Spanish Paella
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Paella is a classic Spanish rice dish that brings together the best of land and sea. This version, loaded with smoky chorizo, shrimp, and mussels, is easier to make than you might think—and just as good as your favorite Spanish restaurant’s!
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
Paella is a traditional Valencian dish made from rice, vegetables, meat, and seafood, and flavored with saffron. Pronounced “pie-AY-uh,” it takes its name from the paellera, the wide, shallow pan in which it is traditionally cooked. Paella is one of my family’s favorite dishes to share when we go out for Spanish food, and it’s fun to make for a festive occasion at home, too.
I know it seems like a big to-do, and it certainly can be if you add a wide variety of meat and seafood—the original version from Valencia contains snails and rabbit—but I keep it relatively simple here by using only quick-cooking smoked chorizo, shrimp, and mussels. A paella pan is useful if you have one, but you can use any large skillet to make paella. This Spanish dish is a feast!
“This is paella within reach—and it’s fantastic. My husband, 20-year-old son, and teenage daughter all raved.”
What You’ll Need To Make Paella
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Adds richness and helps to sauté the chorizo and vegetables.
- Smoked chorizo sausage: Adds a smoky, spicy depth of flavor. Typically located near the hot dogs and bacon in the supermarket, it’s already fully cooked (no need to remove the casings).
- Onion, red bell pepper, garlic: The vegetable base of the dish.
- Tomato paste: Adds richness and tanginess to the paella.
- Bomba rice: The key ingredient in paella, this short-grain rice is prized for its ability to absorb three times its volume in broth (rather than the normal two times) while still remaining firm. You can find it in many grocery stores or order it online.
- Chicken broth: For cooking the rice.
- Bottled clam juice: Boosts the seafood flavor.
- Saffron: Gives the dish its signature golden color and aromatic flavor. Crush the threads between your fingers before adding for maximum flavor.
- Frozen peas: Add a pop of color and sweetness.
- Large shrimp: A key seafood element of the dish.
- White wine (for cooking the mussels): Used to steam the mussels, the wine adds lovely flavor and acidity.
- Mussels: Add a briny, seafood flavor to the dish. Mussels are sold live and stay fresh in the refrigerator for a few days. Store them in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel, not in an airtight container.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a paella pan, large enameled cast-iron pan, or a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Cook the chorizo until lightly browned and some of the fat has rendered.
Transfer the chorizo to a plate. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato paste.
Add the rice and cook until coated with the vegetable mixture, about 2 minutes.
Add the broth, clam juice, saffron, bay leaf, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas, browned chorizo, and thyme. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pink and cooked through.
Add the shrimp to the paella and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet that you cooked the shrimp, bring the wine to a boil over medium heat. Add the mussels, cover with a lid, and cook until the mussels open.
Pour the mussels and their cooking liquid over the paella. Drizzle the remaining of oil over the paella and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saffron comes from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower and is grown in regions with a Mediterranean climate, such as Iran, Spain, India, and Greece. It’s prized for its earthy flavor, rich aroma, and signature golden hue. Harvested by hand, it’s the most expensive spice in the world and should be used sparingly to avoid a medicinal taste. Store leftover saffron in foil, then place in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
Absolutely! Chicken, pork, or duck would all be nice additions. To easily add them into this particular recipe, cook beforehand and add before serving.
The socarrat, or crispy layer of rice that forms on the bottom of the pan, is considered a delicacy in paella and adds a rich, toasted flavor. To achieve the socarrat, after the rice is cooked and the peas, chorizo, and thyme are mixed in, uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high for a few minutes. Watch closely and listen for the rice to crackle. Once you achieve the desired crispness, remove the pan from heat and continue with the recipe by adding the cooked shrimp and mussels as directed.
Video Tutorial
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Spanish Paella
Paella is a classic Spanish rice dish that brings together the best of land and sea. This version, loaded with smoky chorizo, shrimp, and mussels, is easier to make than you might think—and just as good as your favorite Spanish restaurant’s!
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces smoked chorizo, sliced ½-inch thick on the bias (see note)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1½ cups Bomba rice or other Spanish paella rice (see note)
- 3½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup bottled clam juice
- Generous pinch saffron threads, about ⅛ teaspoon crumbled (see note)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 pound large (31/35) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded (see note)
Instructions
- In a 13-inch paella pan, large enameled cast-iron pan (like a Le Creuset), or a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Cook the sliced chorizo, flipping once, until lightly browned and some of the fat has rendered, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned chorizo to a plate and set aside. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until coated with the vegetable mixture, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, clam juice, saffron, bay leaf, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, without stirring, until the rice is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the peas, then the chorizo (along with any accumulated juices) and thyme; taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and cover.
- In a separate large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; cook, turning once, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp to the paella and cover to keep warm.
- In the same skillet that you cooked the shrimp (no need to rinse it first), bring the wine to a boil over medium heat. Add the mussels and cover with a lid; cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, until the mussels open, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour the mussels and their cooking liquid over the paella.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over the paella and serve.
- Note: Smoked chorizo is usually located near the hot dogs and bacon in the supermarket. It is already fully cooked, and it is not necessary to remove the casings.
- Note: Bomba or Spanish paella rice, a short-grain rice prized for its ability to absorb three times its volume in broth (rather than the normal two times) while still remaining firm, can be found in many grocery stores or you can order it online.
- Note: Saffron is harvested by hand, making it the most expensive spice in the world. Usually, it is sold in small quantities, and you only need a pinch. Saffron threads should be crushed before they are added to recipes to release their flavor. Simply use your thumb and forefinger to crush the threads into fine pieces. Be sure to use only the amount that the recipe calls for; too much saffron can give food a medicinal taste. Store any leftover saffron for up to 6 months wrapped in foil and placed in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
- Note: When you purchase mussels, they're still alive. After bringing them home from the store, they will stay fresh in the refrigerator for several days. Because they're alive, avoid storing them in an airtight container. Instead, place them in a bowl covered with a wet paper towel. To clean mussels prior to cooking, put them in a colander and run them under cold running water. Use your hands or a scrubbing brush to remove any sand or remaining debris. If beards (the little tuft of fibers the mussel uses to connect to rocks or pilings) are present, cut or scrape them off with a paring knife, or use your fingers to pull them sharply down toward the hinged point of the shells. The mussels should be tightly closed. If you see a mussel that is open, tap it gently against the counter; in a live mussel, this will trigger a reaction to close its shell. If the mussel doesn't slowly close, it has died and should be discarded. Discard any mussels with cracked shells as well.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 763
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Sodium: 1494 mg
- Cholesterol: 197 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Delish! Just made this recipe and it was my first paella. We loved it !! Thanks again for sharing ☺️
Hi Jenn. I’ve been making some of your recipes lately and really enjoy! I saw this recipe this week and have added to my list to make within the next week. Here’s my comment/question: there’s a great Spanish style Chicago restaruant called Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba that makes amazing paella. They always warn you that the dish takes extra time to get the crust at the bottom of the dish. Do you have a suggestion on how to acheive this with your dish? I’m not sure if this is best acheieved over the stove or in the oven. Also, wouldn’t want to overdo the seafood trying to achieve this so timing might be different?
Hi Mike, To achieve the crispy bottom (or socarrat), after the rice is cooked and the peas, chorizo, and thyme are mixed in, uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high for a few minutes. Watch closely and listen for the rice to crackle. Once you achieve the desired crispness, remove the pan from heat and continue with the recipe by adding the cooked shrimp and mussels as directed. Hope that helps and please LMK how it turns out!