a pass next time. It was an extra step and didn’t add much. The choriza added great flavor and green beans added gorgeous color contrast.

Paella is essentially a one pot rice dish. Rice and saffron are the heroes. Originating in Valencia Spain, paella was a staple among farm hands. They added whatever else they could get their hands on – seafood, chicken, sausage, beans, peas and more. There are many regional differences in Spain on how to cook paella. Our view is to add what you like best.

Since Paella is really a full one pot meal, a basic green or Caesar salad is all that you need as a side. With some crusty bread of course. Or try these butternut squash salad cups as a side.

Tips on How To Make a Simple Paella Recipe

Here’s what Kathy and I learned from experimenting and research:

Pan

• Ignore those who insist you need a special paella pan. For the casual home cook, a large 14-16″ deep skillet will work just fine for 6 people. A large wok could work too

Rice

• A Spanish or medium grain rice like Bomba, Paella or Valencia are most recommended, but you can also use the more widely available Arboria. The New York Times does. So does Epicurious.
• The more traditional paella recipes create a crispy layer of rice at the bottom called socorrat. They do this by not stirring the rice once you add the broth.
• The drier, non sticky rice texture is achieved with the right liquid-to-rice ratio (including broth, wine and the saffron soaking liquid). Spanish rice needs about 2 1/2 cups of liquid for 1 cup of rice. Arborio rice only needs a 2:1 ratio. Reduce these amounts by 1/4 cup or so if you soak your rice ahead (which I do).

Saffron

• The ideal saffron for paella is Spanish saffron. You can buy it in specialty stores or here is a saffron on Amazon. We have no affiliation. You fortunately only need a pinch because it’s very expensive. You can store it in an air tight container at room temperature. Higher quality saffron is deep vivid red or orange (avoid pale colored strands if possible).
• To release the saffron flavor, lightly crush the pinch you are using in your fingers and soak it in 1/4 cup warm water for about 20 minutes. You will add the saffron and water to the rice.

Tailor To Your Taste

Here’s where your preferences come in.

• Regarding proteins, some paella recipes stick to seafood only such as shrimp, mussels, lobster, squid. Some add chicken and/or sausage, typically Chorizo or Andouille. We found the chicken didn’t add much to the dish.
• Commonly used vegetables are peas, green beans, long beans and roasted red peppers. If using beans, I find microwaving (precooking) them before adding to the dish works best.
• My sister and I both think a good squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea or kosher salt are a must to brighten the flavors.

Shortcuts

• Buy shrimp that is already peeled and de-veined.
• Instead of cooking the Chorizo sausage, buy dry traditional Spanish chorizo (already cooked).
• Chop the onions and red pepper in a processor.

Make Ahead

• All the ingredients can be prepped ahead of time e.g. chopping, peeling shrimp, cooking the beans, draining the tomatoes. You can saute the Chorizo (if you didn’t buy it cooked), then the onions ,peppers, garlic and tomatoes ahead.
• The final paella dish can also be kept covered in a warm oven of 160-200F for an hour or two.

Other one pot dinners you might like:

 

Recipes used for education and inspiration are from Epicurious, New York Times, Food & Wine, Simply Recipes and the Mediterranean Dish.