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Greatest plates · Main
The most AMAZING 20 Minute Seafood Paella
A quick, restaurant-worthy Spanish paella loaded with saffron, shrimp and mussels — about 20 minutes in the pan once the mussels are cleaned. Minimal ingredients, no tricky steps, all the flavour.
Serves 3Prep 10 minCook 20 minSeafood
Containsfish · shellfish
Inspired by a recipe from Spain on a Fork ↗
Protein 23%Carbs 45%Fat 32%
About 647 kcal a serve — 38 g protein, 72 g carbs, 23 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 3
Method
Infuse the broth
HotHeat a sauce pan over high heat, add the fish broth and pinch in the saffron threads. Keep it hot while you start the paella.
In the potHeat broth →
Start the sofrito
SofritoHeat a paella pan over medium-high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. Add the minced garlic and mix with the oil for 20 to 30 seconds, then add the canned tomato sauce, smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper. Mix it all together and cook for 1 minute.
Into the panFry sofrito →
medium-high
Add the rice
RiceAdd the round rice and mix it into the tomato sauce for 1 minute so every grain is coated.
Into the panToast rice →
1 min
Pour in the broth
No stirPour in the hot saffron-infused broth, season with a little more salt and give it one gentle mix to evenly distribute the rice. After this don't mix again — just shake the pan occasionally as it cooks.
Into the panAdd broth →
Prep the seafood
PrepWhile the paella cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Clean the mussels under cold running water, removing the beards and scrubbing off any barnacles.
On the traySeason →
Add the seafood
SimmerAbout 8 minutes after adding the broth, place the shrimp seasoned side down and the mussels into the pan. Two minutes later lower the heat to low-medium and simmer for 3 minutes.
Get the socarrat
SocarratTurn the heat back up to medium-high for 60 to 90 seconds to achieve the famous socarrat — the crisp layer of toasted rice underneath. Remove from the heat and cover completely with a dish cloth.
Rest and garnish
ServeAfter 3 minutes, uncover the paella, garnish with lemon wedges and sprinkle over the chopped parsley. Serve straight from the pan and enjoy.
Into the panGarnish →
3 min rest
Cook's noteUse round (medium-grain) rice and resist stirring after adding the broth — that's what lets the rice cook properly and form the prized socarrat.
Estimated per serve
647 kcal · 38 g protein · 72 g carbs · 23 g fatestimates, within ~10%
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