Spanish Seafood Paella Dish (Printable Version)

Saffron-infused Spanish rice with shrimp, mussels, clams, and peppers for a flavorful family meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
03 - 12 clams, scrubbed

→ Rice

04 - 1.5 cups short-grain paella rice (e.g., Bomba or Arborio)

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

05 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
07 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 medium tomato, grated or finely chopped

→ Broth & Seasonings

10 - 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
11 - 4 cups fish or seafood stock
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Warm fish or seafood stock in a saucepan and steep saffron threads. Keep warm over low heat.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium heat. Cook onion for 2 minutes, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
03 - Add red and green bell peppers; cook 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in grated tomato and cook until most liquid evaporates.
04 - Mix in rice, coating evenly with oil and vegetables. Season with smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
05 - Pour warm saffron-infused stock over rice, distributing evenly. Avoid stirring after adding stock.
06 - Place shrimp, mussels, and clams on top of rice. Cover loosely and cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until rice is tender and shellfish open. Discard unopened shellfish.
07 - Remove from heat and let the dish rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
08 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The saffron-infused rice becomes this golden, aromatic foundation that makes the whole kitchen smell like something special is happening.
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is easy and you get to watch the magic unfold without fussing over multiple pots.
  • It's flexible enough for leftovers but impressive enough to serve to people you want to impress.
02 -
  • Don't stir after you pour in the stock; that's how you get the socarrat, the slightly crispy, caramelized layer on the bottom that makes paella special.
  • If a mussel or clam doesn't open during cooking, discard it—that's your signal it wasn't alive to begin with, and eating it could make you sick.
  • Saffron is expensive because it's harvested by hand, so buy it whole in threads rather than powder, which is often adulterated.
03 -
  • Buy your seafood the day you cook, or as close to it as possible; the fresher it is, the better it tastes and the more reliably it cooks.
  • Keep your stock warm the entire time so it doesn't shock the rice and interrupt the cooking process—this small detail makes a noticeable difference in texture.
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