Paella with Vegetables
Vegetable Paella is a traditional Spanish rice dish built on a sofregit base of onions, leeks, garlic and tomatoes, slowly cooked in olive oil before being combined with Calasparra rice and vegetable stock. Artichokes, roasted red peppers, cauliflower and peas add texture, colour and depth, while the cooking method creates the prized socarrat — the lightly crisped rice layer at the bottom of the pan. Naturally plant-forward, generous and celebratory, this dish is designed for sharing.
- 1h20
- DIFFICULT
- 20 PORTIONS
Estimated Nutrition per Portion
Estimated Nutrition per Portion
- 340 kcal Calories
- 8 g Protein
- 52 g Carbohydrates
- 11 g Fat
- 6 g Fibre
- 5 g Sugar
Ingredients
| Quantity | Prep Instructions | ||
| Imperial | Metric | ||
| Extra-virgin olive oil | As needed | ||
| Onion | 1 lb | 450 g | Small dice |
| Leeks, white part only | 6 each | Sliced thin | |
| Garlic cloves | 6 each | Minced | |
| Plum tomato | 16 each | Canned, chopped or fresh, when in season | |
| Artichoke heart, fresh | 12 each | Sliced into small wedges | |
| Red peppers | 6 each | Roasted, peeled and cut into strips | |
| Cauliflower | 1 head | Processed into small florets | |
| Fresh peas, or a good substitute | 12 oz | 360 g | Shucked |
| Parsley sprigs | 4 each | Course chopped | |
| Calaspara rice | 1 lb | 450 g | |
| Vegetable stock | 16 cups | 4 l | |
Method
- In a sautoire add the oil and make the sofregit (onions, leeks, garlic, and tomatoes). Remove and reserve.
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a paella pan, add the artichoke hearts and sauté until golden. Add the cauliflower, cook and slightly color. Add the garlic, and sauté until the garlic is properly toasted.
- Add the rice and toast it, stir in the sofregit.
- Add the first batch of stock just to cover the rice along with the peas, adjust with salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil then turn to a simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the stock.
- Add the next quantity of vegetable stock and cook out. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- The rice is finished cooking once the bottom is browned and crispy (socarrat). Garnish the top with the roasted pepper strips and chopped parsley.
- Ingredient substitution: Replace the Calasparra rice with Bomba rice or other high quality short or medium-grain rice.
- Ingredient variations: There are four categories of paella: vegetable, Valencia (meat), Mesta (seafood, meat and vegetables), and Negra (squid ink).
- When the rice is finished cooking, top with roasted pepper strips and chopped parsley.
- Pro Tip: Paella requires no stirring once the rice is added. This gives it a sticky, but not creamy, texture.
