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    Home » Meat and Fish

    Super Easy Paella Recipe

    Published: Oct 27, 2020 · Modified: Mar 21, 2023 by Jamie · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Overhead view of a bright paella in a frying pan.
    Side view of an easy shrimp paella with lemon and parsley to garnish.
    An overhead and side view of an easy paella prepared in a frying pan and garnished with lemon and fresh parsley.

    This Easy Paella Recipe makes a healthy one-pan dish that's perfect for weeknight dinners and special occasions! It requires only 10 main ingredients, 30 minutes, and one pan. This simple and flavor-packed paella is a naturally gluten and dairy-free recipe, and we included instructions to make this easy paella vegan.

    It turns out that making a great paella can be really easy with the few simplifications in this recipe! This recipe can be made with or without saffron, and we included instructions for both.

    The finished easy paella recipe in a large skillet garnished with parsley and ready to serve.
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    Paella can be enjoyed year round. It's also a great camping recipe for outdoors or camper vans. Check out my Vanlife Kitchen Essentials if you're making this recipe on-the-go.

    This simple paella makes a great all-in-one dish. If you're looking for additional recipes to pair it with, we like to serve it with a crusty gluten free baguette and an appetizer of black bean hummus with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.

    In keeping with our European food theme, check out our Thick Italian Hot Chocolate or Dairy Free Tiramisu for dessert!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Notes
    • Variations
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Other Related Seafood Recipes to consider...
    • Super Easy Paella Recipe

    Ingredients Notes

    You can make this recipe with just 10 main ingredients, and with or without saffron.

    A layout of the ingredients you need to make a healthy paella recipe.
    The 10 main ingredients and spices you need to make this Easy Paella Recipe. Not pictured: olive oil and shrimp.

    Onion - You can use yellow or white onions for this gluten-free paella. I do not recommend using red onion.

    Rice - A short grain white rice is best for paella. Arborio rice is a great easy-to-find option and what I used in this recipe. Bomba rice is the most traditional, and Calasparra rice is also an excellent choice.

    Meat and Fish - You can make this recipe with a variety of proteins. I chose to make a shrimp paella because they cook quickly. Check the variations section or recipe notes for more details on using sausage, chicken, or other seafood.

    Turmeric or Saffron - Turmeric is a good saffron substitute, and you can make this recipe with either. Check the recipe notes for how to use saffron in place of turmeric in this recipe.

    See the recipe card for complete details on ingredients and quantities.

    Variations

    • Vegan - Add thawed frozen peas in place of shrimp (see recipe notes for instructions). Peas are an excellent addition to this dish if you make it with shrimp too.
    • Try another meat or seafood - You can make this recipe with chicken, sausage, mussels, crayfish... just make sure to reconsider the cooking time since shrimp cook quickly. Always sear and partially cook your meat or seafood first, and then add it back into the paella at the end to cook it through completely.
      Check the FDA guidelines for safe internal cooking temperatures and keep a thermometer on hand.
    • With Saffron - Soak 2-3 strands of saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm water while you prep the rest of the recipe. Then add the saffron and water in place of turmeric in this recipe.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Making a healthy paella is easy with our simple step-by-step instructions!

    A photo of searing shrimp in a skillet and another of sautéing onion and red bell peppers.

    Step 1. Sear the shrimp: In a large frying pan on medium heat, sear the shrimp -- cook for about 2 minutes total, flipping mid-way. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.

    Step 2. Saute the vegetables: Add oil, onion, and bell pepper to the pan. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring on occasion to prevent burning or sticking. Lower the heat to medium and add garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant and golden brown.

    A photo of all the sauce ingredients arranged in the paella pan and another of the paella nearly finished cooking with shrimp buried underneath.

    Step 3. Make the Sauce: Add tomato puree, rice, broth, parsley, and spices. Bring to a low boil for 15 minutes or until rice is mostly cooked, stirring on occasion.

    Step 4. Combine: Add shrimp and bury them in the paella. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring as needed. For a vegan paella, replace shrimp with pre-cooked or thawed frozen green peas.

    An easy shrimp paella served in a bowl with a lemon wedge and garnished with parsley.

    Step 5. Finish: Turn off the heat. If rice is still too firm, cover with a lid and towel (still no heat) until liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente. Add lemon juice or serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!

    Expert Tips

    • Crust - A really good paella has a crispy crust along the bottom known as socarrat. To get this crust, you want to resist overstirring (or even stirring at all, as long as your paella is not burning) once you add the rice. You may also need to turn up the heat to get a good crust, but take care not to burn the dish. It's better to have less crust than a burnt paella.
    • Don't cover the pan. You don't want extra moisture in a paella. Your rice should be al dente (firm bite, not mushy) and the liquid should be absorbed.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is typically in paella?

    The main ingredients in every paella recipe are rice, vegetables, meat or seafood, and spices. From there, traditional Spanish paellas can vary significantly by region. Short grain rice and saffron are key for an authentic paella.

    If you're looking to up your paella game after trying this recipe, these fun Paella tips from Saveur can help.

