Want to switch up your celebration table for this Holiday season? Well, you’re in luck, because my recipes are all about standing out with bold flavors. This, new, recipe I’m about to present to you is no different. Today, I will be showing you how to make Vegan Paella.
WHAT IS PAELLA?
Paella, pronounced as /päˈāyə/, is a Spanish rice dish that originated from Valencia, Spain. Usually known for its gorgeous yellow/orange color and unique mix of smokey flavors, there are typically two kinds of paella (depending on its region in Spain). First, seafood paella and, secondly, a meat paella. Traditionally, you would not see seafood and meat mixed into one paella dish. It is usually one or the other.
There are three main ingredients that make the paella: saffron threads (which will give the yellow/orange color of the rice), short grain white rice, and smoked paprika for its smokey distinct flavor.
It is often cooked in a paella pan on an open fire, or the Spanish version of a frying pan; and, also, a regular dish cooked in the Valencia region as a staple. In Filipino culture, we’ve also adapted eating paella, calling it Valenciana. I am assuming the three-hundred years of Spanish colonization (in the Philippines) had something to do with the merge of food influences.
In a way, to best describe paella in terms that I know, is that it is a smokey mixed rice, flavored by the ingredients as it slowly simmers all together. And you finish it off with a splash of lemon juice for a zesty freshness.
While I lived in the Philippines, my family would often have some kind of paella dish to the table – most, often, seafood. My mom and I always had a love for paella. There is this restaurant in the south of Manila where we would get our Spanish food fix. They served the best Arroz a la Valenciana (Filipino paella) that I had multiple birthdays and gatherings in that restaurant to eat that specific dish on the menu. And that is where I got my inspiration from. This is a unique celebration dish that you can easily pair with a (vegan) barbecue meal. And it is very simple to make, don’t let the looks fool you!
For this recipe, I’m sticking with the Spanish style of cooking paella. While it is not traditional, it’s going to be veganized!
BEFORE YOU GET COOKING…
Be sure that you have the following:
Saffron Threads – The MAIN ingredient and flavor of what makes a paella is quality saffron threads. Unfortunately, these can be quite expensive to purchase but it will be worth it for special occasions. If you really cannot afford to spend on saffron threads, your next best bet is to use annatto seeds (or achiote powder); it will not give you the flavor as saffron but it will give you the vibrant orange color of paella.
NOTE: Be careful for fake saffron threads – some saffron threads sold for $1-5 or less are normally fake and contain dye to mimic the color of saffron. Be sure to get your money’s worth and double check on the source and quality.
Paella Pan –Paella pans are very inexpensive and you can find them in most home & kitchenware section. This is the ideal pan to cook paella in as it is thin enough to absorb heat and give the signature “charred” bottom flavor of paella. It also enables your paella to cook evenly compared to traditional pans. Of course, you an always substitute pan with a shallow sauté pan or cast iron – it just may take longer to cook with.
Choice of rice – In traditional paella, short grain Bomba Spanish rice is ideal. But it will be rare to find this in most supermarkets. Any short grain rice will do (Filipino paella will call for short grain glutinous rice) but your next best bet to use is arborio rice (which I used for this recipe). Arborio rice is less starchy and is perfect for cooking “pasty” rice dishes.
INGREDIENT SELECTION
Paella is also a mix of different vegetables. This made it so much easier, for me, to eliminate meat ingredients and stick to (the closest) ingredients of paella.
- King Oyster Mushrooms
- Artichoke
- Green Peas
- Red Bell Pepper
- Zucchini
- Fresh tomato
- Beans (I used garbanzo since it is easier to access)
YOU NEVER STIR ONCE YOU COOK THE RICE!
As I dive deep into research, of this dish, is how adamant the rule is about stirring the rice as it simmers on the pan. You never stir the rice once you start simmering in liquid. It is almost forbidden. From what I’ve learned, is that you never want to compromise the texture of the rice. The perfect paella would be sticky / pasty with a charred or toasty bottom. All the flavors will be absorbed through this process.
You don’t stir, you shake the pot.
PRO-TIPS
- Give your mushroom flavor and color before preparing the paella. On a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms and season with a little salt and pepper. It will give a better texture when you add it to the paella.
- Use Better Than Bouillon paste as a substitute for vegetable broth. It will give a richer flavor overall and you don’t have to do much seasoning compared to vegetable broth.
- Gradually reduce the heat as your rice starts to absorb the liquid. So that you avoid overcooking / undercooking the dish.
