Best Spanish Seafood Paella combines shrimp and scallops with paella rice, saffron, veggies, and a tomato broth. Perfect for seafood lovers, this dish is healthy and packed with flavor!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Spanish
Keyword seafood paella, spanish seafood paella
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Calories 344kcal
Author Sue Ringsdorf
Ingredients
2Tablespoonsolive oil
1largeonion- sliced thin
1wholered bell pepper- sliced thin
1wholegreen bell pepper- sliced thin
3clovesgarlic- diced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper- to taste
1 ½cupspaella rice
1teaspoonSpanish saffron- or more, to taste
10oz.Rotel- we use HOT, but you could use regular for less heat
3Tablespoonstomato paste
6cupschicken broth
2poundslarge, raw shrimp- peeled and deveined
1poundscallops- 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.
Video
Notes
Tips for making EPIC paella:
Prep all your ingredients in advance. Slice the veggies, peel and devein the shrimp, measure out the rice, and so on.
Carry all of your ingredients outside to the grill. OR make it inside on the stovetop.
Cook at medium high heat - at around 400 degrees.
Let the rice mixture simmer, covered with foil, until ALMOST all the liquid is cooked out.
The seafood will only take about 5-6 minutes, so watch closely to prevent over-cooking.
If made correctly, the paella should have a brown, crisp layer at the bottom.