Seafood Paella Recipe

Clean and prepare seafood

Rinse mussels under cold water, discard any with broken shells or that don't close when tapped. Peel and devein prawns if necessary. Cut salmon into 1-inch chunks and pat all seafood dry with paper towels. Slice squid into 1/2-inch rings. Keep seafood chilled until ready to use.

Warm 2 tablespoons of the fish stock and add the saffron threads to bloom for at least 10 minutes. Keep the remaining stock warm in a saucepan over low heat (do not boil).

Make the sofrito

Heat a wide paella pan or large, shallow skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When shimmering, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the grated tomato and cook until liquid reduces and mixture smells sweet, about 4–5 minutes.

Add bell peppers

Push the sofrito to one side and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed. Add the red and yellow bell pepper strips and cook 3–4 minutes until slightly softened but still bright.

Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat the grains in the sofrito and oil. Toast the rice for 2 minutes, stirring so it becomes glossy. Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and black pepper and stir once to combine. Pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce almost completely, scraping any browned bits from the pan.

Pour the warm stock into the pan (including the saffron and its soaking liquid). Stir gently once to distribute evenly, then stop stirring for the remainder of the cook to allow a socarrat (crispy bottom) to form. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 12–15 minutes, gently shaking the pan every 4–5 minutes to prevent sticking and to check liquid level. If the rice looks too dry before tender, add up to 1/2 cup more warm stock or water.

About 8 minutes into cooking, scatter the green peas over the rice so they heat through but retain color.

When rice is about 70% done (usually after 10–12 minutes total cooking), nestle the salmon chunks and squid rings into the rice, pressing lightly so they make contact with the rice. Tuck the prawns (head or tail side up) into the rice with shells up for presentation. Distribute the mussels around the pan, hinge-side down so they steam open. Do not stir. Cover loosely with foil or a lid for 4–6 minutes, or until prawns are opaque, mussels have opened, salmon is just cooked through and rice is tender. Discard any mussels that remain closed.

Remove the pan from heat. Sprinkle chopped parsley evenly over the paella and season with additional salt if needed to taste. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to settle and juices to redistribute.

Serve the paella warm, directly from the pan. Offer lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over the seafood. Encourage guests to scrape the bottom to enjoy the socarrat if present.