- Add freshness for garnish! Fresh flat leaf parsley and squeezes of lemon wedges are commonly used in paella.
- Smoked paprika over regular paprika. Smoked paprika will give the distinct smokiness of paella. Regular paprika will not achieve the same flavor, unfortunately.
- Depending on your rice, I highly recommend checking the liquid ratio on the brand that you buy. It will vary. For this recipe, I have used arborio rice and the liquid ratio is specifically for arborio.
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Vegan Paella
Equipment
- 15" – 18" paella pan or a large shallow sauté pan / cast iron
- sauté pan (for prepping ingredients)
- aluminum foil
- spatulas & measuring cups
- sieve or strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain rice (Spanish Bomba rice or arborio rice, preferred)
- 1½ cup vegetable broth (I used ½ tbsp Better Than Bouillon paste + water)
- 1 ¼ tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp saffron threads or a generous pinch (see notes)
- 3 large (1 cup) king oyster mushrooms roughly chopped
- 1 large (¾ cup) fresh tomato diced
- 1 medium (1 cup) red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 small (¾ cup) zucchini diced
- ½ can (¾ cup) artichokes drained and rinsed
- ½ cup green peas defrosted
- ½ cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas) cooked and drained
- 3 cloves (1 tbsp) garlic minced
- ½ medium (½ cup) onions diced
- 1-2 tsp smoked paprika not regular paprika
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 whole lemons cut into wedges
- sea salt & pepper
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
PREPARATION
- Preheat a sauté pan in medium heat.
- Tear a small piece of aluminum foil. Place a pinch (or a teaspoon) of saffron threads in the foil and securely wrap foil like an envelope. Heat up the foil on the stove top on each side for about 10 seconds on each side (or until heated). This will help release the flavors of the saffron threads. Set aside for later use.
- Turn up heat to medium high. Coat with a tablespoon of oil. Toss in the mushrooms to give it color. Press (or add weight) on the top surface of the mushrooms to give it more color and crisp edges. Flip mushrooms on each side to do the same. Season with salt & pepper for flavor. Turn off heat once mushrooms have shriveled in size. Set aside for later use.
- Prepare paella pan and heat to medium high heat (or if you are using the same sauté pan, be sure to clean / wipe before using).
FOR THE PAELLA
- Be sure to rinse off rice thoroughly before using.
- Coat paella pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the pan with salt with about 1 teaspoon of salt all over (this will help give flavor to the rice, do not skip this step). Toss in the onions, garlic, bell peppers, and zucchini to sauté. Stir until fragrant. Season with a little bit of black pepper.
- Toss the cooked mushrooms into the mix and stir. Add the garbanzo beans, green peas, and tomato. Season with smoked paprika. Sauté all togther and let it set for about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste into the vegetable mix and stir.
- Add the rice and be sure to stir thoroughly. You will not be able to mix ingredients once the liquids are added, so be sure all ingredients are well combined. Squeeze a lemon wedge (or two) for flavor.
- Prepare you vegetable broth. Unwrap the foil with the saffron threads inside. Mix saffron threads into the broth and stir. Then, pour entire broth (with saffron threads) into the paella mix. Do NOT stir at this point. You can shake the pan or use the back of your spatula (or spoon) to level out the rice to the liquids.
- Add the artichoke hearts and place it on top. You can break the artichokes apart and spread it around the pan.
- Cover pan with a lid to steam as it simmers. Reduce heat to medium. Leave it to simmer for 15-20 minutes, checking up on the paella and shaking the pan every 5 minutes to make sure the bottom does not burn too fast. As liquids reduce, you can reduce your stove top to medium low. NEVER STIR the rice as it cooks. You want to leave it pasty or sticky to achieve the ideal paella consistency.
- If you notice the top of your rice uncooked or harder than usual, add a tablespoon of water (or broth) at a time. Be sure not to overdue it as it might leave your rice too soggy. Cover to finish cooking.
- Once you find the all the liquids absorbed, turn off heat. Place a foil to cover the entire top of the paella pan. Remove from heat and let it rest covered for about 15-20 minutes before serving to steam.
- Remove foil to release its steam.
- Garnish with fresh parsley on top and squeeze a splash of lemon juice all over.
- A perfectly cooked paella will have the rice cooked evenly, slightly sticky/pasty but not soggy. As you scoop out the rice, the bottom of a paella pan will be charred (or toasty) which will be added flavor to the entire dish.
- Perfect to pair with a glass of sparkling wine or sangria. Enjoy!