Easy Seafood Paella at Home: Spanish Classic Paella de Mariscos

1/ Preparation: Separate the frozen seafood mix and shell-on shrimp into two different bowls. Add enough water to cover them and 1 teaspoon of salt to each bowl. Let them defrost at room temperature for 30–40 minutes. Once defrosted, drain well using a colander.

2/ Preparing the green peas: Bring plenty of water to a boil in a pot, adding 1 teaspoon of salt. Boil the frozen green peas for 2 minutes, then drain them in a colander and let them cool.

3/ Preparing the shrimp: Using the same pot of boiling water, cook the shell-on shrimp for 1–2 minutes. Leave the shells intact, cool the shrimp, and set them aside for garnish.

4/ Cooking the seafood mix: Heat a suitable amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the seafood mix and sauté. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, then add the white wine and cook off the alcohol. Once cooked through, drain the seafood in a colander, reserving the cooking juices in a bowl.

5/ Preparing the vegetables: Chop the onion and bell pepper into 1 cm cubes. Mince the garlic and cut the tomato into small pieces.

6/ Cooking the vegetables and rice: Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper until the onion becomes translucent. Add the rice and stir constantly until it becomes slightly translucent.

7/ Adding spices and tomato: Add the saffron, turmeric, 1 teaspoon of salt, tomato paste, and diced tomato. Mix everything well.

8/ Adding the seafood: Add the cooked seafood mix to the frying pan and combine thoroughly with the rice and vegetables.

9/ Adding the liquid: Measure the reserved seafood juices using a measuring cup and add enough water to make 400 ml in total. Pour this into the frying pan, then add 2 teaspoons of bouillon.

10/ Simmering: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes until the liquid is almost absorbed and the rice is tender.

11/ Finishing touches: Arrange the garnish shrimp and cooled green peas on top of the paella. Let it steam for an additional 10 minutes.

12/ Serving: Turn off the heat and serve the paella directly from the frying pan or transfer it to individual plates. Cut the lemon into your preferred size and use it as a garnish.