This simple seafood rice recipe is called arroz caldoso (literally "soupy rice"). It is famous in Spain for being hearty and delicious. If you love rice and seafood, this easy meal is perfect for you!
If you love Spanish rice recipes, try these recipes for rice with mushrooms and manchego and chicken and rice with chorizo.
Introduction
I always thought of paella when it came to Spanish rice, but after living in Spain for over a decade, I realize paella is only one of countless traditional Spanish rice dishes.
Arroz caldoso is another popular style of Spanish rice. The main difference to paella is that the end result is a bit soupy instead of being totally dry. I think this is even more comforting and delicious; I love soup and I love rice, so this combination of the two is perfection!
When I studied Spanish rice dishes at culinary school in Barcelona, we made a few fantastic arroz caldosos. Here is my favorite seafood rice recipe to date.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need for seafood rice (arroz caldoso)? Grab these key ingredients, and you'll be off to a good start!
- Fish Stock: As always, use the best quality stock you can; if it's homemade, even better. As this is a soupy seafood rice recipe, a lot of the flavor will be in the stock. You can use fish stock or shellfish stock here as long as it's good!
- Clams: I like to use clams, as they give a lot of flavor and are cheap and easily available in Spain. You can substitute (or add) other shellfish like mussels or scallops too.
- Bomba Rice: Ideally, use a Spanish round, short-grain rice like Bomba or Calasparra. In a pinch, you can substitute Arborio. The difference is Arborio is more starchy and the end result may be more of a risotto (called an arroz meloso in Spanish) instead of a soupy arroz caldoso rice.
- Shrimp: You can substitute more shellfish if you can't find shrimp, but I personally would not omit it! It really gives this rice with seafood recipe a deep, rich flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Seafood Rice
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Slowly brown the diced onion and pepper in olive oil over medium heat, about 10 minutes. (image 1)
- Add the rice and stir to coat fully in the oil. Sauté for a couple of minutes, but don't let the rice stick or burn. (image 2)
- Add the warm stock to the rice, making sure the rice is fully covered. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, and when it starts to look dry, add more stock. (image 3)
- Add the shellfish you are using. They'll take about five minutes or so to fully cook and open up. Keep adding the stock when things get dry. (image 4)
- Taste the rice at the 20-minute mark. Most rice varieties take 20-25 minutes to be fully cooked. When done, remove from the heat and let the rice rest for a few minutes. (image 7)
- Serve immediately so that the rice doesn't absorb all the broth and overcook. Enjoy your delicious Spanish seafood rice! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
Arroz caldoso is "soupy rice". It is served like a rice soup and has plenty of flavorful broth. Paella is a dry rice. All of the liquid is absorbed into the grains of rice and there is no broth.
The most famous arroz caldoso recipes in Spain are for a Spanish seafood rice. The most common ingredients are shrimp, clams, and squid. But there are many versions that are not seafood based. Arroz caldoso with mushrooms is one of my favorite vegetarian versions.
Arroz caldoso (or soupy rice) originates in Spain, most likely in the Iberian peninsula. It looks similar to paella in some ways, but is much more soupy.
Most people make arroz caldoso in a big pot, called an olla. Any large, heavy, deep pot, pan, or Dutch oven will do; even a cast iron skillet. A paella pan will not work, however, as it is too shallow and meant for dry rice dishes.
Serve
Here in Spain, we usually eat seafood rice dishes like this one for lunch on the weekends. They're special meals, meant to be enjoyed with family and with plenty of wine.
We usually start a meal like this with some tapas--croquettes or patatas bravas would be perfect. With the meal, we serve Spanish wine and plenty of hearty bread to mop up the sauce!
Expert Tips
- You can use any fish or seafood stock you prefer; just remember the better the quality, the better the taste!
- You can use any variety of shellfish you prefer, such as shrimp, clams, mussels, or scallops.
- Since this is a soupy rice dish, it's best served right away while the rice is perfectly cooked. If you leave it too long or eat it the next day, the rice will be a bit overcooked.
- If you can't find Spanish Bomba rice, you can substitute another round, short-grain varieties like Arborio, but the end result may be more creamy than soupy--but still delicious!
Seafood Rice (Arroz Caldoso)
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 scant cups Bomba rice or any round, short-grained rice
- 8.5 cups fish or shellfish stock warm or room temperature
- 4-5 pieces shellfish per person such as shrimp, mussels, or clams
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Put a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the olive oil and heat. Slowly cook the diced onion and pepper until soft and browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly to make sure it never burns or sticks.
- Pour in some of the fish stock until the rice is covered by about ½ inch of liquid. Cook until it absorbs the stock, stirring every couple of minutes. When the rice looks dry, add more liquid until all the stock is added; it should take about 20 minutes.
- Cook gently for about 15 minutes, then add the shellfish. They should open up in about 5 minutes of cooking, but be sure to discard any that remain closed. Add more stock if the rice looks dry.
- Taste the rice after it has been cooking for about 20 minutes and add salt. Depending on the rice used, it usually takes 20-25 minutes to cook.
- Remove the rice from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately to prevent the rice from overcooking or absorbing all the liquid, and enjoy with your favorite Spanish wine!
Notes
- You can use any fish or seafood stock you prefer, just remember the better the quality, the better the taste!
- You can use any variety of shellfish you prefer -- shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops etc.
- Since this is a wet (soupy) rice dish, it's best served right away while the rice is perfectly cooked. If you leave it too long or eat it the next day the rice will be a bit overcooked.
- If you can't find Spanish Bomba rice, you can substitute another round, short-grain varieties like Arborio, but the end result may be more creamy than soupy (still delicious!).
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Sel Runn
this method of soupy rice is much like the Italian risotto...keeping the broth very warm produces the result expected. Much of the food and wines are so much like related cousins. Have you given the recipe for fideo espanol?