I mean, tell me this isn't the most gorgeous Seafood Paella you've ever seen. And guess what - it's actually quite easy to make! Plus it feeds a crowd for the upcoming holiday season! And I designed an entire Paella Party Menu so it makes hosting this season an actual breeze.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I've been obsessed with entertaining with a vat of Paella since I was a private chef about 100 years ago. And while those days are over, I still love to pull out some paella moments for my friends and family at my home. It's not only impressive and beautiful, but once you prep everything, it comes together rather quickly. And it's a LOT of food so you serve it up with a big butter lettuce salad and call it a day. The other beautiful thing about Paella is you can really get creative with the ingredients. If you're not into seafood, chicken is a great paella addition. And that spiced Spanish chorizo is heaven no matter what you're adding in. This arroz con pollo is quite similar and only contains chicken.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Sauce
- Jalapeno
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Olive Oil
For the Paella
- Yellow Onion
- Bell Peppers
- Garlic
- Paprika - both smoked and sweet
- Sherry
- Short Grain Rice
- Stock or Broth
- Saffron
- Clams
- Green Onions
- Shrimp or Prawns
How to Make
- To make the Herb Sauce: In a small food processor, blend the jalapeño, cilantro, parsley, and 6 tablespoons of the olive oil until smooth and season with salt to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Start the Paella: Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive in a large 15-inch paella pan over medium-high. Add the yellow onion and bell pepper and saute for 8–10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and both paprikas and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Carefully add sherry, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and toast until rice is coated and starting to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the broth at a time while simmering and saffron and season with salt. Bring broth to a boil, adding the remaining broth until you've used it all and then reduce heat, and simmer until rice is cooked. If liquid evaporates and the rice is still al dente, add another cup of stock or broth or water and continue to cook. Nestle the clams into the rice and cover and continue to cook until clams open, 12–15 minutes. After 15 minutes, discard any clams that don’t open. Remove the pan from the heat, keeping it covered and let rice continue to steam for 10 minutes.
- While paella cooks, heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high. Separately, toss green onions and prawns with 1 tablespoon of oil each in their respective bowls; and season with salt and pepper. Char or grill the green onions, turning occasionally, until greens are charred and bulbs are tender, about 5 minutes. Char or grill prawns until cooked through and shells are charred, about 3 minutes per side. Finally, char or grill lemons until charred, about 1 minute per side.
- Tuck the green onions and prawns into the paella. Drizzle dish with the herb infused oil and squeeze lemon juice on top. Place remaining lemons alongside the paella and serve.
Tips & Tricks
1. Use the right rice: Traditional paella is made with short-grain rice like Bomba or Calasparra rice, which absorb flavors well and maintain a firm texture.
2. Don't skip the sofrito: Start by sautéing onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil to create a flavorful base known as sofrito. This add a ton of flavor and cannot be overlooked.
3. Choose the right pan: Use a wide and shallow paella pan with a thin bottom for even heat distribution. This allows for the caramelized crust on the bottom of the rice to develop.
4. Don't stir too much: Unlike risotto, paella should not be stirred excessively.
5. Season properly: Use a combination of spices like saffron and paprika to season the paella. Adjust the seasoning to your taste preferences.
6. Let it rest: Once the paella is done, cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for a few minutes. This helps the flavors meld together and allows the rice to absorb any remaining liquid.
7. Garnish and serve: Finish the paella with a squeeze of lemon juice, drizzle of fresh herbs sauce, and serve it directly from the pan for an authentic presentation.
FAQ's
What is paella traditionally made of?
Paella is traditionally made with rice, saffron, chicken or seafood, and a combination of vegetables such as onions and bell peppers. It may also include shellfish like shrimp, mussels, and clams. Additionally, various spices and seasonings like paprika, saffron and garlic are used to add flavor to the dish.
Is Spanish paella healthy?
Spanish paella is pretty healthy depending on the ingredients used. Traditional paella typically includes rice, vegetables, and a variety of proteins such as seafood, chorizo or chicken. If you use a LOT of chorizo, the fat content goes up.
What is the secret ingredient in paella?
The secret ingredient in paella is saffron!! And both sweet and smoked Paprika.
Similar Recipes
Seafood Paella
Ingredients
For the Herb Sauce
- 1 jalapeño roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley
- 10 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Kosher salt
For the Paella
- 1 large yellow onion diced or sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 3 cups short-grain rice
- 6-8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- 12 littleneck clams scrubbed
- 8 green onions both ends trimmed
- 12 shell-on prawns or shrimp
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 lemons quartered
Instructions
- In a small food processor, blend the jalapeño, cilantro, parsley, and 6 tablespoons of the olive oil until smooth and season with salt to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive in a large 15-inch paella pan over medium-high. Add the yellow onion and bell pepper and saute for 8–10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and both paprikas and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Carefully add sherry, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and toast until rice is coated and starting to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the broth at a time while simmering and saffron and season with salt. Bring broth to a boil, adding the remaining broth until you've used it all and then reduce heat, and simmer until rice is cooked. If liquid evaporates and the rice is still al dente, add another cup of stock or broth or water and continue to cook. Nestle the clams into the rice and cover and continue to cook until clams open, 12–15 minutes. After 15 minutes, discard any clams that don’t open. Remove the pan from the heat, keeping it covered and let rice continue to steam for 10 minutes.
- While paella cooks, heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high. Separately, toss green onions and prawns with 1 tablespoon of oil each in their respective bowls; and season with salt and pepper. Char or grill the green onions, turning occasionally, until greens are charred and bulbs are tender, about 5 minutes. Char or grill prawns until cooked through and shells are charred, about 3 minutes per side. Finally, char or grill lemons until charred, about 1 minute per side.
- Tuck the green onions and prawns into the paella. Drizzle dish with the herb infused oil and squeeze lemon juice on top. Place remaining lemons alongside the paella and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Wow!! Stunning and checks all the boxes!!!
I’ve never eaten Seafood Paella.
I always thought it looked interesting, nut never been anywhere it was being served.
However, I love the pan and your wooden ? spoon pictured above.
Closest coastal area is the Gulf of Mexico, which is 500 miles away. ☹️ So clams, scallops, and mussels would be new tastes treats. Need to broaden my food horizons.
Still love your spoon and paella pan!
Just made this for my monthly dinner club and it was excellent!! I needed to add more broth to my rice as you suggested, and it came out perfectly. I added way more clams and shrimp…..because more is more! Everyone raved about the grilled green onions - the whole dish was 10/10!
I am making tomorrow night. Do you seed the jalapeno?
I would unless you prefer it spicier
What do you do with the cilantro, jalepeno and parsley you blended in step 1?
Hi! Excited to try this! Could you do the whole dish on the grill? I keep hearing about “paella cooked on the grill”...
you could!! totally - just medium low heat
Hi Gaby,
What’s the size of the paella pan you used?
12 inch!
Hi! Maybe a dumb question - but since most paella pans don’t come with covers, do you just cover with foil?
yes - or a giant lid that fits another random pan
So if you cook until rice is done and then add clams for 15 minutes and then steam another 10 minutes isn't the rice overcooked?
no cause you're really just steaming the clams until they open!
Gaby, do you have a preferred Paella pan?
I do!! this is my favorite - http://bit.ly/2MuWZVW - especially because it's cast iron so it makes cleaning WAY easier
How many does this serve? Looks delicious.
6-8