This is my go-to dinner recipe for nights when I feel like making something special, but don’t have the time or energy for anything complicated. Paella is an impressive one-pot meal that seems intimidating, but this recipe comes together in just 30 minutes. It’s a date night win for anyone looking to impress their special someone.
Skillet Paella for 2
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (Pimenton)
- 3/4 cups Valencia, Bomba, Calaspara or Arborio rice
- 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, cut into small bite size pieces
- 2 cups broth (chicken or seafood)
- 10 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup frozen peas
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet (ideally cast iron) over medium heat until shimmering. Add pepper, and onion, and cook until vegetables soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, garlic, and paprika and cook until brick red, about 5 minutes.
- Add rice and chorizo and stir to coat, cooking 2 minutes more.
- Pour BOU broth mixture over rice. Smooth rice into even layer, making sure nothing sticks to sides of pan and no rice rests atop liquid. When it starts to boil, lower heat and reduce to simmer.
- Cook for 10 minutes before adding shrimp in center of pan in single layer. Maintain gentle simmer across the entire surface of the pan, until the rice is almost cooked through, for about 5 more minutes.
- Sprinkle peas evenly over paella, cover and cook until liquid is fully absorbed and rice on bottom of pan sizzles, 3 more minutes.
- Garnish with lemon and serve immediately.
