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This Vegan Paella will bring everyone to the table with its distinctive golden color, smoky flavor, caramelized crust, and mouth-watering aroma!
When we first moved to Arizona we experienced our first authentic paella at a Spanish restaurant in Scottsdale and we fell in love! It was hearty, aromatic and full of addictive flavors.
It's a family-style meal that's served in a paella pan right on your table. You don't even need plates, you just dig right in! The ambiance of the restaurant is spot on with its rustic appeal and live Spanish music. We always have a great time when we go.
It's an hour drive so we don't get there as often as we'd like. So, I decided to make my own vegan paella at home. I asked the owner for some tips and his biggest piece of advice was to NEVER STIR THE PAELLA!
WHAT KIND OF RICE DO I NEED FOR VEGAN PAELLA?
The best rice to use is Bomba Rice because it has the ability to absorb twice the amount of liquid than regular rice without getting mushy. This short-grain Spanish rice will also absorb all the flavors of your broth, seasonings, and oil too. Another popular rice for paella is Calasparra Rice and would be my second choice for making authentic paella.
I buy paella rice online because it's not readily available in many mainstream stores. You might find it in specialty or ethnic shops though.
However, if you can't find them, the next best replacement is Arborio Rice which is commonly used for Risotto. It gets super creamy when liquid is stirred in slowly. Paella is not meant to be creamy, so you definitely don't want to stir the arborio or you'll end up with risotto. In fact, you shouldn't stir paella at all once the broth has entered the pan.
WHAT GIVES PAELLA ITS GOLDEN COLOR?
Saffron Threads give paella its distinct golden color and flavor which is somewhat earthy and floral. It's very subtle but really finishes the dish. It can be a little costly, so if it's not in your budget you can replace it with turmeric. It will have a different flavor, but will still be subtle and make the rice golden.
DO I NEED A PAELLA PAN TO MAKE THIS VEGAN PAELLA?
I use a Paella Pan which is ideal but it's not 100% necessary. If you don't have a paella pan, I would recommend a large 12-14" stainless steel pan. Don't use one with a non-stick coating though.
A paella pan is a wide, shallow and thin metal pan with sloped sides. Its flat and wide bottom is designed to maximize the amount of rice touching it which helps create a delicious, toasty crust at the bottom. The sloped and shallow sides help the rice cook evenly too.
Paella is traditionally cooked over a fire and the pans were designed for that, so they work best on gas tops, grills or fire pits. However, I've made it on an electric stove with nice results. I had to rotate the pan more, but the rice still cooked nicely.
WHAT IS SOCARRAT?
This is the crispy golden crust that forms on the bottom of the pan. It infuses the paella with a deep smoky and slightly nutty flavor. It's glorious!
Once the broth starts cooking off, that's when the socarrat magic starts to happen. You'll hear a subtle snap, crackle and popping sound. Plus, you'll smell a toasty aroma that's just heavenly.
You don't want to stir the paella because it will disrupt this process, so you'll need to watch, listen and smell careful because the bottom can burn easily. Sometimes you might not get the socarrat to form and that's ok. It all depends on the pan, fat content, heat source and experience. The more you cook paella, the better you'll get at reading the signs.
I've had times where I left it too long and it burned, so it's better to have no socarrat than burnt socarrat. Your paella will still be delicious without it.
If you'd like to read more about making paella, you may like this article at The Spruce Eats. Lots of great tips!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN PAELLA
(full ingredient amounts in recipe card below)
Before you start, add the vegetable broth and saffron threads to a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat just to keep it warm.
- Sauté onions and peppers until softened
- Add garlic and sauté until golden
- Now add tomatoes and spices. Sauté until tomatoes soften.
- Add rice and lightly toast for 1-2 minutes.
- When the rice is toasted, slowly add broth and bring to a heavy simmer for a minute (don't stir!). Turn heat down to a mild simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is al dente.
- Once the broth is nearly cooked off, you'll need to pay attention to the socarrat forming on the bottom of the pan. You'll hear a snap, crackle, and pop, along with smelling a nutty aroma. Stick a fork straight to the bottom to test if it's sticking to the bottom. If you notice a burning smell, remove from heat.
- Remove pan from heat and add peas to the top. Cover with foil and let the paella rest for 5-8 minutes (not pictured).
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I'd love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Paella, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don't miss it.
Recipe
Spanish Vegan Paella
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 4 cups vegetable broth , low sodium
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 1 red bell pepper , cut into strips
- 5 cloves garlic , chopped, minced or crushed
- 1 large tomato , diced (sub ½ cup canned)
- 1 ½ cups Bomba Rice (sub arborio rice)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (sub 1 teaspoon dried)
- ¾ cup frozen peas , thawed
Garnish (Optional)
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh-cut parsley
Instructions
- Add vegetable broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Break up the saffron and add it to the broth. When it begins to simmer, give it 1 minute, and then lower the heat just to keep it warm.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch Paella Pan (or something similarly sized) over medium heat. Once heated, and the onions and peppers. Sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Now add the tomatoes, smoked paprika, and sweet paprika. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. (if using dried thyme, add it with this step)
- Add the rice and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir to coat well. Cook for 1 minute to lightly toast the rice and incorporate flavors. Move around occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add the fresh thyme and slowly pour in broth. Add salt and pepper. Do not stir after this point or it will release starches and cause creamier rice. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a heavy simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Now turn the heat down (between medium-low and medium heat) to a mild simmer. You want to see movement in the pan while the broth is cooking down (don't boil though). Simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is al dente. Rotate the pan on the burner 1-2 times during cooking for even heat distribution.
