Classic Spanish Seafood Paella
A mix of seafood and rice in one dish. Vacation flavor! Classic Spanish seafood paella is a piece of Spanish sun: rice absorbs broth and saffron, and seafood stays tender.
Updated : 26 February, 2026
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
100 grams
Squid tube
100 grams
Octopus
100 grams
Shrimp
150 grams
Rice
1
Tomato
1
Bell pepper
1
Onion
2
Garlic
120 grams
Green peas
0.5 liter
Water
to taste
Dry spices
to taste
Salt
60 milliliters
Olive oil
0.5
Lemon
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare all the necessary ingredients. You don’t need to thaw the seafood in advance. What rice is best for seafood paella? The “bomba” variety is ideal - it keeps its shape better. If you can’t find it, use any short-grain rice.
Step 2
Rinse the seafood under cold running water, then drain well in a colander. Set aside the octopus, squid, and shelled mussels in a separate container for now - you won’t need them yet.
Step 3
Heat oil in a pan. If you don’t have a paella pan, use any shallow pan with a flat bottom (mine is 22 cm / about 8.7 in). Add mussels in shells and shrimp. If the shrimp are pre-cooked, warm them for 1 minute and remove from the pan. If they are raw, fry on both sides until done, until they turn orange. Remove the mussels when they open. Discard any that do not open - they are not safe to eat.
Step 4
Peel the onion and garlic, rinse, and dice into small cubes. Add to the pan and fry over slightly above medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the onion softens.
Step 5
Wash the tomato, remove the stem end, and cut into random pieces. Add it to the onion and garlic. Stir and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the spices and mix.
Step 6
Rinse the rice several times and add it to the pan. Stir until evenly combined and lightly fry for 1-2 minutes. You can lower the heat so the paella doesn’t burn. Add hot water (or stock). Salt and stir until uniform.
Step 7
Simmer the rice with the onion and carrot over medium heat for about 10 minutes. The liquid should evaporate by about half.
Step 8
Wash the bell pepper, remove the stem and seeds, and dice. Add to the pan and spread evenly. If there’s too much liquid, increase the heat so it evaporates faster. Slice the squid into rings or half-rings.
Step 9
When the rice has absorbed most of the broth and its surface rises above the liquid level, add the raw seafood. Simmer everything together for about 2 minutes more. Then add the peas, stir, and taste. Add more salt if needed. When the broth has fully boiled away, turn off the heat. Remove the pan from the stove, arrange the reserved mussels and shrimp on top, cover with a towel or lid, and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Step 10
Paella is usually served right in the pan or on a large round platter, with lemon wedges and fresh herbs.
Author note
Share the recipe
