Shrimp Paella Recipe Easy

I love one pot dinners that are well-balanced in terms of protein, vegetables, and grains. Dishes such as my one pot chicken and rice and Southwest beef and rice skillet are weeknight dinner staples. That’s why I’ve been making this Spanish inspired paella for years now — it has sauteed shrimp and smoked chicken sausage, with veggies including onions, peas, and tomatoes.

It’s a straightforward and simple recipe without frills, and you only need to use one pan to cook everything including the rice. The recipe yields five hearty servings so you can easily feed a family or have guests over for dinner.

This shrimp paella recipe is actually one of the earliest recipes that I published on the blog. I later took it down as I was planning on reworking the recipe and taking updated photos. Since then, I’ve gotten email requests from readers asking where the recipe went, so I’m happy to say that it’s back on my site now. The photos are updated and the recipe has been rewritten to make it clearer along with some minor modifications. I hope you all love this paella skillet, and leave a comment letting me know what you think.

Brown Rice Shrimp Paella Recipe With Chorizo

Meat substitutions in this recipe are easy to make since they’re cooked separately from everything else. If you don’t like shrimp, you can use some other seafood like scallops, and if you don’t like sausage, you can substitute with chicken chunks. Just be sure to saute them first, cooking until tender or to your preference, transfer to a plate, and stir them back in at the end of the recipe.

. Saffron is a spice made using the stigmas and styles (“threads”) from a particular flower, and it’s one of the costliest food ingredients in terms of price per weight. I buy Spanish saffron at Trader Joe’s, where they sell a tiny affordable jar of it in their spice section.

I always use saffron when making paella, but seeing as how you’re unlikely to use it for anything else, you can skip it if you’re unable to find it locally. Saffron gives a distinctive yellow color to foods, so if you decide to omit it, your paella will not have the same color, aroma, and flavor.

Chicken & Shrimp Spanish Paella

Leftovers reheat well in the microwave, so don’t be afraid to make this recipe even if you’re only cooking for yourself or for two. Make sure you have a large enough pan to hold all of the ingredients — I use a 5 quart pan, and anything 4 quarts or larger will be sufficient.

Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth. Since 2015, she has been sharing simple recipes for tasty dishes, mostly low carb and gluten free. Learn more.This saffron-infused easy seafood paella with shrimp and lobster is a simpler take on the traditional beloved Spanish dishwith fewer ingredients and no special pan. It will deliver the WOW factor on all level, but you don't need to wait for a special occasion to make it!

This is my personal take on this dish and is different from the traditional, but it offers a few easy tips for the home cook (be sure to check out the tips and video below)

Chicken Thighs And Shrimp Paella Recipe

According to this History of Paella article, paella combines the Roman and Arabic cultures as Arab conquerors introduced rice in Valencia. The word paella, may have stemmed from the Arabic word baquia, which simply means leftovers. And it is said that this meal was introduced by Valencia farm workers as the delicious solution to leftovers. Basically, a one-pot rice meal embellished with whatever ingredients one had on hand. And that's why, it makes perfect sense that there are many variations of it today.

In an article by The Guardian, Valencian chef Llorenç Millo is quoted saying, paella has as many recipes as there are villages, and nearly as many as there are cooks. To me, that makes it one of the most exciting and inviting dishes.

And I'll say right off the bat, this seafood paella recipe is my own pared down version, prepared as an easy weeknight solution that does not require a special fire nor a special pan.

Spanish Paella Recipe

Historically, in Valencia, this dish would have incorporated things like chicken thighs, rabbit, snails and beans (about three kinds of fresh beans). But, as mentioned earlier, paella is the mother of leftover solutions and one-pot meals, and the ingredients will vary from place to place, depending on the traditions and what ingredients are available. Nowadays, particularly in the States, paella is almost always associated with seafood.

When you cook paella rice, you're looking for the end result to be dry, separated rice and not something like a creamy risotto or a sticky rice like you would eat at a Chinese restaurant. That's why, your choice of rice here is important.

The best rice option to use when making this dish is a medium-grain rice that can absorb the liquid while maintaining some bite and firmness. Round Spanish rice could be hard to find, but something like Goya medium grain rice (affiliate link) will work. Long-grain rice is not a good option here.

Easy Shrimp Paella Recipe

In this easy seafood paella, I kept the ingredient list short, focusing on two seafood options: shrimp and lobster. If either is not available to you, feel free to get creative using a firm fish or some mussels or clams. I did not add any chicken or chorizo, but again, if that is something you are looking for, feel free to adapt this recipe (see section below called variations).

And while, traditionally, this dish is cooked over open fire made of tree prunings, this easy, home-cooked version is simply cooked on the stovetop.

If you have a paella pan or even a special outdoor paella grill (affiliate links), that would be ideal. But I don't have one, and found it easy enough to use a sturdy skillet.

Chicken Chorizo & Shrimp Paella

The important thing is that the skillet you use has a large and even surface, which aids in cooking the rice properly and quickly. That's why a round-bottomed wok is not a good choice for making paella. It's not impossible, but if you're new to making this, you would have better results using a carbon steel pan or a cast iron skillet, which is what I used in this recipe.

1- The first step here is to get the lobster cooking in boiling water. This will be quick, about 1 to 2 minutes. You don't want to overcook the lobster, but you're looking for it to turn a nice pink. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove the shell and cut into large chunks to use later. Important: keep the lobster water for later use.

2. I like to soak the paella rice in water a few minutes (15 to 20 minutes or so) before using, this helps it cook evenly. Then, to begin making the paella, heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high (making sure it's shimmering but not smoking.) Saute chopped onions first for a couple minutes, then add the rice (drain first).

Spanish Style Paella Recipe: How To Make It

Cook the rice for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Yes, I am aware that in some recipes you are almost forbidden from stirring the rice. But it worked best for me this way. Grateful to Bobby Flay for this tip.

3- Now we add a few more ingredients: garlic and the lobster cooking water first. Then the saffron and it's soaking liquid along with spices, paprika, cayenne pepper, aleppo pepper, and salt.

3. b) Stir in the chopped tomato and green beans. Bring to a boil and let the liquid reduce, then cover (with lid or tightly with foil) and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.

Chicken And Prawn Paella

4- Now, we add the shrimp over the rice, pushing it into the rice a little. At this point, if the rice looks to be too dry and might need a tiny bit of water, you can carefully add some. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the shrimp turns pink.

4- b) Finally, add the cooked lobster chunks. When the lobster is warmed through, turn heat off. Garnish with parsley, if you like.

Traditions aside, in my house, we serve paella family-style with a favorite white wine or a bit of sangria to go along. Of course, adding a little something to start the meal like chilled tomato Gazpacho is always an option. To finish, try Crema Catalana, Spain's version of crème brûlée.

Weeknight Paella Recipe

Easy saffron-infused seafood paella recipe with lobster and shrimp! No need for a special paella pan, a large sturdy skillet like cast iron will work well. Be sure to see the tips for best results. Watch the video and step-by-step tutorial above.

*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015, and it has recently been updated with new information and media for readers' benefit.

I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...Spanish Rice Dish

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