Classic Seafood Paella
Classic Seafood Paella
Ingredients
For the Sofrito and Rice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 yellow onions, large, finely chopped
- 4 red bell peppers, large, finely chopped
- 12 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28-ounce cans canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed, steeped in 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 6 cups Arborio rice
- 12 cups fish stock, hot
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For the Seafood
- 10 lobster tails, medium (about 4-5 ounces each), halved lengthwise
- 4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
- 2 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a very large paella pan or wide, shallow pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and red bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10-12 minutes.
⏱️ 12 min
- 2
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), saffron (including the water it steeped in), and smoked paprika. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. This is your sofrito.
⏱️ 9 min
- 3
Stir in the Arborio rice, ensuring each grain is coated with the sofrito. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add 8 cups of the hot fish stock to the pan. Stir once to distribute the rice evenly, then spread the rice in a single layer. Do not stir the rice again after this point. Bring to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Arrange the halved lobster tails, cut-side up, on top of the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan loosely with foil (or a large lid if you have one), and cook for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
After 15 minutes, remove the foil. Distribute the shrimp and mussels evenly over the rice. Add the remaining 4 cups of hot fish stock, pouring it gently over the seafood and rice. Season with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Cover again loosely with foil and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, the mussels have opened (discard any that do not open), and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. The rice should be tender but still have a slight bite (al dente).
⏱️ 15 min
- 9
Once cooked, remove the paella from the heat. Keep it covered and let it rest for 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and helps create the coveted 'socarrat' (crispy bottom layer of rice).
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Classic Seafood Paella
For the Sofrito and Rice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 yellow onions, large, finely chopped
- 4 red bell peppers, large, finely chopped
- 12 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28-ounce cans canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed, steeped in 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 6 cups Arborio rice
- 12 cups fish stock, hot
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For the Seafood
- 10 lobster tails, medium (about 4-5 ounces each), halved lengthwise
- 4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
- 2 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a very large paella pan or wide, shallow pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and red bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10-12 minutes.
⏱️ 12 min - 2
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), saffron (including the water it steeped in), and smoked paprika. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. This is your sofrito.
⏱️ 9 min - 3
Stir in the Arborio rice, ensuring each grain is coated with the sofrito. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Pour in the white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add 8 cups of the hot fish stock to the pan. Stir once to distribute the rice evenly, then spread the rice in a single layer. Do not stir the rice again after this point. Bring to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Arrange the halved lobster tails, cut-side up, on top of the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan loosely with foil (or a large lid if you have one), and cook for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
After 15 minutes, remove the foil. Distribute the shrimp and mussels evenly over the rice. Add the remaining 4 cups of hot fish stock, pouring it gently over the seafood and rice. Season with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Cover again loosely with foil and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, the mussels have opened (discard any that do not open), and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. The rice should be tender but still have a slight bite (al dente).
⏱️ 15 min - 9
Once cooked, remove the paella from the heat. Keep it covered and let it rest for 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and helps create the coveted 'socarrat' (crispy bottom layer of rice).
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
⏱️ 1 min