Spanish Seafood Paella Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in paella? ›

Sofrito. Sofrito is a flavorful mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers that is used as a base for many Spanish and Latin American dishes, including paella. It's often called the "secret ingredient" in paella, as it adds a depth of flavor and richness to the dish.

The most widely used, complete ingredient list of this era was: short-grain white rice, chicken, rabbit, snails (optional), duck (optional), butter beans, great northern beans, runner beans, artichoke (a substitute for runner beans in the winter), tomatoes, fresh rosemary, sweet paprika, saffron, garlic (optional), ...

Saffron is the most precious spice in the world and also a star ingredient in most paella dishes. Make the most of your paella night by using a high quality saffron.

What Can You Not Put in Paella? Real paella does not include many ingredients that go into other rice dishes. Some of these include onions, peas, mushrooms, carrots, and chorizo. While all good combinations with rice, these aren't part of the traditional paella recipes.

The most important spice for a traditional paella is saffron, which gives the ish its rich, golden color. However, because saffron is so expensive (more expensive by weight than gold, in fact), some paella cooks use turmeric or dyes instead.

Paella is a “dry” rice. Onions are a wet vegetable. Add onions to other types of rice dishes, but never to a paella. Do not cover the pan as the rice cooks.

5. Cook uncovered: Cook paella uncovered for 15-18 minutes, then nestle the shrimp, mussels and calamari into the mixture, sprinkle peas on top and continue to cook (without stirring) for about 5 more minutes. Watch for most of the liquid to be absorbed and the rice at the top nearly tender.

The ideal paprika to use for paella is smoked paprika, in which the peppers have been dried in the smoke of an oak fire. Our favorite is the La Vera 'bittersweet' variety, which is available from The Spanish Table.

Do you stir paella? ›

In terms of the basic ingredients, paella is similar to a risotto. The main difference is paella doesn't require constant stirring. In fact, it's important not to stir it once the stock is added to ensure the delicious, light-golden crust, known as socarrat, forms on the base.

DON'T: Add chorizo to your paella.

There are Spanish rice dishes with both fresh and dried chorizo, but that's a whole other recipe.

Another good dishes to serve with paella are tomato bread, Spanish green salad, patatas bravas, green beans, fried rice, gazpacho, roasted red peppers, garlic shrimp, Spanish omelette, marinated olives, grilled artichokes, and sautéed spinach with garlic.

To get the best socarrat, you won't wash the rice because you want that extra starch to settle at the bottom. Other rice varieties will become sticky if you don't wash them before cooking. But bomba rice keeps its shape and allows the sticky starch to settle at the bottom of the pan.

Chicken broth: The savory liquid base for cooking the rice. Bottled clam juice: Enhances the seafood essence of the paella. Saffron: Impart a distinctive golden color and aromatic flavor that is quintessential to paella. Saffron threads should be crushed before they are added to recipes to release their flavor.

While saffron can be expensive, it is an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking and particularly in the iconic dish of paella. The unique flavor and aroma that saffron brings to the dish cannot be replicated with any other spice, making it an indispensable ingredient in Spanish cuisine.

⦁ Spices and seasonings: Saffron, paprika, and garlic are the traditional spices used in Seafood Paella, and they are what give the dish its characteristic flavor. ⦁ Stock: Chicken, seafood, or vegetable stock is used to add richness and depth of flavor to the dish.