Garden Vegetable Paella
The ultimate Spanish rice feast reimagined. Loose, golden, saffron-infused grains packed with tender Mediterranean vegetables that bring everyone to the table.
50 min
Medium
Española
4 servings
The story behind
To me, paella tastes exactly like a lazy Sunday afternoon spent out on the patio with family. A few years ago, a close friend from Valencia clued me into a huge kitchen secret: a great paella isn't about the seafood at all, it is all about how the rice absorbs the rich tomato base and the aromatic saffron. I decided to cook up this plant-based version for a big family gathering one weekend, and honestly, nobody missed the meat for a second. It pairs beautifully with a simple, rustic tomato salad dressed in good olive oil. For a drink, a pitcher of chilled Spanish sangria with fresh fruit slices or a cold sparkling water with lime is absolute perfection.
Instructions
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1Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a paella pan or a wide, shallow skillet over medium heat.
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2Sauté the sliced red bell peppers and green beans for about 5 minutes until they start to soften up and get some color.
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3Stir in the grated tomato and sweet paprika, mixing quickly so it doesn't burn, and let it cook down until the tomato liquid evaporates.
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4Add the rice to the pan, stirring it constantly for a minute to coat the grains beautifully with the flavorful oil base.
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5Pour in the hot vegetable broth mixed with the saffron, spread the rice evenly across the pan, scatter the peas on top, and boil on high for 10 minutes; then drop the heat to low and simmer for another 8-10 minutes without stirring at all so that perfect crispy crust forms at the bottom.
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