Dinner · Spanish

Seafood Paella

Sofia Romano

Recipe by Sofia Romano

Pasta & Mediterranean · August 25, 2026

This is real-deal Spanish paella made accessible for a weekend at home. You build a quick shellfish stock from the prawn heads and mussels, then simmer saffron rice with chorizo, squid, and tomatoes until every grain is packed with flavor. Serve it straight from the pan with lemon wedges and let everyone dig in.

Jump to recipe
Seafood Paella

Why you'll love this

  • A restaurant-worthy showstopper you can make at home in about an hour.
  • Homemade shellfish stock gives it flavor no boxed broth can match.
  • It all comes together in one pan for easy cleanup.
  • Serves it straight from the pan for a crowd-pleasing centerpiece.

EveryDayMeal recipe

Seafood Paella

Prep
20m
Cook
40m
Total
60m
Serves
4
Level
Medium

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 10 raw tiger prawns (shrimp), heads on
  • 1 small bunch fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry
  • 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • 5 ounces chorizo, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium squid, cleaned and sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups paella rice (or short-grain like bomba)
  • 3/4 cup broad beans or peas
  • 1 lemon (zested, plus wedges to serve)

Equipment

  • Wide, shallow paella pan or large skillet
  • Potato masher
  • Colander
  • Large mixing bowl

Instructions

  1. Make the stock: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan. Add the prawn heads and the parsley stalks and sizzle until the heads turn bright pink, then mash them with a potato masher to release all their flavor. Pour in the sherry and 1 1/4 cups water, season with salt, and simmer for 10 minutes, mashing the heads again as they cook.
  2. Add the mussels to the pan, cover loosely with a lid or clean towel, and set over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the shells just open. Stir to release their juices, then pour everything into a colander set over a large bowl holding the pinch of saffron. Let the saffron steep in the hot stock (you want about 3 cups total, so top up with water if needed) and stir well. Pick the mussel meat out of the colander and set aside.
  3. Wipe the pan clean and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sizzle the chorizo until it turns crisp and releases its red oil, then add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, so the base tastes sweet. Add the squid and stir until it turns opaque, then add the tomatoes and cook down for a minute. Pour in most of the stock, stir, and bring to a boil. Scatter the rice evenly over the top, stir once, and boil hard for 5 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer gently for 10 minutes without stirring, letting the rice absorb the liquid and form a golden crust on the bottom. Tuck the prawns into the rice and simmer 5 more minutes, turning once, until pink and cooked through. Stir in the mussels and broad beans. Taste the rice: if it is still firm but the pan is dry, add a splash more stock; if it looks soupy, turn up the heat to cook off the excess.
  5. Once the rice is just tender, turn off the heat and drape a clean towel over the pan for a few minutes to rest. Scatter over the parsley leaves and lemon zest, stir once, and serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges on the side.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Do not stir the rice once it starts to simmer. That stillness is what creates the socarrat, the prized crisp layer on the bottom of the pan.
  • Use a wide, shallow pan so the rice cooks in a thin, even layer. A crowded deep pot steams the rice instead of letting it crisp.
  • Save every prawn head and shell for the stock. That is where most of the deep seafood flavor comes from.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 540 cal · 34g protein · 52g carbs · 21g fat

Make it your own

  • Swap the broad beans for green peas or chopped green beans if that is what you have.
  • No squid? Add extra shrimp or a handful of scallops instead.
  • For a smokier finish, sprinkle a little smoked salt or smoked paprika over the rice before serving.

Storing & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or stock to loosen the rice. Paella is best fresh, so avoid freezing the seafood.

Good to know

What rice should I use?
Traditional paella rice like bomba or Calasparra is ideal because it absorbs lots of liquid while staying firm. In a pinch, any short-grain rice like Arborio works. Avoid long-grain, which stays too separate.
Can I use pre-cooked or frozen seafood?
You can, but you lose the flavor from making stock with fresh prawn heads. If using cooked seafood, add it at the very end just to warm through so it does not turn rubbery.
How do I get the crispy bottom (socarrat)?
Do not stir once the rice simmers, and at the end turn the heat up for a minute or two until you hear a gentle crackle. That is the rice caramelizing against the pan.
Any mussels that do not open, what do I do?
Discard any mussels that stay firmly shut after cooking, as they may not be safe to eat. Only keep the ones that opened up.

Related recipes