Free recipe Spanish

Seafood Paella

Name: Seafood Paella
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 8 oz squid, cleaned, bodies cut into rings; 1 yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 ripe tomatoes, halved and grated, skins discarded; 2 tsp smoked paprika, sweet; 1 pinch saffron threads, about 1/2 tsp, crumbled; 6 cups seafood stock, hot; 2 cups bomba rice, or other spanish short-grain rice; 2 tsp kosher salt, adjust to the saltiness of the stock; 1 lb large shrimp, shell on, deveined; 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 1 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed; 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Saffron-scented Spanish rice cooked in a wide pan with shrimp, mussels, clams and squid, finished with a crisp, caramelized socarrat.

By Theo Brandt, Test Kitchen Lead & Cheese Specialist Published October 21, 2025

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Prep: 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Servings: 6
Level: Advanced

Paella is a celebration dish meant to be shared from the pan. We build flavor in layers: a sofrito of onion, bell pepper, garlic and grated tomato cooked down until jammy, smoked paprika and saffron bloomed in a rich seafood stock, and short-grain bomba rice that absorbs it all without turning mushy.

The golden rule is not to stir once the rice is spread in the pan. That lets the grains cook evenly and form the prized socarrat, a toasty crust on the bottom. Shrimp, clams and mussels nestle into the rice at the end so they cook through gently.

Bring the pan to the table, scatter with parsley and lemon wedges, and let everyone dig in with their spoons.

Crispy socarrat crust
Saffron and smoked paprika
Showpiece for sharing

Directions

Crumble the saffron into the hot stock and let it steep while you prepare the sofrito.
Heat the olive oil in a 15- to 16-inch paella pan or large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp lightly with salt, sear for 1 minute per side and transfer to a plate.
Add the squid to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, then add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft.
Stir in the garlic for 1 minute, then add the grated tomato and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is dark, thick and jammy.
Stir in the smoked paprika, then add the rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to coat every grain in the sofrito.
Pour in 5 1/2 cups of the saffron stock and the salt, stir once to spread the rice evenly and bring to a strong simmer. Taste the liquid; it should be well seasoned.
Do not stir again. Cook at a lively simmer for 10 minutes, rotating the pan over the burner if needed so it cooks evenly.
Nestle the clams and mussels into the rice hinge side down, scatter the peas over the top and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 8 minutes.
Arrange the shrimp on top and cook for 5 to 8 minutes more, until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender and the shellfish have opened. Add a little more stock to any dry spots if the rice is still firm.
For the socarrat, raise the heat to medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, until you hear the rice crackle and smell toasting. Discard any shellfish that do not open.
Remove from the heat, cover loosely with a clean towel for 5 minutes, then scatter with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Test-kitchen tips

Paella is best eaten fresh; refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 day and reheat with a splash of stock in a covered skillet.
Use a wide pan and a shallow layer of rice; a deep pan steams the rice unevenly and prevents a crisp socarrat.
Add sliced Spanish chorizo with the sofrito for a smoky mar y montana version, or use chicken stock if seafood stock is unavailable.