Classic Spanish Paella Recipe

I’ve crafted a Spanish Paella Recipe boasting a crispy socarrat, saffron scented rice and a bounty of seafood, and it hides one simple secret.

I love paella, but this Classic Spanish Paella Recipe still surprised me. The sizzle, the colors, the way Bomba rice soaks up every flake of flavor, and that tiny pinch of saffron threads that makes the whole thing smell like Spain, it’s wild.

You expect something predictable, but then there’s socarrat that bites at the bottom and you suddenly realize why people argue over the best technique. I can’t promise perfection, I burn it sometimes, but you will want to make it again.

If you’re after bold, honest seafood vibes, try Spanish Paella Recipe and see what I mean.

Ingredients

• Short grain paella rice, high in carbs, soaks up stock for hearty texture.
• Tiny saffron threads, expensive, add floral scent and golden color, mild bitterness.
• Extra virgin olive oil adds healthy fats, richness and helps brown ingredients.
• Fresh grated tomato gives sweet acidity, body and natural umami to dish.
• Shrimp are lean seafood, high in protein and iodine, bring briny sweet flavor.
• Chewy calamari rings give protein, mild taste, and soak up paella flavors.
• Shellfish like mussels add ocean aroma, mineral rich, they open when cooked.
• Bright peas add a pop of sweetness, fiber, color and a fresh bite.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (400 g) Bomba or Calasparra paella rice
• 4 1/2 cups (1.1 L) hot fish or seafood stock
• pinch saffron threads (about 1/4 teaspoon) steeped in 3 tablespoons warm stock
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large ripe tomato, grated or 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine, optional
• 12 large shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined (shells reserved for stock)
• 8 ounces (225 g) squid or calamari, sliced into rings
• 12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 12 clams, scrubbed (optional)
• 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• fresh parsley, a handful chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make this

1. If you’re making your own stock: simmer the reserved shrimp shells with a bay leaf, a few peppercorns and about 6 cups water for 20 minutes, strain and keep hot, measure 4 1/2 cups. If using store bought just heat it up. Steep the pinch of saffron in 3 tablespoons of the warm stock while you prep other stuff.

2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a wide paella pan or large shallow skillet over medium heat, add the finely chopped onion and cook until soft, then add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

3. Add the grated tomato or crushed tomatoes and the smoked paprika, cook down until it smells rich and the liquid reduces a bit into a sofrito. Taste and season lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Add the 2 cups of Bomba or Calasparra rice and stir it through the sofrito for a minute so each grain is coated and toasting a little. If using wine add 1/2 cup now and let it bubble off.

5. Pour in the 4 1/2 cups hot seafood stock with the saffron, add the optional bay leaf and give the pan a gentle shake to level the rice. From this point do not stir the rice, just let it simmer steadily over medium-low heat.

6. After about 10 minutes tuck in the red pepper strips and scatter the peas over the top, press them gently into the rice so they cook through.

7. Arrange the squid rings, prawns, mussels and clams on top, pushing them slightly into the rice so they steam as it finishes. Cover loosely with foil or a lid for the last 8 to 10 minutes if your seafood is thick, otherwise just let it cook until the rice is almost tender and the shells have opened. Add a little more hot stock if it looks too dry.

8. For the socarrat, when the rice is nearly done turn the heat up for 1 to 2 minutes to crisp the bottom but watch it so it doesn’t burn, you want a toasty fragrant crust not charcoal.

9. Remove from heat, cover with a clean kitchen towel or foil and rest 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle chopped parsley, squeeze lemon wedges over the top, check seasoning and serve straight from the pan.

Equipment Needed

1. Paella pan or large shallow skillet (12 to 15 inch)
2. Large stockpot or saucepan for simmering shrimp shells and heating stock
3. Fine mesh strainer or sieve to strain the stock
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and making the sofrito
5. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion, peppers and parsley
6. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup, you’ll need 4 1/2 cups stock
7. Box grater or blender to grate the tomato
8. Tongs or slotted spoon and kitchen shears for arranging shellfish and trimming if needed
9. Clean kitchen towel, foil or a lid to cover and rest the paella

FAQ

Classic Spanish Paella Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bomba or Calasparra rice: use short grain Arborio (or Calrose) if you can’t find paella rice. It’ll be a bit creamier like risotto, so keep an eye on liquid and don’t stir too much; same cup measure works but you might need slightly less stock.
• Saffron threads: sub with a tiny pinch of turmeric for color plus 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika for aroma, or use powdered saffron if available. Turmeric gives color but not the delicate saffron flavor, so use very little.
• Mussels and clams: swap for firm white fish like cod, halibut or monkfish, cut into chunks, or add more shrimp/scallops. Add the fish late so it doesn’t fall apart and cook until just opaque.
• Extra virgin olive oil: use light olive oil, sunflower or grapeseed oil at the same amount if you need a neutral oil; you’ll lose a bit of olive flavor but cooking performance is the same.

Pro Tips

1) Keep the stock truly hot and well seasoned before you add it. If you dump in cold or bland stock the rice will take forever and taste flat, so simmer your shrimp shells or heat store bought stock and taste for salt first. Steep the saffron in a little warm stock early so it blooms, not at the end.

2) Respect the rice and the no stirring rule. Bomba and Calasparra soak up liquid slowly so level the rice, keep a steady gentle simmer, and don’t stir — stirring makes mush. Toasting the grains in the sofrito for a minute first helps each grain stay separate.

3) Make the socarrat safely, not smoky. When rice is nearly done, turn the heat up for one to two minutes until you smell a toasty aroma and hear a light crackle, then cut the heat immediately. If your pan heats unevenly lift it off the flame for a moment instead of letting the bottom burn.

4) Time the seafood and clean it well. Add shellfish and prawns late so they just steam and dont overcook, and discard any mussels or clams that stay closed. If you make your own stock use the shells for extra flavor, and taste again after adding seafood before serving.