vegetarian paella

Paella is one of the most famous Spanish dishes. Vegan Spanish paella is delicious. It's also cheaper, lighter and healthier than the traditional one.

Vegan Spanish Paella

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

garlic

onion

red bell pepper

Italian green pepper

tomatoes

artichoke hearts (120 grams)

green beans (75 grams)

peas (65 grams)

Basmati rice (240 grams)

vegetable stock (1 liter)

turmeric powder

tsp sweet paprika

Salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a paellera or a pan over medium heat and when it&#8217;s hot, add the garlic, onion, red and green pepper (chopped). Cook until golden brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes.

Add the frozen veggies and cook 5 minutes more.

Add the rice and cook until it begins to be translucent. Pour the vegetable broth (hot), add the turmeric powder, the sweet paprika, and salt and black pepper to taste.

Stir the paella until all the ingredients are mixed and cook over medium or medium high heat for 15 or 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Add more vegetable broth if the rice is hard and dry.

Let stand the paella (covered) for at least 5 or 10 minutes.

I’ve made this several times now and even meat eaters love it! Delicious!

I made this today.  I like the creamy texture and the healthy ingredients.

So creamy and lovely. I had no idea I loved turmeric! Thanks for a great recipe!

DELICIOUS!!!!

Instead of veg broth I made one using water, powder kombu dashi ,2 bayleaf, salt, pepper and olive oil
for veggies i used 1 chayote, 1 jalapeño, 4 tiny eggplants, 7 green pea pods, 2 tomatoes, 6 garlic cloves, 1 onino
i added canned mixed beans at the end
for spice , instead of saffron, i used 2 tsp tumeric, some cardamom (cracked open pods and crushed the seeds inside), black pepper and red pepper

i had to add a little more water and it took a little longer than recipe

but all 4 of us enjoyed it sooooo much

thank you!

A seasonal, vegetarian riff on the classic, this paella is a beautiful main course that's the perfect weekend or date-night dinner.

Summer Vegetarian Paella

short grain brown rice

olive oil

garlic,

yellow onion, minced

smoked paprika (pimentón)

turmeric

chickpeas

sea salt

pepper

water

vegetable broth

zucchini,

summer squash, cut into 1/4" thick slices

Parsley,

Lemon wedges,

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add the rice. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and, cook for 25 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, In a 8″ cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Stir in diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 4-5 minutes. Next, add 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; cook for one minute.

Next, add the roughly diced tomato, chickpeas, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Give a good stir and cook until tomatoes start to boil, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the cooked rice and ½ cup of the hot rice water. Finish with the vegetable broth then layer the zucchini/squash on top. Continue to cook until the rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed; 30 or so minutes. The goal is to leave it cooking for 5 or so minutes longer so the rice on the bottom is crisp. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and lemon juice.

This vegetarian paella recipe is full of delicious, hearty flavor! A vegan spin on the classic Spanish recipe, it pleases everyone.

Easy Vegetarian Paella

chickpeas,

smoked paprika

red pepper flakes (optional)

saffron

kosher salt, divided

vegetable stock

short grain Bomba rice or arborio rice

peas,

artichoke hearts, quartered (marinated if desired)

Lemon lemon

parsley,

Prep the vegetables

Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Finely chop the tomatoes, removing the cores but keeping the seeds with their juices. Slice the roasted red peppers into strips, and set aside.

Measure out the ingredients

Measure out all the remaining ingredients before you start. The cooking process goes fast!

Cook the paella

In your largest skillet or a 4-serving paella pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until just translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes, the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until the tomatoes have broken down and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, chickpeas, saffron and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir, then immediately sprinkle the rice evenly across the broth and tap the pan with a spoon to evenly spread the rice. Bring to a medium simmer and cook without stirring until liquid is absorbed, about 18 to 22 minutes (adjust the cook time as necessary if using a skillet). If your pan is large enough to span multiple burners on your stovetop, adjust the heat on each burner so you achieve a steady medium simmer. Rotate the pan every few minutes for an even cook.

Add the artichokes and peas (10 minutes into cook time)

When the top of the rice is beginning to show through the liquid, about 10 minutes into the cook time, press the artichokes, peas, and red pepper strips lightly into the rice.

Assess whether the paella is done

In last few minutes, carefully watch the paella and rotate pan more frequently. As the paella finishes, you’ll see the steam start to slow down as the water cooks out. If desired, peek at the bottom of a pan by using a knife to scrape back the rice — you shouldn’t see any standing water. The sound will start to change from a simmer to a crackle. This indicates the crust is forming. Let the crackling continue for about 2 minutes before removing from the heat. If you smell any burning, remove immediately.

Serve

When the paella is done, squeeze the lemon wedges onto the top of the pan. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of kosher salt and add the parsley, if using. Serve with additional lemon wedges.

Vegan paella is comforting, flavorful, and family-friendly. It’s made with cooked brown rice, spicy tofu, earthy mushrooms, veggies, a hint of fresh lemon juice, and the perfect amount of seasonings. It’s so delicious that you won’t miss the meat – I promise!

Vegan Paella

cooked brown rice (about 1/4 cup dry)

oz spicy marinated tofu (finely diced)

cremini mushrooms (diced)

carrots (diced)

corn kernels

tomatoes (drained)

garlic (minced (4 tsp.))

oz vegetable broth

tsp cumin

paprika

tsp smoked paprika

(more

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

peas (thawed)

lemon juice

green onions (thinly sliced, for garnish)

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu when oil is heated through, season with salt. Sauté 10 minutes, or until tofu is browned, stirring occasionally.

Add mushrooms, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms release liquid and begin to brown.

