Spanish Seafood Paella Dish (Printer-Friendly)

Saffron rice with shrimp, mussels, clams, and bell peppers bursting with Mediterranean flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

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

→ Rice

04 - 1½ 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 - ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
11 - 4 cups fish or seafood stock
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Warm fish or seafood stock in a saucepan, add saffron threads, and keep warm over low heat.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
03 - Add red and green bell peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in grated tomato and cook until most liquid evaporates.
04 - Add rice, stirring to coat with oil and vegetables. Sprinkle smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper evenly over the mixture.
05 - Pour warm saffron-infused stock evenly over rice without stirring thereafter.
06 - Place shrimp, mussels, and clams atop the rice. Cover loosely with foil or a lid and cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and shells open; discard any unopened shellfish.
07 - Remove from heat and allow to rest covered for 5 minutes.
08 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • One pan means less cleanup but somehow feels more impressive than it should.
  • The saffron-soaked rice tastes like you've been cooking all day, even though you haven't.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people linger at the table longer than usual.
02 -
  • Shellfish that don't open are telling you they weren't happy to begin with—don't force them into the dish, it won't end well.
  • The rice keeps cooking even after you remove the pan from heat, so pull it when it's still just barely al dente and you'll be glad you did.
  • Stirring after the stock goes in will make your rice gummy and defeat the entire purpose of using the right kind of rice.
03 -
  • Warm your stock beforehand—cold liquid hitting hot rice throws off the cooking time and throws off your whole evening.
  • Buy your shellfish the day you're cooking; they have an expiration date written in how they feel in your hand.
  • Listen to the pan more than you watch it—the quiet sizzle tells you more than a timer ever could.
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