Vegetarian Paella Recipe

Name: Vegetarian Paella Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, Spanish
Ingredients: 3 cups [vegetable broth] or 3 cups water and 2 cubes low sodium vegetable bouillon; 1/2 tsp [saffron threads]; 1 tbsp [extra virgin olive oil]; 1 large Bermuda or Vidalia onion, chopped; 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped; 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped; 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced; 1 1/2 tsp [bittersweet Spanish smoked paprika]; 3 bay leaves; 3 [piquillo peppers], chopped; 2 tsp fresh or dried thyme; 1/2 cup Spanish sherry or white wine (optional); 1 cup fresh or frozen peas; 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, trimmed and cubed; 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped; 1 1/2 cups [Bomba rice]; 0 Salt and pepper to taste; 0 Finely minced parsley; 0 Lemon wedges; 0 [Marcona almonds] (optional garnish)

Instructions

Prep:30minCook:1h

Two ingredients are especially critical for making an authentic Spanish paella. The first is Spanish short grain rice, especially rice from Calasparra, either Bomba or regular. These are special Spanish rices that absorb large amounts of the broth without becoming creamy or sticky, as arborio and Asian rices do. Second is smoked paprika (pimentón de La Vera), which lends a depth of flavor unique to Spanish cuisine. It is the secret ingredient that makes a paella authentic.

Updated at: Sun, 04 Jan 2026 05:02:00 GMT