How to Make Authentic Paella - A Step-by-Step Guide

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish that originated in the Valencia region and has become a beloved staple in Spanish cuisine. It is a flavorful and colorful rice dish that combines a variety of ingredients, such as saffron, vegetables, meat, and seafood, to create a satisfying and hearty meal.

One of the key factors that sets authentic paella apart from other versions is the use of a special type of rice called bomba rice. This short-grain rice is able to absorb more liquid while re...

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Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups uncooked white rice
  • 6 cups chicken stock, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • 5 saffron threads
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into small pieces
  • 2 cups peeled and deveined small shrimp, diced
  • 6 small lobster tails
  • ½ pound clams in shell, scrubbed
  • 1 (8 ounce) jar mushrooms, drained
  • 1 cup green peas
  • 1 (2 ounce) can mussels

Information

  • Prep Time: 50 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Additional Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 10 cups

  • Rinse the rice with cold water; drain; set aside. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover, and keep warm. Work the garlic, parsley, curry powder, saffron threads, salt, black pepper, and 1/2 cup of the hot chicken stock together with a mortar and pestle until a smooth liquid forms; set the seasoning liquid aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat; cook and stir the onion until lightly browned. Stir in the chicken, shrimp, lobster, and clams; cook and stir until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Pour in the seasoning liquid.
  • Stir in the rice, pour in the hot chicken stock, and simmer until the rice is nearly tender, about 15 minutes. Add mushrooms, peas, and mussels; stir two times, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand until rice is soft and flaky, about 7 minutes.
  • Nutrition

    591 cal.

    • Total Fat: 22g
    • Saturated Fat: 5g
    • Cholesterol: 153mg
    • Sodium: 1032mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 54g
    • Dietary Fiber: 3g
    • Total Sugars: 2g
    • Protein: 42g
    • Vitamin C: 10mg
    • Calcium: 97mg
    • Iron: 6mg
    • Potassium: 572mg