Vegetable Spanish Paella
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- Español
Paella is a one of the most popular dishes in Spain. It was originated in Valencia, usually cooked over fire in a Paella pan or “paellera” characterized by being a large wide round pan with a flat bottom that conducts heat quickly and evenly. If you don’t have a paella pan you can use any regular large wide skillet for this recipe. It is a one pot meal and perfect to share with friends. Traditionally made with chicken, rabbit, meat or seafood. This recipe only has plant protein (chickpeas and green peas) but with all the traditional paella flavors. Saffron is one of the spices that provides color, aroma and flavor to this dish.
45mins
1 cup
Appropriate for
Diets
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup red bell pepper, small diced
- 1 cup fresh tomato grated or canned (no salt added)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 cup short-grain white, I used Arborio rice or Bomba or Valencia rice because absorb 3 times more water and flavor than long grain rice. If using Valencia short grain rice for each 1 cup you will need 2 ¼ of vegetable stock and for Arborio rice for each 1 cup use 4 cups vegetable stock (preferably use low sodium vegetable stock)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 or 4 lemon wedges for garnish
- 6 canned artichokes hearts marinated in olive oil and vinegar for garnish
- 1 canned roasted red bell pepper thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 rosemary to cook the rice and 1 for garnish
Directions
Prep
15mins
Cook
30mins
Total
45mins
- Heat vegetable stock in a separate pan
- Infuse saffron with couple tablespoons of hot vegetable stock for at least 10 minutes prior to adding to the paella.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. Then, add bell pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, add tomato paste, paprika, and garlic (avoid burning garlic). Then add the grated tomatoes and stir everything together and add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Slowly pour the hot broth, making sure it's covered by stock and add saffron infusion and stir for 1 minute. Then, add the rice and Don't stir after incorporating to avoid releasing more starch. At this point add the fresh rosemary. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook covered for 5 minutes then uncovered for another 18-20 minutes.
- You want a crispy layer of rice to form on the bottom of the pan. This is called the socarrat. Once the rice is done, increase the temperature to medium-high heat for 2 minutes to create the socarrat.
- Remove the paella from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with marinated artichokes, red bell peppers, lemon wedges and a fresh rosemary.
Substitutions
- if you don’t have saffron, use 2 teaspoon turmeric
- if you don’t have the paella pan, you can use any large round wide skillet or pan with a flat bottom
- if you don’t find a short white rice like Valencia/Bomba rice or Arborio rice, you could use a medium-grain rice like Calrose rice, cooking time will vary depending on which rice you are using. Read the cooking instructions in the rice label
Meal types
Nutritional information
- Calories 322
- Protein 9.6 grams
- Net carbs 38 grams
- Fat 11 g
- Cholesterol 0
- Saturated Fat 1.4 grams
- Fiber 4.3 grams
- Sodium 678 mg using low sodium (125mg sodium/1cup) vegetable stock
- Phosphorus 154mg (plant protein we absorb 50% phosphorus)
- Potassium 498mg
- Added sugar 0
- Vitamin C 76 mg
- Iron 2.2 mg
- Adding lemon juice and vitamin c from bell pepper increases iron absorption