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Flavorful Spanish Paella with Grilled Shrimp & Mussels

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A quick and easy Spanish paella recipe featuring smoky grilled shrimp and mussels on a saffron-infused rice bed, perfect for seafood lovers and busy cooks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (400g) bomba or short-grain rice
  • 4 cups (950ml) seafood stock
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large ripe tomato, grated or finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • A generous pinch of saffron threads (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail-on for presentation)
  • 2 dozen fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse shrimp and mussels under cold water. Discard any mussels that are open and don’t close when tapped. Pat the shrimp dry and toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt. Set aside to marinate.
  2. Place saffron threads in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of warm seafood stock. Let steep for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a paella pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and red bell pepper, sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Stir in grated tomato, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 4 minutes until tomato reduces.
  5. Add rice and stir to coat grains with the mixture.
  6. Pour in seafood stock and saffron with soaking liquid. Stir once to distribute, then do not stir again. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
  7. Cook rice uncovered for about 15 minutes, gently shaking pan occasionally but not stirring. Add more stock or water if liquid evaporates too quickly.
  8. While rice simmers, heat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until pink and slightly charred. Grill mussels until they open, about 5 minutes. Discard unopened mussels.
  9. Nestle grilled shrimp and mussels into the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking to warm through.
  10. Remove pan from heat, cover loosely with foil or kitchen towel, and let rest for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Notes

Use a wide, shallow pan for even cooking and socarrat formation. Do not stir rice after adding stock to develop crispy bottom crust. Grill seafood separately to avoid overcooking. Soak saffron properly for best flavor and color. Keep extra stock on hand to add if rice dries out too soon. Fresh seafood is preferred but frozen can be used if thawed and dried.

Nutrition

Keywords: paella, Spanish paella, seafood paella, grilled shrimp, mussels, saffron rice, quick paella, easy seafood recipe

Find it online: https://perkypan.com/flavorful-spanish-paella-with-grilled-shrimp-and-mussels-easy-recipe-for-seafood-lovers/