If you’re cooking for a crowd and need to scale up, use the widest pan you have. Paella rice should be in a relatively thin, even layer in the pan for the best results. A deep stockpot will steam the rice rather than cook it properly, so a wide paella pan or large skillet is really worth it here.
A word on salt: vegetable broth, bouillon cubes, and vegan chorizo all carry salt. Taste your broth before adding any additional sea salt and adjust at the end rather than throughout the cooking process.
Vegan Paella
A bold, smoky, saffron-infused vegan paella loaded with marinated artichoke hearts, cremini mushrooms, frozen peas, and your choice of plant protein. A stunning one-pot Spanish recipe that’s surprisingly simple to make at home.
Yield: 4 servings
-
Paella pan or large wide skillet (12 to 14 inches)
-
Small bowl (for blooming saffron)
-
Saucepan (for warming broth)
-
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
-
Sharp knife and cutting board
-
Ladle
-
Kitchen towel (for resting)
Sofrito and Aromatics
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup cherry tomato halves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads bloomed in 2 tablespoons warm water
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Paella
- 1½ cups Calasparra (Bomba) or arborio rice
- 3½ cups vegetable broth warmed
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 14-oz can artichoke hearts drained and quartered
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 6 oz vegan chorizo or smoked tofu sliced
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
- ½ cup green olives or kalamata olives optional
- lemon wedges for serving
-
Place the saffron threads in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Let bloom for 10 minutes. Warm the vegetable broth in a small saucepan over low heat and keep it hot.
-
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a paella pan or wide skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and red bell pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.
-
Add the cherry tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes, pressing the tomatoes gently to break them down. Stir in the smoked paprika, cumin powder, and turmeric powder and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
-
Push the sofrito (sauteed vegetables) to one side of the pan and add the vegan chorizo or smoked tofu. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the coconut aminos.
-
Add the paella rice to the pan and stir into the sofrito for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly toast the grains.
-
Pour in the white wine and stir for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol. Add the warm vegetable broth and bloomed saffron with its soaking liquid. Stir once to distribute evenly, then do not stir again.
-
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Nestle the artichoke hearts and olives across the top. Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes.
-
With about 5 minutes of cooking time remaining, scatter the frozen green peas over the top. Do not stir.
-
Once most of the liquid is absorbed, increase the heat to medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes to develop the socarrat (the crispy bottom layer). Listen for a faint crackle and watch carefully to avoid burning.
-
Remove from heat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley and serve with lemon wedges directly from the pan.
This vegan paella looks impressive, fills the kitchen with incredible aromas while it cooks, and it tastes like something that took far more effort than it actually did. Bring it to the table straight from the pan, put out some lemon wedges, and let everyone dig in.