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saffron infused spanish paella recipe

Authentic Seafood Paella

This spectacular Spanish seafood paella combines toasted fideos noodles with an impressive array of shellfish and colorful vegetables. The dish develops incredible depth of flavor as the noodles absorb rich lobster stock while the seafood cooks to perfection.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Spanish
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 to 9 cups lobster stock
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 1 dried ancho chili
  • 1 green bell pepper cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 yellow bell pepper cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 onion coarsely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 (10 ounce) packages fideos broken into ½-inch lengths
  • ½ cup olive oil divided
  • 1½ pounds New Zealand mussels green-tipped
  • 1½ pounds black mussels
  • 1½ pounds Manila clams
  • ¾ pound calamari cartilage removed, body cut into ½-inch strips
  • ½ pound rock shrimp cleaned and deveined
  • 2 lobsters rinsed, claws and knuckles removed, tails cut into medallions in shells
  • ¾ pound English petit peas fresh or frozen
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch chives chopped

Equipment

  • Paella pan
  • Baking sheet
  • Large pot

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spread broken fideos noodles on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil and toss until evenly coated.
  3. Toast the noodles in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn a medium brown color.
  4. While noodles are toasting, clean the mussels by scrubbing under cold water and removing any beards. Clean the clams similarly.
  5. Prepare the calamari by removing cartilage and cutting the body into ½-inch strips. Clean and devein the rock shrimp.
  6. Prepare the lobsters by rinsing thoroughly, removing claws and knuckles, and cutting the tails into medallions while still in their shells.
  7. Heat remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a large paella pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the diced onion for a few minutes until translucent.
  8. Add the red, green, and yellow bell peppers along with the dried ancho chile. Cook for a few more minutes until peppers begin to soften.
  9. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  10. Add the toasted fideos noodles to the pan along with 3 cups of hot lobster stock. Stir constantly as the noodles absorb the liquid.
  11. Bury the New Zealand mussels and lobster claws under the noodles. Cook for 5-8 minutes.
  12. Add the black mussels and Manila clams to the pan. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, adding more stock as needed, until shells begin to open.
  13. Add the rock shrimp, calamari, lobster tail meat, and petit peas. Add more stock if necessary to keep the noodles moist.
  14. Cook for 3-5 more minutes until almost all shells have opened and the noodles have absorbed most of the stock.
  15. Discard any unopened shellfish for safety.
  16. Add hot sauce to taste and stir gently to incorporate.
  17. Arrange lemon wedges around the edge of the pan and sprinkle generously with fresh chopped chives before serving.

Notes

For the best results, use the freshest seafood available - look for mussels and clams with tightly closed shells that smell like the ocean, not fishy. If you can't find fideos, substitute thin spaghetti broken into pieces, though the authentic dish is best with toasted vermicelli noodles.
This paella is perfect for entertaining as guests can watch the spectacular dish come together. The entire cooking process takes about 35 minutes once prep is complete.
Serve with a crisp Spanish white wine like Albariño, a simple green salad with sherry vinaigrette, and crusty bread for sopping up the flavorful broth. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, though the seafood is best enjoyed fresh.