Shrimp and Scallops Paella

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Shrimp and Scallops Paella combines paella rice with veggies, shrimp, scallops, and saffron – the spice that makes it unique. We make this on our outdoor grill using a paella pan, key to getting that dark crust on the bottom that makes it SO good!

Shot of a big pan of paella on a grill, with some tin foil being lifted off.

** UPDATED POST can be found HERE!

Mike and I traveled to Spain and Portugal in early 2015, and experienced our first ever PAELLA while there. Mike couldn’t get enough of it, and ordered it almost everywhere he could get it. They normally made it with some type of seafood, and a variety of vegetables. We are true foodies, and while I’m a little slower to try new things, Mike was eating all the seafood (even some of which we didn’t recognize). The wine was absolutely divine, and the bread. The BREAD!

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I described our trips in the following posts (Madrid, Lisbon, and Barcelona), and would LOVE to go back. Someday.

You get the picture. 🙂

A white bowl filled with shrimp and scallops paella, on a white napkin.

Shrimp and Scallops Paella is one dish that I usually prepare on our outdoor grill, mostly because of the size of the pan. I purchased two of these paella pans on amazon, so I could make two batches at once for a larger group. Our Texas weather also allows for us to grill outside almost all year long. But you can totally make paella on your stove top, even using a regular saucepan.

There a couple of must-have ingredients for this recipe.

  1. One is the paella rice that I usually order on amazon, but you can find it at World Market or other specialty stores.
  2. The other is saffron, which I order as well. Saffron is a spice used often in Spanish dishes and is especially good in cooking seafood.

Tips for making EPIC paella:

  1. Prep all your ingredients in advance. Slice the veggies, peel and devein the shrimp, measure out the rice, and so on.
  2. Carry all of your ingredients outside to the grill. OR make it inside on the stovetop.
  3. Cook at medium high heat – at around 400 degrees.
  4. Let the rice mixture simmer, covered with foil, until ALMOST all the liquid is cooked out.
  5. The seafood will only take about 5-6 minutes, so watch closely to prevent over-cooking.
  6. If made correctly, the paella should have a brown, crisp layer at the bottom.

When we cook paella on our outside grill, I put everything in a pan to take it outside. The photo on the right is the saffron. You need only a teaspoon for this recipe.

Collage of 1) the paella ingredients, and 2) a bowl with a pinch of saffron.
Collage of 1) some tomato paste in a tube, and 2) a pan of cooked peppers and onions on a grill.

The first photo below was taken right after the chicken broth was poured into the paella. We covered it with foil and let it simmer for about 25 minutes before adding the seafood (photo on the right). Then we covered it back up with foil and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes. Four pounds of seafood is a lot so the pan was heaping over.

Collage of the process of cooking paella on a grill.

Paella is pronounced “puh-yay-a”. One of the fun parts of making paella is saying it. Over and over again. Mike and I love to really emphasize the YAY part. In turn, our boys love to roll their eyes at us. Which makes it even more fun to say. (You get the picture.)

All this paella talk is really making me miss our trip to Spain and Portugal. We had the best time. And the food was…well, exceptional.

Make this seafood next: Baked Asian Salmon in Foil

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

XOXO ~Sue

Shot of a big pan of paella on a grill, with some tin foil being lifted off.

Shrimp and Scallops Paella

A Spanish inspired rice dish made with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and plenty of shrimp and scallops. 
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Spanish
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 407kcal
Author: Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion – sliced thin
  • 1 whole red pepper – sliced thin
  • 1 whole green pepper – sliced thin
  • 3 cloves garlic – finely diced
  • salt and pepper – to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Spanish saffron
  • 1.5 cups paella rice
  • 10 oz. can Rotel – I use HOT, but you can use mild or medium
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 pounds large, raw shrimp – peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound scallops – cut into bite sized pieces

Instructions

  • Prep ahead: Thinly slice the peppers and onion and mince the garlic. Peel and devein the shrimp, and cut the scallops if needed.
  • Heat up paella pan on your outdoor grill to medium heat (or you can make it on your stovetop). Add olive oil and then add peppers, onions, salt and pepper to taste. Stir frequently, in between opening and closing the lid.
  • When vegetables start to soften (after 5-6 minutes), add paella rice and saffron and continue cooking, stirring frequently. You are just browning the rice here.
  • Add chicken broth, Rotel, and tomato paste, and stir. Cover pan tightly with foil, using gloves or some towels. 
  • Let simmer for 20-25 minutes until liquid is almost fully absorbed and the bottom of the paella is starting to develop a dark crust.
  • Add shrimp and scallops (and a little more salt and pepper) and stir. Cover again with foil, and continue cooking until seafood is just cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Be careful to NOT over-cook the shrimp and scallops.
  • Serve immediately, with slices of lemon.

Notes

Tips for making EPIC paella:
  1. Prep all your ingredients in advance. Slice the veggies, peel and devein the shrimp, measure out the rice, and so on.
  2. Carry all of your ingredients outside to the grill. OR make it inside on the stovetop.
  3. Cook at medium high heat – at around 400 degrees.
  4. Let the rice mixture simmer, covered with foil, until ALMOST all the liquid is cooked out.
  5. The seafood will only take about 5-6 minutes, so watch closely to prevent over-cooking.
  6. If made correctly, the paella should have a brown, crisp layer at the bottom.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 312mg | Sodium: 2024mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 23.1mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 4.1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Suebeehomemaker or tag #suebeehomemaker!

5 Comments

  1. I made this for our Christmas Eve dinner and must say it was a HUGE hit. I followed all tips for epic paella and my only tweak was I substituted vegetable stock for the chicken stock. Homemade crusty bread and salad finished off the meal. I will definitely make this again.

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      I’m SO glad you enjoyed it Brenda! Paella is one of our favorite meals. 🙂

  2. I miss Madrid and my friends! I will be back! Next time, I am going to invite myself to a Sunday family celebration. The strong family culture and celebration of awesome food. What else could one want. Well done!

  3. Vanesa Jiménez says:

    This looks awesome! Just like the real thing! Paella is in Spain our main meal in family celebrations and sunday lunches and it’s not easy to cook, it’s an art that requires to add each ingredient at the right time and let rice boil until it gets the right texture. It looks like you did a great work!! 🙂

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Thanks Vanessa! We really enjoy making it AND eating it!! 🙂

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