Veggie Paella 30min (Printable Recipe)
Golden saffron rice with crisp veggies, ready quick—big on flavor, easy Spanish favorite.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Base
01 -
4.5 cups hot veggie broth
02 -
1.5 cups short-grain Spanish rice (like Calasparra, Bomba, or Valencia)
03 -
2 garlic cloves, minced up
04 -
1 onion, chopped up
05 -
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
→ Vegetables
06 -
0.5 cup black olives like Kalamata
07 -
400 g artichoke hearts, drained and sliced into quarters
08 -
1 cup green peas, frozen or fresh
09 -
2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
10 -
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
11 -
2 carrots, diced
12 -
1 red bell pepper, sliced
→ Spices & Garnishes
13 -
Lemon wedges for the table
14 -
A small handful (about 0.25 cup) chopped fresh parsley
15 -
Salt, add as much as you like
16 -
0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
17 -
1 teaspoon saffron strands
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Take it off the burner. Toss the cherry tomato halves on top, then cover everything with foil or a lid. Let it chill out for 5 to 10 minutes, then top with parsley and lemon to serve.
02 -
Let it cook with the lid off for about 15 to 18 minutes. After 10 minutes, peek in and add extra broth (about 70 ml each time) if needed. At the very end, crank up the heat briefly to get that crunchy bit of rice on the bottom (the socarrat).
03 -
Pour in around 3.5 cups of your hot broth and spread it out a bit. Bring it to a boil, then drop the heat way down. Don’t mix anymore—just let it be. Lay your artichoke quarters across the top.
04 -
Now drop in the rice, stir it up well, and toast the grains for a couple of minutes. Add that saffron mix (liquid and all).
05 -
Toss in green peas, olives, and chopped spinach. Next, drop in the diced carrots and strips of red bell pepper. Cook about 3 to 5 minutes, then sprinkle in salt and the paprika if you want.
06 -
Heat olive oil in your big shallow pan over medium. Add the onion and garlic, cooking and stirring until everything looks see-through.
07 -
Heat up your veggie broth, then scoop 4 tablespoons into a small bowl. Drop in the saffron threads and let them hang out for about 10 minutes.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
Don’t wash the rice first so the grains get nice and tender.
02 -
Leave the pan alone once you’ve added broth if you want that prized crispy bottom.
03 -
A big flat pan about 30 cm wide makes for the perfect setup.
04 -
Giving everything a rest at the end really brings all the flavors together.
05 -
That layer of caramelized rice on the bottom—called socarrat—is what you’re after.