If you’re looking to spice up your dinner repertoire (we all get stuck in the same ol standbys, right?), try this one-dish Spanish Paella. It’s perfect for casual entertaining and comes together in around 30 minutes!
Paella originates from a small town in Eastern Spain, and like many dishes that have such deep roots, it has now (thankfully) gained popularity and become more mainstream. I love the amount of history behind this dish and the many stories around how it got it’s name!
I love it when I can flex the ingredients of a dish depending on what I can get my hands on (or what is in the fridge or freezer!). While there are many variations on this classic dish, we went with chorizo, mussels, clams, and prawns. You can even use a veggie based sausage like this one [1]! Filled with smoked paprika, turmeric, and saffron, this dish is a winner.
Paella is made from ’round’ rice; traditional dishes are made with a rice called Bomba [2] or Senia. Since they are a bit harder to source we made ours with Arborio rice.
This paella is a low-maintenance main for entertaining – and that suits me just fine (more time for that last minute scramble of throwing things in closets and drawers before guests arrive!). Assuming that your sausage contains no gluten, this dish is also gluten free.
I find when we host our company ALWAYS gathers around our kitchen island – I sometimes wonder why we even built a living room! But I wouldn’t have it any other way. My favourite way to entertain is to cook while the guests are there; it makes the evening so much more social and ‘unplugged’. I placed a trivet on the dinner table and served the paella right out of the pan. It was rustic and showy, perfect for casual entertaining!
If you’re looking for some Spanish-inspired appetizers look no further than this Watermelon Ceviche [3] or this Green Gazpacho [4]. And stay tuned for our simple but elegant Mediterranean table setting inspiration next week!
xo
Tori
Paella
This seafood and chorizo paella is packed with flavour thanks to the spices, bold chorizo sausage, and addition of mussels, shrimp, and clams.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 250g chorizo sausage, sliced (or sub veggie sausage)
- 1.5 pounds fresh seafood (I used mussels, clams, and prawns)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Add the olive oil to a large pan with high sides and a heavy bottom on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and semi-translucent, around 3-5 minutes.
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Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add the fresh tomatoes, tomato paste and salt to the pan and stir until mixed thoroughly. Cook until the tomatoes soften and start to break down, around 4-5 minutes.
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Add the smoked paprika, turmeric, and saffron threads, cook for 2 minutes (until spices are fragrant) and add the rice. Cook until the rice is lightly toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Add 4 cups of stock to the pan and turn down to a low heat.
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Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes; do not stir the paella as it cooks (the rice will end up golden and a bit crisp on the bottom - which is what you are after!).
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Add the sliced chorizo sausage to the rice, stir lightly and cover for another 5-10 minutes or until rice has softened. Add seafood and more stock if needed and cook covered until seafood is cooked thoroughly (prawns are opaque, mussels and clams have opened), approximately 4-5 minutes.
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Season with salt and pepper taste, top with fresh parsley and serve immediately.