Smoky Seafood Paella
Includes gluten-free & dairy-free options
Servings
6-8
Servings
6-8
Ingredients
  • 1tsp saffron
  • 2 fish, chicken, or vegetable bouillon cubes + 6 cups water, or 6 cups homemade broth,dairy and gluten free if desired
  • 2tsp extra-virginolive oil
  • 5oz chorizo, Andouille, merguez, or other cured spicy sausage, gluten free if desiredsliced
  • 1 large yellow oniondiced
  • 2 red or orange bell pepperscored and diced
  • 4 garlic clovesminced
  • 3cups medium-grain rice(Bomba or Calasparra, or Arborio or Carnaroli in a pinch)
  • 1/2cup white wine
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
  • 3tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1tbsp Dried Parsley
  • 1lb mussels
  • Salt and pepperto taste
  • 2cups frozen peasthawed
  • 1lb large shrimp, tails on, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2bunch parsley, chopped, for garnishoptional
  • 1 lemon, in wedges, for garnish
Instructions
  1. To large bowl, add saffron and bouillon cubes to 6 cups water and set aside while bouillon cubes dissolve.
  2. In paella pan or large cast iron pan, heat oil and add sliced sausage. Cook for 5 minutes over medium flame, until golden. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, until onion is translucent, rotating pan occasionally for even cooking (throughout the recipe). Stir in rice and coat in oil for 1 minute. Add wine and stir for 1 minute, until almost evaporated. Add tomatoes, smoked paprika, dried parsley, and the 6 cups saffron-infused broth and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes over a medium flame. If paella looks dry, move pan away from the heat a little and add 1 cup water. You want a crust to form on the bottom, but you don’t want it to burn.
  3. Meanwhile, rinse and debeard mussels, discarding any that are ajar and don’t close when squeezed together at the tip. Reserve in large bowl, but not in water or the mussels will die.
  4. Taste rice mixture before adding seafood, and add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that seafood will add sodium naturally. Stir peas into rice mixture, then add cleaned mussels and shrimp. Cook for 15 minutes more. Cover pan only if there’s a breeze or if your fire isn’t strong enough to make mussels open.
  5. Let paella cool for 5 minutes, covering if not already covered. Garnish with parsley (if using) and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe Notes

Per serving: 639 calories; 35 g protein; 15 g total fat (4 g sat. fat); 87 g total carbohydrates (5 g sugars, 6 g fiber); 585 mg sodium