Seafood Paella
Saffron-scented bomba rice cooked with mussels, shrimp, chorizo, and peas in a wide pan with a crisp socarrat crust.
Updated: Nov 9, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 1 hour 10 min.
- Serves 6 — easy to halve or double.
- Medium level — everyday equipment only.
- Stays juicy when cooked to 165°F (74°C).
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
Seafood Paella takes about 1 hour 10 minutes and makes 6 servings. This Spanish rice dish is built in stages: a sofrito of onion, garlic, and grated tomato cooks down with chorizo and paprika, saffron threads steep in warm broth, and bomba rice is stirred in before the liquid goes into the pan.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Crumble the saffron into the warm broth and let it steep while you prepare the pan so the color and aroma spread evenly through the rice. Warm broth also keeps the cooking temperature steady once it is added.
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a 15-inch paella pan or wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more without browning it.
Stir in the grated tomato and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture darkens and thickens into a sofrito. Cooking the tomato down removes raw acidity and concentrates sweetness, which is the flavor base the rice absorbs.
Add the chorizo and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it releases its paprika-tinted fat, then stir in the rice and toss for 2 minutes to coat every grain in oil. Coating the grains helps them stay separate rather than turning sticky.
Pour in the saffron broth, add 1 tsp salt, and stir once to distribute the rice evenly. From this point do not stir, because agitation breaks the grains and prevents the firm, separate texture that defines paella.
Simmer for 12 minutes, then nestle the mussels hinge side down and the shrimp into the rice, scatter the peas over the top, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more. The mussels must open during cooking, and any that remain closed should be discarded rather than forced open.
When the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, raise the heat to medium-high for 60 to 90 seconds to form the socarrat, listening for a faint crackle and stopping before the bottom burns. Shrimp should be opaque and reach 145 degrees F, and the chorizo should reach 160 degrees F. Rest the pan off the heat for 5 minutes, then serve straight from the pan with lemon wedges.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the rice is still firm when the liquid is gone, add 1/4 cup warm broth and cook 3 minutes more without stirring.
- If the bottom scorches before the rice is done, lower the heat and move the pan to a cooler burner; socarrat should be a thin golden crust, not black.
- If the paella tastes bland, check the salt in the broth before adding the rice, since the rice absorbs all the seasoning.
- If the mussels stay closed, discard them; they should be thrown out rather than pried open.
Make it your way
- For a mixed paella, add 8 oz bone-in chicken thighs, browned first and cooked through to 165 degrees F, before the sofrito.
- Replace mussels with 12 littleneck clams, using the same rule that any that stay closed are discarded.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the seafood and chorizo and use 2 cups chopped artichoke hearts, 1 cup chickpeas, and vegetable broth with smoked paprika for depth.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with 2 tbsp broth until steaming and 165 degrees F, or in a 350 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.
FAQ
Why should I not stir paella?
Stirring rubs starch off the rice grains, which makes the dish creamy like risotto instead of fluffy and separate. After the broth goes in, the rice should stay undisturbed so it cooks evenly and forms the toasted socarrat layer.
Can I use regular rice instead of bomba?
Bomba is ideal because it absorbs about three times its volume in liquid without turning mushy. If it is unavailable, use another short-grain Spanish rice such as Calasparra. Substitute arborio only as a last resort and expect a slightly creamier result.
Do I have to discard mussels that do not open?
Yes. Mussels that remain shut after cooking should be discarded, because a tightly closed shell can mean the mussel was dead before cooking and is not safe to eat. Open shells and mussels that close when tapped lightly are fine.