Paella Sauce Recipe

My favorite paella recipe is loaded with lots of Spanish rice, chicken, chorizo, shrimp and more, huge on flavor, easy to make and perfect for a crowd.

We're cooking up a big pan full of comforting Spanish Paella in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends! Pull up a chair and join us!

Paella originated in Valencia, though it has spread through Spain and the rest of the world, where it can vary from region to region and cook to cook.

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One prized element of paella is called the socarrat, which is the crispy layer of rice that develops on the bottom of the pan during cooking. Many people enjoy it and even fight over the crispy bits.

My version is consider a Paella Mixta recipe, which is mixed paella with a combination of meats and seafood. You can easily adapt this recipe to skip the meats and focus only on the seafood, or however you'd like to enjoy it.

Either way, I think you'll find that this recipe feeds a group and is quite the crowd pleaser. Grab your paella pans, my friends, and let's get cooking!

How To Make Paella

Bloom the Saffron. Add the pinch of saffron to a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup water to let the saffron bloom.

Heat the Chicken Broth. Add the chicken broth to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until needed.

Cook Meats and Vegetables. While the broth is heating, heat the oil in a large skillet or pan (I use a large paella pan) to medium heat.

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Add the onion, peppers, chicken, and Spanish chorizo sausage. Cook for 8 minutes to soften the vegetables and cook the chicken mostly through.

Add Hot Broth. Pour in the hot chicken broth and shake the pan to distribute. Do not stir the rice, as we want it to cook evenly and develop a crispy bottom.

Simmer the Paella. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender to your preference. You may need a bit longer, depending on the heat.

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Cook the Seafood. Tuck the shrimp and mussels into the top of the rice and cover - use a large lid or aluminum foil.

Cook for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp and mussels cook through, and a crispy crust forms on the bottom of the pan. This is the socarrat, which many people love.

Boom! Done! Your paella is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? Serve it as a flavorful side dish, or make an extra batch and serve it as your main.

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Short grain rice is essential for good paella, as it absorbs liquid more easily and cooks evenly. Look for Bomba Rice, which is a short grain Spanish rice, often referred to as Valencia rice.

If you are unable to find it in the grocery store, look for a good quality short grain rice. You can use medium grain rice if you must, but definitely do not use long grain rice.

Arborio rice is often mentioned as a substitute, but arborio rice is a creamier rice ideal for risotto, so I personally would not use it.

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Shrimp and mussels are ideal for a good seafood paella, though you have many options. Consider scallops, crab, flaky fish, squid or calamari, clams, or others. I've made it with crawfish and loved it.

Paella is one of those dishes that is so easy to change up to your preference, as many cooks around the world do. Feel free to add in other vegetables, such as green peas, sweet corn, spicy chilies, fresh herbs and more.

I add chicken and Spanish chorizo, but other meats are welcomed here, such as pork, duck, rabbit, or ground meats, and even tofu. You can also skip the meats and serve a seafood paella very easily.

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Heating your chicken broth before adding it to the rice will save you cooking time, as the broth will already be to temperature when added. It also ensures a more even cook and consistency of the rice, which is important in making a good paella.

Good rice is key. If you add cold chicken broth, you'll need extra time to heat it through, and you may encounter inconsistencies throughout the pan. I prefer to heat the broth through before adding.

When you leave the paella pan cooking on your stove top, especially over an open flame, the rice at the bottom of the pan will crisp up and darken. This is called the socarrat, and it is prized by traditional paella lovers.

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Socarrat means to singe. It is very much like pegao at the bottom of a pan of Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo.

Some might consider this scorched rice at the bottom of the pan a mistake, but others love it and consider paella properly made only when the socarrat is achieved.

You can skip it if desired, or turn up the heat during the last few minutes of cooking to crisp up the bottom layer of rice. Just be careful not to burn it.

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That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my favorite paella recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and how you made it your own.

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Socarrat/Crispy Rice - if you desire the socarrat (crispy rice) at the bottom of the pan but it is not crisping up, simply turn up the heat during the last few minutes of cooking and remove when crispy.

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Calories: 611 kcal Carbohydrates: 69 g Protein: 24 g Fat: 26 g Saturated Fat: 7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 64 mg Sodium: 1694 mg Potassium: 530 mg Fiber: 3 g Sugar: 5 g Vitamin A: 2416 IU Vitamin C: 45 mg Calcium: 66 mg Iron: 4 mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe? I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ on social media.