- Once the broth is nearly cooked off, you will need to pay close attention to the socarrat forming on the bottom of the pan (the golden rice crust). You will start to hear a snap, crackle, and pop, along with smelling a nutty aroma. This should take 1-2 minutes to form. Stick a fork or spoon straight to the bottom to test if it's forming. (If it smells like it's burning, remove from heat immediately) (*see note).
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the peas to the top of the rice (don't mix in). Cover the pan with foil and let the paella rest for 5-8 minutes. Top with fresh-cut parsley, cracked pepper and side with lemon wedges to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Lilli
Succes! I made this with Success Basmati rice as I could not find the Bomba or the other recommended rice, and so I winged it. And guess what, it turned out perfectly and I even achieved the Succarat.! First time having Paella with the succarat, so delicious! Even in the restaurant I go to they never have succarat. I added artichoke halves.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Lilli, This is wonderful news! So glad it worked with the basmati and you achieved the crispy bottom. It's my favorite part of paella. Thank you for taking the time to share feedback. 🙂
Rennie Miller
Hi! I can't wait to try this! How much canned diced tomatoes should I add for 18 people? Do I include the tomato juice from the can or strain the tomatoes first?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Rennie, you can use 1.5 cups of canned tomatoes (14.5-ounce can), and you can leave the juices in. Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
Iva
The recipe is great, however for some reason I got under-cooked rice on the edges. Could it be because I used induction stove? I cooked the paella in paella pan.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Iva, yes, this could happen with various heat sources. Next time keep a cup of warmed broth on the side and add small amounts as needed. Also, make sure the temp isn't too high and rotate the pan a few times. You may want to cover it a few minutes longer too (after cooking). I hope this helps. Thank you for giving it a try. 🙂
Sinead@msn.com
Been making this for years one of my faves 😍
Melissa Huggins
I'm so happy it's a fave of yours! Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
Kath
That recipe was easy to follow and execute. The result was very tasty. I found i needed a bit more water to cook the rice. Thankyou.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad you loved the recipe! If you find the liquid cooking off too fast, try lowering the heat (as long as there's still movement in the pan). If it still happens, then adding extra liquid is a good idea. Thanks for sharing feedback. 🙂
Keri
Hi! This is my problem as well - either I have the heat to high or it needs more water, but my rice does not get done in the 15-20 minutes. Lovely flavors though.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Keri, it's possible the heat is too high. Sometimes this varies between different heat sources and pans. In the future, you can keep a cup of broth warmed on the stove and add some if the liquids is cooking off too fast. It should soften more after cooking when it's covered with foil too. I hope this helps. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
April
Delicious!! Thank you so much!! I used a fire-roasted bell pepper (blackened on a gas burner), fire-roasted canned tomatoes, 1.5t of smoked paprika b/c I didn't have sweet, and added a half portabello mushroom (sauteed w/ the onions). This is a great recipe, thank you!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi April, I'm so happy it was hit! Thank you for giving it a try and sharing your delicious modifications. 🙂
Ana-Maria
I’m cooking this recipe for some time now, last night I made it for 16 people on a wood fire. It was great! Guests were really impressed. Thank you.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Ana-Marie, I'm so glad it was a hit with everyone. Sounds perfect cooked on a wood fire. Thank you for taking time to share feedback.
K
Made this paella for a Spanish night I was having and it was the best. It was my first time making paella and this recipe made it less complicated for me. It was so delicious, my guests loved it, thank you! Also, for those who don’t have saffron I skipped it and it still turned out so good.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad the paella was a hit and you found it easy to make! Thank you for trying the recipe and sharing feedback. 🙂
Christine Aicken
Made it didn't form a crust but was Amazing ❤️🩵
Melissa Huggins
Hi Christine, I'm so happy you loved it! Sorry you didn't get the crust to form. Next time, turn the heat up the last few minutes. Just watch it very carefully and smell for burning. 🙂
Donna Silva
I love this recipe! I've made it many times for mostly non-vegans and they love it! I add beyond meat italian hot sausage. I'm just wondering if I can freeze it?
Melissa Huggins
So glad everyone loves the paella, Donna! Sounds perfect with the Italian sausage. Yes, you can freeze it for 2-3 months in an airtight container. Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback. 🙂
Vicki
Thank you for such a wonderfully written recipe that is equally delicious!! This will be our go-to for vegan paella going forward!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Vicki, you comment made my day! I'm so happy you loved the paella. Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback. 🙂
Ana-Maria
It’s great! Thanks
BKMar
Really enjoyed this and it was easy to make. I had to sub for basmati rice which seemed to work. I would just use 1/2 the smoke paprika next time as it seemed to overpower all the other flavors. But great recipe and I started following you for more!
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad you loved the recipe and it worked well with the basmati. Thank you for giving it a try and sharing your feedback. 🙂
Fay
We love this Vegan Huggs Paella! We’ve had it regularly since first seeing it years ago. I usually add, It’s not bacon pieces or vegan sausages to serve. The lemon finishes it off nicely. Two of us almost finish it 🤫
Melissa Huggins
Hi Fay, This made my day! I'm so happy everyone loves it. Sounds perfect with the vegan bacon and sausage.Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback. 🙂
Bryan
Very delicious!
Melissa Huggins
HI Bryan, I'm so happy you loved it. Thank you for making it and sharing your wonderful feedback. 🙂
Robert
Really lovely dish. Had most things in the larder but not saffron. Managed to find a paella spice mix which worked very well and had saffron in it. Not sure about serving for 5, my wife and I demolished the lot (we are not gluttons but it was our main meal.) Thank you, I am not the world's greatest cook but it was easy to follow.
Melissa Huggins
Hello Robert, thank you for the feedback. It is great to know you and your wife enjoyed this recipe. 🙂