Murcian Style Vegetable Paella

5 from 2 votes

Murcian Style Vegetable Paella

This healthy and delicious vegetable paella recipe from Spain is the perfect vegetarian dinner! This authentic recipe uses fresh vegetables from Murcia, like peppers, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, and artichokes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main

Cuisine: Spanish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 501.07kcal

Author: Lauren Aloise

Ingredients

2 cups short-grain paella rice like Calasparra or Bomba
1 cup mushrooms diced
2 ripe tomatoes peeled and diced
1 sweet red pepper cut into thin strips
2 cups green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
4 artichoke hearts quartered
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock if you are not vegetarian
salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a paella (a wide, shallow pan with handles) or the largest, widest skillet you have. Add the diced mushrooms and cook until softened and browned, then remove them with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
In the same oil, fry the cloves of garlic until they're browned and tender. Remove the garlic from the pan and mash it in a mortar and pestle with the parsley and saffron.
Add all of the remaining vegetables to the pan and sauté them in the hot olive oil for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic paste and the mushrooms (along with any juices) back to the pan, then pour in one cup of stock and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Add the 2 cups of rice and 4 remaining cups of stock to the pan. Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a boil.
As soon as the liquid starts to boil, turn the heat to low and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Don't stir during this time! When the rice is al dente and the liquid is absorbed, it's finished.
To get the beloved "socarrat" (the caramelized, lightly burnt crust on the bottom of the paella), put a kitchen towel over the finished rice and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove the towel and put the paella over high heat. Any liquid at the bottom of the pan will start to evaporate. When you hear a sizzle (in Spain we say it sounds like rain), let it caramelize for about 30 seconds. It should not smell burnt, however. Then, remove and serve immediately.

Notes

I highly recommend cooking this in a paella (a wide, shallow pan with handles made specifically for this dish), and if possible, over a gas stove or open flame. It makes a huge difference!
Can't find Spanish paella rice? Substitute with Arborio--although realize it won't be the same.
You can use whatever kind of mushrooms you have available, although try this with wild mushrooms if you can!

Nutrition