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Easy Weeknight Seafood Paella

Easy seafood paella brings shrimp, scallops, and saffron rice together in a 12-inch skillet for a simple weeknight dinner. The rice simmers undisturbed before the seafood cooks under a lid until tender and opaque.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 33 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Spanish
Calories: 440
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups low-sodium seafood broth
  • 0.25 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion small, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 cups medium-grain rice such as Calrose
  • 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
  • 12 ounces shrimp medium, peeled and deveined
  • 8 ounces bay scallops patted dry
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges

Equipment

  • 1 12-inch skillet

Method
 

  1. Warm the seafood broth until steaming.
  2. Remove it from the heat, stir in the saffron, and let it steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
  4. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  5. Stir in the garlic, crushed tomatoes, and smoked paprika and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the tomato mixture thickens slightly.
  6. Add the rice and salt and stir for 1 minute to coat the grains.
  7. Pour in the saffron broth and bring it to a boil.
  8. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered without stirring for 14 minutes.
  9. Arrange the shrimp and scallops over the rice, cover the skillet, and cook for 6–8 minutes, until the rice is tender and the seafood reaches 145°F; the shrimp should be opaque and the scallops opaque throughout.
  10. Remove the skillet from the heat, scatter the parsley over the paella, and let it rest uncovered for 5 minutes.
  11. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Notes

For the best rice texture, leave it undisturbed while it simmers. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days; freezing is not recommended because the seafood can lose its texture. The recipe is naturally gluten-free when the broth is certified gluten-free.