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Seafood Paella
Spain's iconic saffron-golden rice dish with shrimp, clams, mussels, and the coveted crispy socarrat crust at the bottom.
25 mins
35 mins
6 people
Spanish
Bomba or Calasparra rice
Short-grain, absorbs 3x liquid
400g
Saffron threads
Bloomed in warm stock
1 tsp
Seafood stock
Warm
1.2L
Large shrimp
Shell-on
300g
Mussels
300g
Clams
200g
Squid rings
200g
Onion
1
Garlic
6 cloves
Tomatoes
Fresh, grated
3
Smoked paprika
2 tsp
Olive oil
4 tbsp
Lemon
For serving
2
Fresh parsley
for garnish
🍽️ Traditional paella pan over open fire
→ Paella pan or wide oven-safe skillet
Wide, shallow surface creates the right rice layer
🍽️ Bomba rice
→ Arborio or Calrose
Will absorb stock well, socarrat might be softer
Bloom saffron in warm stock. In paella pan, make sofritto: fry onion and garlic until soft, add grated tomato.
💡 Pro Tip: A proper sofritto cooked down to almost paste is the flavor foundation of paella.
Add smoked paprika, cook 1 min. Add rice, toast 2 minutes in the sofritto.
💡 Pro Tip: Toasting rice coats each grain in fat — essential for proper absorption without stickiness.
Add all saffron stock at once. Arrange seafood on top. Do NOT stir after this point.
💡 Pro Tip: Never stir paella after adding stock. Stirring releases starch and prevents socarrat.
Cook on medium-high heat 10 minutes, then medium-low for 8-10 minutes until most liquid is absorbed.
💡 Pro Tip: Listen for the crackling at the end — that's the socarrat forming.
Create socarrat: increase heat the last 2-3 minutes until you smell a light toasting.
💡 Pro Tip: Sniff not look — you detect socarrat by smell before you can see it.
- ✓NEVER stir after adding stock
- ✓Socarrat (crispy bottom) is the chef's prize
- ✓Paella should never be creamy like risotto
- ✓Rest covered with foil 5 minutes before serving
- →With lemon wedges
- →With alioli on the side
- →As the centerpiece of a Spanish feast