Description
This Weeknight Paella recipe delivers an authentic Spanish dish packed with flavorful chorizo, succulent shrimp, and perfectly cooked Arborio rice infused with saffron and paprika. Ready in just 40 minutes, it’s an ideal one-pan meal for a satisfying weeknight dinner that brings vibrant Mediterranean flavors to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 ounces cooked smoked Spanish chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds (dried and cured, not Mexican ground chorizo)
- 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (not table salt)
- Few turns freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 pound medium shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat oil and cook chorizo and onion: Heat olive oil in a 12 to 14-inch paella pan or large stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced smoked Spanish chorizo and sweet onion wedges. Cook until the chorizo is browned and the onion softens and becomes fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and tomato paste: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until it releases its aroma. Then add the tomato paste, stirring well to combine and cook until it melds with the ingredients, enhancing the depth of flavor.
- Add spices and rice: Sprinkle in the paprika, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and saffron threads. Stir to evenly distribute the spices. Then add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the grains fully with the seasoned oil mixture.
- Add broth and bring to a boil: Pour in the low sodium chicken stock and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Using the back of a spatula, gently flatten the rice layer. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently without stirring for 15 minutes, allowing the rice to cook until just under al dente and absorb most of the liquid.
- Add shrimp and peas: Gently fold in the peeled and deveined shrimp along with the thawed peas. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes more, allowing the shrimp to cook through and the rice to absorb the remaining liquid fully.
- Serve: Remove from heat and sprinkle the paella with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use smoked Spanish chorizo, not Mexican chorizo, for authentic flavor and texture.
- Do not stir the rice during simmering to develop the socarrat, the crispy bottom crust traditional in paella.
- If you don’t have Arborio rice, medium-grain rice can be a substitute, but Arborio gives a creamier texture.
- Saffron adds an essential authentic flavor and color; if unavailable, turmeric can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will differ.
- The shrimp can be served with tails on or off according to preference.
- Use low sodium chicken stock to better control salt levels.
- For a vegetarian version, omit chorizo and shrimp, replace chicken stock with vegetable broth, and increase peas or add other vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