    What kind of rice do you use for paella?

    Short grain white rice is the best rice to use for paella recipes. Traditional Spanish Paellas use Bomba rice. Arborio rice (used for risotto) and sushi rice make good substitutes. 
    I used Arborio rice in this simplified recipe.

    Do you pre-cook the rice?

    You do not pre-cook rice for paella. Paella is a one-pan dish. By adding uncooked rice and boiling it in the pan with the other ingredients, the rice is better able to absorb the flavors of the paella.

    What do you pair with paella?

    Paella is often served as a stand-alone main dish because it includes so many healthy food groups in one pan. We often serve it with our Foolproof Gluten Free French Baguettes.

    How do you store leftover paella?

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    Other Related Seafood Recipes to consider...

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      Dairy Free Shrimp Scampi (naturally gluten-free)
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      Easy Baked Salmon Cakes Recipe
    • Deconstructed Sushi Bowl Main
      Deconstructed Sushi Bowl: easy gluten-free recipe
    • Two beautiful bowls of this easy instant pot tomato soup
      Easy Instant Pot Tomato Soup

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & if you really like it, consider a comment in the field further down. Thank you!

    Print

    Super Easy Paella Recipe

    An easy shrimp paella served in a bowl with a lemon wedge and garnished with parsley.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 3 reviews

    This Easy Paella recipe needs only 10 main ingredients, 30 minutes, and one pan. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free and can be made with or without saffron. Substitute green peas for an easy vegan paella.

    • Author: Jamie
    • Prep Time: 10
    • Cook Time: 30
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner, Meal, Skillet
    • Method: Skillet
    • Cuisine: Spanish
    • Diet: Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 16 uncooked shrimp, tails off and deveined (see notes for vegan)*
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 2 red bell peppers, sliced thinly and halved
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 cup tomato puree
    • 1 ½ cups uncooked arborio rice
    • 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth
    • 1 lemon, juiced (1 lemon provides about 2 tablespoons of juice)
    • ¼ cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

    Spices

    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric (or saffron -- see notes)**
    • 2 medium Bay leaves
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

    Instructions

    1. Sear the shrimp: In a large frying pan on medium heat, sear the shrimp -- cook for about 2 minutes total, flipping mid-way. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.
    2. Saute the vegetables: Add oil, onion, and bell pepper to the pan. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring on occasion to prevent burning or sticking. Lower the heat to medium and add garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant and golden brown.
    3. Make the Sauce: Add tomato puree, rice, broth, parsley, and spices. Bring to a low boil for 15 minutes or until rice is mostly cooked, stirring on occasion.
    4. Combine: Add shrimp and bury them in the paella. Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring as needed. For a vegan paella, replace shrimp with pre-cooked or thawed frozen green peas.
    5. Finish: Turn off the heat. If rice is still too firm, cover with a lid and towel (still no heat) until liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente. Add lemon juice or serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!

    Notes

    *Vegan/Green Peas: If adding green peas, add thawed or pre-cooked peas at the same time (or in place of) shrimp in step 4 of this recipe. I recommend thawing frozen peas first to keep cooking times consistent.

    **Saffron: If using saffron, soak 2-3 strands in 2 tablespoons of warm water while you prep. Then add the saffron and water in place of turmeric in this recipe.

    Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    Keywords: easy paella recipe, shrimp paella, paella recipe without saffron, easy vegan paella, quick paella recipe, healthy paella recipe, simple paella recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in comment field further down. Thank you!

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    Comments

    1. Ida

      August 07, 2022 at 5:48 pm

      Can I make this with another meat like chicken sausage?

      Reply
      • Jamie

        August 08, 2022 at 7:55 am

        Absolutely! We love making it with chicken sausage, and andouille is my favorite flavor with this recipe. Enjoy the recipe, Ida!

        Reply
    2. Joan Connor

      May 26, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      Any sub for tomatoes .

      Reply
      • Jamie

        May 29, 2021 at 7:15 pm

        Hi Joan! I haven't tried making this recipe without tomatoes before, but I think you could substitute extra vegetable broth and get a similar taste and texture. I'd start with about 1/2 cup in place of the tomato puree and add up to 1/4 cup more if the rice seems too dry.

        Pumpkin puree is also often a substitute for tomatoes, and you could try 1/2 cup pumpkin puree with 1/2 cup extra broth if you're feeling adventurous! I'd be curious to know how it works out 🙂

        Reply
    3. Jen P.

      March 11, 2021 at 10:34 am

      This is my go to Paella recipe! Thank you so much for making one that's simple Jamie!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        March 11, 2021 at 10:41 am

        Thank you Jen! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Laura

      March 11, 2021 at 10:34 am

      I made this the other day. I love that you can make it with or without saffron. My family really enjoyed it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        March 11, 2021 at 10:41 am

        thank you so much Laura 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Celiac Nana

      January 27, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      I make this ALL the time! Thank you, Jamie! I spiced it up with some Andouille sausage which kicks the spice up a little. This has become one of my family's favorites!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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