Name: Weeknight Paella-Style Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 300 g Bomba Rice; 300 g Shrimp; 150 g Peas; 1 Onion; 1 Bell Pepper; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 pinch Saffron; 1 tsp Smoked Paprika; 800 ml Chicken Stock; 3 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Lemon

Spanish · Dinner · All year

Weeknight Paella-Style Rice

4.6 · community

15m

Prep

30m

Cook

Easy

Level

520

Energy

Not paella (Valencia would call a lawyer) — but bomba rice, saffron, and shrimp in a wide pan with a proper socarrat crust is a weeknight worth having.

What you need

Ingredients

Servings

Before you start

Mise en place

Equipment

Large skillet

Chef's knife

Cutting board

Prep checklist

Bomba Rice — or arborio in a pinch

Saffron — steeped in 2 tbsp hot water

Chicken Stock — hot

3 steps

Method

Sofrito: onion and pepper in oil, 8 minutes; garlic and paprika, 1. Toast the rice through it, 2 minutes.

11 min — timer available in cooking mode

Hot stock and saffron water in; arrange flat and DO NOT STIR AGAIN — stirring makes risotto; stillness makes paella. Simmer 18 minutes, shrimp and peas pressed in for the last 6.

18 min — timer available in cooking mode

Why this works

Bomba absorbs three times its volume without breaking — the reason Spaniards guard it. The no-stir rule builds the crust.

The socarrat: 90 seconds on high until you smell toasting (not burning) at the bottom. Rest 5 under a towel; lemon over; scrape the crust proudly.

7 min — timer available in cooking mode

From the pass

Chef's notes

Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.

Afterwards

Keep, reheat & pair

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.

Freezing

Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.

Make ahead

Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.

Wine pairing

Match the weight of the dish — ask the AI Chef for a specific bottle.

Beer pairing

Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.

On the plate

Serve it with

Sides

Crusty bread or buttered rice

A sharp green salad

Roasted seasonal vegetables

Garnish

Fresh herbs added off the heat

A squeeze of lemon

Flaky salt

Taste map

Flavour profile

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Umami

Heat

Per serving

Nutrition

520

kcal

28g

protein

62g

carbs

16g

fat

fiber

520mg

sodium

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Your notes

Understand it

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