Peeled Seafood Paella

There is no dish more famous than this Spanish seafood paella. Fortunately, it’s easier than you might think to make this mouthwatering dish from scratch in under an hour!

If you love paella, you'll definitely want to try my recipes for black paella, vegetable paella, and prawn and chorizo paella (my mother-in-law's favorite).

Seafood

Even though this big plate of fragrant, saffron-infused rice is one of the most famous Spanish dishes, a goodpaella is often hard to find! That answer always leads to confused stares, but it’s true.

Delicious Spanish Seafood Paella Stock Photo

. It became popular on the sunny beaches of Valencia and Barcelona with visitors from around the world. This variation of paella is packed with fresh fish, shrimp, squid, mussels, and clams, but

If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.

8. There are different opinions on the best method here, but I like to mix it into the sauce and cook it for a minute or so.

Classic Seafood Paella Recipe

9. Add the broth mixture to the pan, and don't stir! This is key: once the broth is in, no stirring is allowed.

12. In the meantime, steam the mussels in a pot. Simmer a little water or wine, then add the closed mussels and cover. After a few minutes, the mussels will open. If any stay shut, simply discard.

13. Place the cooked mussels on the paella in a decorative way. When the rice has cooked for 18-20 minutes total, it should be done.

Traditional Seafood Paella Recipe From Annie B

To get the perfect crispy bottom (socarrat), put it back on medium-high heat after the 3-minute rest. As soon as you hear crackling (some say it sounds like rain), remove it from the heat. This means you'll have a crispy

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The secret ingredients in a great paella are using homemade sofrito, using real saffron instead of food coloring, and using homemade seafood stock instead of plain water to add extra flavor. There's also a special cooking technique you can use to make the perfect

My recipe for seafood paella doesn't contain fish; I prefer to use squid (calamari) instead in addition to prawns and mussels. However, you can use any type of firm fish that you'd like, such as monkfish.

Seafood Paella Recipe

How many does this recipe serve? This seafood paella recipe serves 4 people as a main dish, or 6 as a starter. You can plate in advance, or (what I prefer) is bringing the whole pan to the table and serving it family style.

). We order a paella for the table (prices are usually per person) and a bunch of tapas to eat while we wait for the rice to be prepared.

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If you order a menú del día (a fixed price lunch menu) during the week, paella is usually served as the first course, with either meat or fish to follow as the main. In this case, you get a small portion of a large paella they've made in the kitchen and not a whole pan at your table.

The Best Spanish Seafood Paella 🥘 Recipe

What tapas go well with paella? Typical tapas served with paella include cold soups (gazpacho or salmorejo), fried foods (croquettes or patatas bravas), or salads (ensalada mixta or ensaladilla rusa). Check out my other tapas recipes for other ideas.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the sofrito for seafood paella in advance, but I don't recommend preparing the entire paella. If not eaten immediately, it is easy for the rice to become overcooked and soft.

Reheating: Heat up leftover paella on the stove or in the microwave. I recommend taking it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before reheating, then put some olive oil in a frying pan and gently stir fry the paella until warmed through.

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Savory Seafood Paella

This easy seafood paella recipe will get you a plate of rice every bit as delicious as the stuff served in tapas bars from Barcelona to Valencia! Just make sure to bring an empty stomach.

Calories: 620.73 kcal | Carbohydrates: 84.56 g | Protein: 14.35 g | Fat: 19.66 g | Saturated Fat: 2.84 g | Cholesterol: 53.38 mg | Sodium: 928.04 mg | Potassium: 452.35 mg | Fiber: 2.7 g | Sugar: 5.06 g | Vitamin A: 1297.2 IU | Vitamin C: 13.66 mg | Calcium: 81.03 mg | Iron: 2.76 mg