Meanwhile, cook your brown rice. Add in saffron at the same time you add the rice to the boiling water. Stir and cook on low - let sit until all water is absorbed. Back to the tofu/mushroom mixture: Stir in carrots, corn, tomatoes, garlic, and all of your spices (including salt &amp; pepper), and sauté 2-5 minutes more.

Stir in rice, and about 4 oz veggie broth. Cover with lid, and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.

Add peas on surface (do not stir yet), cover, and allow peas to steam 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in lemon juice and green onions. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

I love this vegan version of paella! Paella is always a bit of work to make, but SO worth it.

I made this for dinner and it turned out great. Thank you so much for the recipe!

Hey, your Vegan Paella recipe is a total hit in my kitchen! The vibrant flavors and hearty mix of veggies make it a regular on my dinner rotation.

This paella really hits the spot! It's filling, hearty, and a family favorite!

I love paella, so I was interested to try these vegan version. It was amazing! 10/10.

What a comforting, flavorful and colorful dish to make using tofu. Pinned to make this soon.

This sounds wonderful I have never had tofu and now I want to try it!

All the comfort of paella in a veggie version - perfect!

In my experience, colorful food tends to be really tasty. My mouth is watering just looking at the recipe! I'll try this vegan paella really soon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6r0RfUMTl0

The vegan paella is comforting, flavorful and family-friendly. It’s made with cooked brown rice, spicy tofu, earthy mushrooms, veggies, a hint of fresh lemon juice, and the perfect amount of seasonings. It's so delicious that you won't miss the meat - I promise!   
Recipe here - https://pickyeaterblog.com/vegetable-paella-with-tofu/

Vegan Paella with Tofu

A fresh, flavorful Spanish vegan paella packed with veggies like leeks, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes with tofu standing in for the seafood. It&#039;s a vibrant pop of nutrition and flavor, all in one dish--and one pot.

tofu

garlic powder

tsp Old Bay Seasoning ((optional))

tsp extra virgin olive oil

garlic ((minced))

onion ((finely diced))

leek ((cleaned of all grit, then white and green parts chopped. Optional))

medium bell peppers ((any color, finely diced))

oz cremini mushrooms mushrooms mushrooms mushrooms

white wine ((optional))

tomatoes ((diced))

tomato paste

beans

oregano

½ tsp smoked paprika

cayenne

arborio rice

vegetable stock ((or water))

Salt

parsley ((chopped))

Toss the tofu with the garlic, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, if using, and salt and black pepper.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a paella pan or any wide skillet. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook, stirring so all sides come in contact with the pan and get lightly golden brown. This is much better done in the air fryer. If using the air fryer, toss the tofu in the oil along with the other spices, place in the air fryer basket and air fry 16 minutes at 400 degrees. Toss the cubes around halfway through to ensure they all cook and crisp up evenly.

Make the tofu

Heat the oil. Add the garlic, onions, leeks and bell peppers. Season with salt and ground black pepper and saute until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the mushrooms and the wine, if using. Cook until most of the moisture in the pot has evaporated, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste and lima beans, if using.

Mix well, add the oregano, smoked paprika and cayenne and stir in. Then add the rice and stir it in until it&#039;s merged in with the veggies and spices.

Add the rice to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the grains appear translucent, a couple of minutes. Add the vegetable stock or water to the pot, add salt to taste (the water should taste saltier than you want your rice to be) and mix well. Let the rice cook, uncovered, until the stock or water boils. Add the saffron strands and stir them in lightly.

Cover the pot and let the rice cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover the pot, place the tofu on top, cover again, and let the rice cook another 10 minutes. If you want the layer of burnt rice, socarrat, at the bottom, turn up the heat in the last five minutes of cooking.

Let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes, then open, fluff gently with a fork, and serve, garnished with parsley.

Make the paella rice

Vaishali, was just looking at your Paella recipe.  A couple of ideas  on it. I've made the traditional way making it Vegan.  The spices and veggies are added  to the pan first and toasted .After softening, you add the rice to toast it. I use one teaspoon of Saffron which has been simmering  in the broth or water. This spreads the flavor of the Saffron all through the broth. .The broth is then added to the rice mixture and the most important thing is DO NOT STIR after this point. If you do, it releases the starches and turns into Risotto :-). When all the moist is evaporated it is done. Be careful not to burn at this point. Toward the end I add cooked peas to it by spreading them out over the top.

I make your paella at least once a month. It is a great recipe. Easy to prepare and very tasty. Love it

Tried this last night (a day ahead of National Spanish Paella Day) and it was tasty. A couple of things, I think cooking the veggies so much ahead of cooking the Arborio made for an overly mushy texture and and was not able to achieve soccarat. I did add some finely shredded nori for a little fishy undertones. I feel "generous pinch" of saffron is a little too vague. I used what I thought probably more than a generous pinch and I think it could've used more. I only had vegetable broth and not stock so I didn't want to over salt it. Good but would make modifications next time.

Took some time but was worth it....I do not understand some of the other comments regarding paella spice? I just followed the receipt with real saffron threads....It was fantastic!

Vaishali, 
Success! Made my own spice mix (have enough for a second batch) and arborio rice (a little starchy, but what I had) to make a tasty dish. Thank you!

Oh, Vaishali, your blog is such a pleasure to read. I'm not sure which is better, your recipes or your intros! Both are scrumptious.

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Summer Vegetarian Paella

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Vegan Paella

Top 5 vegetarian paella recipes from across the web

The most viewed vegetarian paella recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Vegan Spanish Paella

Summer Vegetarian Paella

Easy Vegetarian Paella

Vegan Paella

Vegan Paella

The most viewed vegetarian paella recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine