Easy Paella

By Mark Bittman

Updated January 8, 2019

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Michelle Gatton.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,614)
Comments
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You may not think of paella as a weeknight dish, but this half-hour recipe might change your mind. The trick is to start it on the stove and finish it in a superhot oven so you get a nice, crisp crust on the bottom. The name “paella” refers not to a combination of rice, seafood, sausage and other meats, but rather to the paellera, a large pan that looks like a flat wok. But you don't need one to make a good paella. A cast-iron skillet will do just fine. Shrimp is called for here, but you can use chicken, sausage, vegetables, scallops, pork or firm tofu in its place.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; The Homey Joys Of Simple Paella

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 4 cups chicken stock (see text)

  • Pinch saffron

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, minced

  • 2 cups short- or medium-grain rice

  • Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

  • 2 cups raw peeled shrimp, cut into ½-inch chunks

  • Minced parsley for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

89 grams carbs; 168 milligrams cholesterol; 607 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 1034 milligrams sodium; 26 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, or as near as you can. Warm the stock in a saucepan with the saffron. Place a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. One minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy -- just a minute or two. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and add the warmed stock, taking care to avoid the rising steam. Stir in the shrimp, and transfer the pan to the oven.

  3. Step 3

    Bake about 25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is dry on top. Garnish, and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,614 user ratings
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Comments

babette

Never made paella before...Does the skillet go into the oven with or without a lid?

Fred Schultz

The problem here is putting the shrimp pieces into a 500 degree oven for 25 minutes. They become like rubber pellets with no flavor. Better to put them on top of the rice in the last 5 minutes. IMHO....

Sovie

Delicious, and such an easy way to make paella. My entire family loved it. Replaced shrimp with 1 lb. frozen mixed seafood from Trader Joe's (shrimp, scallops, calamari) as well as a couple cubed chicken thighs seared with the onion. We eat brown rice so used my largest skillet and additional 2 cups broth, taking 25 extra minutes in the oven to absorb all the broth. The proteins cooked beautifully even with extra oven time. I plan to add eggplant/other veggies next time, as whim dictates.

Mike G

I've made this several times and have had great success with a few different ideas. I typically cook without the shrimp and add bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I usually cook the thighs, 5-7 min per side, then add to the paella after the first 15 min in the oven. The key to this dish for me is to leave the pan in longer than the allotted time - this helps firm the rice and avoid mushy rice. It doesn't hurt to toss the rice a few times during the 25 min to help the liquid move around.

Rose Durham

Followed the recipe exactly. The rice was a mushy mess. The shrimp was overcooked, rubbery, and tasteless. A flop of a recipe.

Kathleen L.

I’ve made traditional paella, but tonight I tried this recipe and would only tweak I would make is that shrimp or scallops should be added later. What is particularly nice about this recipe, is that you can cook it for one person, which you really can’t do with the traditional paella recipes. I made it with 1/2 cup rice and 1 cup broth. One suggestion: if you’re using unpeeled shrimp, you could peel them first and let the peels simmer in the broth with the saffron threads, before you toss them.

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