Description
This easy one-pan vegan Spanish paella bursts with a medley of vibrant vegetables, including asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes, peas, onions, and more, for a flavor-packed dish reminiscent of the traditional.
Ingredients
- a pinch of saffron threads - a little less than a gram or ~1 teaspoon (sub with 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron)
- 5 cups hot vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Beyond Meat sausages, sliced*
- 1 small onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced (substitute with any color pepper)
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3.5 ounces of oyster mushrooms, chopped
- 1 can butter beans (or fava beans, shelled)
- 1/3 cup of red wine (optional)
- 2 cups paella rice (bomba or calasparra rice)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or three sprigs)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, to taste
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 tomato, chopped)
- 1/4 cup sweet peas (canned or frozen)
- 1/4 cup of pimientos** (optional)
- 1/4 cup Spanish manzanilla olives, sliced**
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare: Heat up 5 cups of hot broth using the microwave or stovetop. Crush the saffron threads gently between your fingers, mix it in the hot broth, and set aside.
- Brown: Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pan. Add the sliced sausages and saute until lightly browned about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. They'll release some flavorful oil, so leave that in the pan.
- Sauté: In the same pan, add diced onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and sauté until onions are translucent.
- Cook: Incorporate sliced bell peppers, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, and beans cooking until the vegetables start to soften and reduce slightly in size, about 5 minutes. Then add the wine if using to deglaze the pan and allow it to evaporate, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine: Add the sausage back in. Stir in the rice, smoked paprika, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Allow the rice to toast slightly to enhance its flavor, about 2 minutes. If using rosemary sprigs, nestle them on top.
- Add: Turn up the burner to medium-high heat. Pour in the saffron-infused broth, ensuring it fully covers the rice. Gently press down any grains peeking out above the surface and give the pan a good shake to even out the contents. And remember, no stirring after this moment – let the magic happen undisturbed!
- Simmer: It should be simmering vigorously on medium-high. Let the paella cook uncovered for about 15-18 minutes or until the rice is al dente and most liquid has been absorbed. The rice should be firm but cooked through. If some of the top rice pieces are a little firm, they will continue to soften in the next step.***
- Top: Turn the heat to medium and gently scatter the sliced cherry tomatoes over the pan, nudging them down just enough so they're snugly nestled and partially submerged. Then, top the dish with peas, olives, and slivers of pimientos, and partially cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook for an additional 10 minutes to heat the toppings and form the socarrat.
- Check: Take a quick peek at the bottom of the pan by scooping aside a bit of rice for a glance. You're looking for a pleasant dark brown color, but not burnt. If no socarrat is in sight, up the heat for a minute or two.
- Serve: Serve the vegan paella hot, with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Equipment
Notes
*Use any brand you like, but I find that the Beyond Meat sausage leaves a tasty oil in the pan to saute the onions and garlic. You can also substitute it with any plant-protein alternative like soy curls but make sure to use oil in the pan as this helps you achieve the socarrat.
**Pimentos and Spanish manzanilla olives are found in jars in the same section in the grocery store as olives.
***Keep 1/4 - 1/2 cup of broth handy. If the broth evaporates too quickly in step 7, you may need to add more so the rice cooks fully.
Scoring that socarrat, the caramelized bottom, doesn't always happen on cue. A few factors like the type of pan, the heat applied, the oil, and the moisture levels can keep it from making its grand entrance. But tune into your senses: you'll smell the rice's sugars toasting, the caramelization peeking from beneath, and the moment the gurgling turns to a sizzle, once the water has evaporated/absorbed, are indicators you're there. Like any good performance, perfection comes with rehearsal. Dive into the post for more on socarrat.
Use the largest pan you have. I use a 13-inch paella pan and fill it to the rim.
Nutritional information is only an estimate.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Spanish Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 354
- Sugar: 15.3 g
- Sodium: 1289.7 mg
- Fat: 9.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.4 g
- Protein: 17.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg