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Greatest plates · Main
Simple Spanish Paella with Shrimp & Bell Peppers
A vibrant, saffron-scented Spanish paella loaded with shrimp and sweet bell peppers, made with minimal ingredients in one pan. Serve with a bottle of Spanish wine to be instantly transported to Spain.
Serves 2Prep 10 minCook 35 minSeafood
Containsshellfish
Inspired by a recipe from Spain on a Fork ↗
Protein 18%Carbs 50%Fat 32%
About 720 kcal a serve — 32 g protein, 90 g carbs, 26 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Method
Prep everything
PrepFinely mince the garlic, finely dice the onion, and roughly dice the red and green bell pepper. Pat down the raw jumbo shrimp with paper towels and season with sea salt and black pepper.
On the boardPrep all →
Soften the vegetables
SautéHeat a paella pan (or nonstick frypan) over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. After 1 minute add the diced bell peppers and mix; after 2 minutes add the onion and continue mixing; 2 minutes later add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Into the panSauté →
5 min · med-high
Build the sofrito
Mix allAdd the sweet smoked paprika and mix until well combined, then add the canned tomato sauce and season with sea salt and black pepper. Mix everything together until well combined.
Into the panAdd base →
Add broth and saffron
InfuseOne minute after the tomato sauce, add the vegetable broth and pinch in the saffron threads. Give it a quick mix and bring to a boil, letting it boil an extra minute so the saffron infuses the broth.
Into the panAdd broth →
Add the rice
Don't stirAdd the round rice and give it a quick mix so everything is evenly distributed. After this, do not mix the rice again or it will disrupt how it cooks — you can give the pan an occasional shake.
Into the panAdd rice →
Add shrimp and simmer
Simmer6 minutes after adding the rice, add the shrimp into the pan. 2 minutes later, lower the heat to low-medium and simmer for about 5 minutes until there is virtually no broth left.
Into the panSimmer →
13 min · low-med
Create the socarrat and rest
Rest 5 minTurn the heat back up to medium-high for 60 to 90 seconds to create the socarrat (caramelised rice underneath). Remove from the heat, cover with a dishcloth, and after 5 minutes uncover and serve at once.
Cook's noteUse round (or arborio/medium-grain) rice and resist stirring once the rice goes in — that's what lets the socarrat form on the bottom.
Estimated per serve
720 kcal · 32 g protein · 90 g carbs · 26 g fatestimates, within ~10%
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