Weeknight Seafood Paella

This easy seafood paella, made with shrimp, clams and chorizo is a delicious one-pot weeknight dish! Under 30 minutes too cook!

This clam and shrimp paella with chorizo is seasoned with saffron for that authentic paella flavor. Paella, a popular dish in Spain, is a favorite in my house. It’s a one-pot meal made of rice, seafood, chorizo, and veggies. Another delicious Spanish rice dish that I love if you don’t like seafood is my mom’s Arroz Con Pollo.

What is in a traditional paella?

Paella originated in Valencia, Spain and is popular throughout the country. Paella is a Spanish rice dish, generally seasoned with saffron and paprika, cooked in a large frying pan. Paella can include a variety of proteins, including chorizo, sausage, chicken, mussels, clams, or shrimp.

In Spain, paella is cooked in a special skillet called a paellera, but you don’t need a fancy paella pan to make this dish. A large skillet with a fitted lid will work perfectly.

The must-have paella ingredients are saffron and rice. Saffron is a red spice, which gives the paella its yellow color. Saffron can be expensive, but you don’t need much for this seafood paella recipe.

The best rice for paella is short-grain rice, like Arborio. You can also use medium-grain rice if that is what you have. I would not recommend long-grain rice.

There are many variations of traditional paella, so feel free to use what you have on hand. You can easily substitute the clams with mussels – just be sure to thoroughly scrub the mussels first. You can also add some chicken and use less seafood.

What to Serve with Paella

I like to serve this shrimp paella with a light salad and a glass of Spanish red wine. Gazpacho, a classic Spanish soup served cold, would also be great with paella.

Variations:

If you can’t find clams, use mussels or double the amount of shrimp.
If you want to add chicken, use less seafood and add a half-pound of diced chicken breast or thigh when you add the broth.
If you don’t have fresh bell pepper, jarred roasted peppers will work too.

More Rice Recipes You Will Love:

Weeknight Seafood Paella

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

This easy seafood paella, made with shrimp, clams and chorizo is a delicious one-pot weeknight dish!

16 cherrystone clams
16 extra jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 small cooked chorizo link, sliced thin (1.75 oz) I use Goya
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/4 cups short/medium grain rice
1/3 cup finely diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 bay leaf
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin strips
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley, for garnish

Clean the clams and soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and season with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and Old Bay.
Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add 1 teaspoon of oil and sauté the chorizo, onions, garlic and paprika until soft, about 3 minutes.
Push aside, add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in the center and add the rice, stirring to coat with the oil. Sauté 3 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes, broth, salt, saffron threads (crumbled between fingers) and bay leaf.
Mix and bring to a boil, stirring once, place the bell pepper over the rice, reduce heat to low and cover tightly, cook 15 minutes. Uncover, add the clams, shrimp and peas.
Cover tightly again and cook on low heat until the clams open up and the shrimp are cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Uncover the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high and cook to toast the bottom of the rice, you should hear it sizzling, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and garnish with parsley.

Serving: 3/4 cup rice with 4 clams, 4 shrimp, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 6.5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 100.5mg, Sodium: 1435mg, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugar: 2.5g