Meatless Paella

When we first moved to Arizona we experienced our first authentic paella at a Spanish restaurant in Scottsdale and we fell in love! It was hearty, aromatic and full of addictive flavors.

It's a family-style meal that's served in a paella pan right on your table. You don't even need plates, you just dig right in!The ambiance of the restaurant is spot on with its rustic appeal and live Spanish music. We always have a great time when we go.

It's an hour drive so we don't get there as often as we'd like. So, I decided to make my own vegan paella at home. I asked the owner for some tips and his biggest piece of advice was to

Colourful Vegetarian Paella

The best rice to use is Bomba Rice because it has the ability to absorb twice the amount of liquid than regular rice without getting mushy. This short-grain Spanish rice will also absorb all the flavors of your broth, seasonings, and oil too. Another popular rice for paella is Calasparra Rice and would be my second choice for making authentic paella.

I buy paella rice online because it's not readily available in many mainstream stores. You might find it in specialty or ethnic shops though.

However, if you can't find them, the next best replacement is Arborio Ricewhich is commonly used for Risotto. It gets super creamy when liquid is stirred in slowly. Paella is not meant to be creamy, so you definitely don't want to stir the arborio or you'll end up with risotto. In fact, you shouldn't stir paella at all once the broth has entered the pan.

Friday Feast: Veggie Paella

Saffron Threads give paella its distinct golden color and flavor which is somewhat earthy and floral. It's very subtle but really finishes the dish. It can be a little costly, so if it's not in your budget you can replace it with turmeric. It will have a different flavor, but will still be subtle and make the rice golden.

I use a Paella Pan which is ideal but it's not 100% necessary. If you don't have a paella pan, I would recommend a large 12-14 stainless steel pan. Don't use one with a non-stick coating though.

A paella pan is a wide, shallow and thin metal pan with sloped sides. Its flat and wide bottom is designed to maximize the amount of rice touching it which helps create a delicious, toasty crust at the bottom. The sloped and shallow sides help the rice cook evenly too.

Authentic Spanish Vegetable Paella

Paella is traditionally cooked over a fire and the pans were designed for that, so they work best on gas tops, grills or fire pits. However, I've made it on an electric stove with nice results. I had to rotate the pan more, but the rice still cooked nicely.

This is the crispy golden crust that forms on the bottom of the pan. It infuses the paella with a deep smoky and slightly nutty flavor. It's glorious!

Once the broth starts cooking off, that's when thesocarrat magic starts to happen. You'll hear a subtle snap, crackle and popping sound. Plus, you'll smell a toasty aroma that's just heavenly.

Vegetable Paella With Halloumi

You don't want to stir the paella because it will disrupt this process, so you'll need to watch, listen and smell careful because the bottom can burn easily. Sometimes you might not get thesocarratto form and that's ok. It all depends on the pan, fat content, heat source and experience. The more you cook paella, the better you'll get at reading the signs.

I've had times where I left it too long and it burned, so it's better to have no socarrat than burnt socarrat. Your paella will still be delicious without it.

If you'd like to read more about making paella, you may like this article at The Spruce Eats. Lots of great tips!

Vegetarian And Vegan Spanish Paella Recipe

Before you start, add the vegetable broth and saffron threads to a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat just to keep it warm.

If you make this Vegan Paella, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagramand share your creation with me. Just tag me@and hashtag#so I don’t miss it.

* Sometimes you might not get thesocarratto form and that's ok. It all depends on the pan, fat content, heat source and experience. The more you cook paella, the better you'll get at reading the signs. I've had times where I left it too long and it burned. That is never fun, so it's better to have nosocarrat than burntsocarrat. Your paella will still be delicious without it.

Roasted Harvest Veggie Paella

*Saffron gives the paella its distinct flavor which is somewhat earthy and floral. It's very subtlebutreally finishes the dish. It also turns the rice to a beautiful golden color.It's a little costly, so if it's not in your budget you can replace it with turmeric. It will have a different flavor, but will still be subtle and make the rice golden.

Calories: 366 kcal | Carbohydrates: 59 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 528 mg | Potassium: 450 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 1530 IU | Vitamin C: 47.3 mg | Calcium: 27 mg | Iron: 3.8 mg

I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...Vegetarian Paella made in less than one hour with simple ingredients. This recipe brings all the flavor and comfort of the classic Spanish rice dish to your own kitchen. (Bonus: no special pan needed to prepare this vegetable paella!)

Healthy Recipe: Easy Home Roasted Veggie Paella

This recipe post is sponsored by The USA Rice Federation. I was compensated for my time, however all opinions are my own.

Paella is a dish I love to order while dining out with friends and family. Its humble origins and one-pot appeal have a way of bringing people together, regardless of how intimate the setting is. So with its crowd-pleasing appeal and unique simplicity, it begs the question: Why not just cook it at home?

This vegetable paella is chockfull of authentic flavor, yet endlessly riffable. All of the ingredients should be easy to source at your local grocery store, so don't fret over the ingredient list. (You may even have a fair amount of them already in your refrigerator or pantry.)

Vegetarian Paella With Artichokes And Green Beans

And although it comes together in under one hour, the rich layers of flavor will make you believe it's far more involved.

The beauty of paella is that it's a blank canvas for you to add any combination of vegetables you like. While many classic paella recipes include a mix of prawns, clams, and chorizo, this veggie version packs enough smoky depth and texture to satisfy any omnivore.

I do, however, suggest trying to make the most of what's in season. By choosing local, seasonal veggies, you'll get the best flavor plus peak nutrition, which is a double-win. Therefore, the below recommendations are simply an outline for you to interchange as you see fit.

Paella With Tomatoes Recipe

The process of making paella is pretty seamless, yet the rewards are huge. To get ahead, you can slice and dice the veggies in advance, and thaw the green peas. From there, this whole dish comes together in under one hour, making it a total weeknight win.

Traditionally, paella may be made with Bomba rice, which is a short-grain, starchy white rice primarily cultivated in eastern Spain. Personally, however, I choose a U.S.-grown short-grain white rice due to its high quality and ability to find.

U.S. short grain rice is softer and stickier than other varieties once cooked. It also has a slight springiness to the bite, making it a great choice for dishes like paella and risotto where rice is the key component. Some varieties include Arborio, Calmochi, and Koshihikari.

Easy Veggie Paella

All U.S.-grown rice is gluten-free and the least allergenic of all grains. It's also rich in nutrients, contributing more than 15 vitamins and minerals, including folate and other B-vitamins, as well as iron. And because of rice's slow-digesting complex carbohydrates, it will help keep you satiated and well fueled.

This dish is brimming with antioxidants, plant-based protein, and dietary fiber. In fact, one serving delivers almost 25% of your daily fiber goal. And while it's plenty satiating from the rice, chickpeas, and veggies, if you're craving an extra dose of protein, feel free to add meat or fish. For example, grilled shrimp, clams, or sautéed chorizo.

Give this homemade paella recipe a try this week for a guaranteed family favorite. And be sure to snap a pic and tag #on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. Also, follow along onFacebookandPinterestfor the latest recipe updates!

Easy Vegetarian Paella

Vegetarian Paella made in less than one hour with simple ingredients. This recipe brings all the flavor and comfort of the classic Spanish rice dish to your own kitchen.

Calories: 427 kcal | Carbohydrates: 61 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 12 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g |