Spanish seafood saffron rice (Printable Version)

A vibrant Spanish dish with saffron rice, shrimp, mussels, clams, and bell peppers, perfect for gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 12 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
03 - 12 clams, scrubbed

→ Rice

04 - 1 1/2 cups short-grain paella rice (e.g., Bomba or Arborio)

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

05 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
07 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 medium tomato, grated or finely chopped

→ Broth & Seasonings

10 - 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
11 - 4 cups fish or seafood stock
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
17 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Warm the fish or seafood stock in a saucepan and infuse with saffron threads. Keep warm over low heat.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium heat. Sauté finely chopped onion for 2 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
03 - Add sliced red and green bell peppers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in grated or finely chopped tomato and cook until most liquid evaporates.
04 - Incorporate the rice, stirring to coat evenly with oil and vegetables. Sprinkle smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper over the mixture.
05 - Pour in warm saffron-infused stock, distributing rice evenly without stirring thereafter. Arrange shrimp, mussels, and clams atop the rice.
06 - Cover loosely with foil or lid and cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until rice is tender and shellfish have opened. Discard any mussels or clams that remain closed.
07 - Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes to enhance flavor melding.
08 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The saffron makes your entire kitchen smell like something special is happening, and it is.
  • You get to arrange shrimp and mussels on top like you're plating at a restaurant, which feels impressive but takes about two minutes.
  • One pan means less cleanup, more time to actually enjoy dinner with people you care about.
02 -
  • Do not stir the rice after you pour in the stock; that crispy, golden layer on the bottom (socarrat) is the payoff, and stirring ruins it.
  • Any mussels or clams that don't open during cooking should be discarded—they're telling you something, and you want to listen.
  • Buy your seafood the same day you cook; frozen shrimp is fine, but fresh mussels and clams really do make a difference in flavor and texture.
03 -
  • If you can find a proper paella pan—wide, shallow, with those two loop handles—it distributes heat evenly and is actually not expensive; it becomes a beloved kitchen tool that lasts decades.
  • Toast your saffron threads in a dry pan for thirty seconds before steeping them in warm stock to deepen their flavor even more.
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