The Best Seafood Paella

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-01 · Updated 2026-04-01

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A vibrant Spanish-inspired dish with saffron-infused rice, shrimp, mussels, and squid, simmered to perfection. This Spanish-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 70 minutes, pairs arborio rice, shrimp, mussels for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 500 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 40 min Serves 4 Spanish cuisine 500 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 cups arborio rice
1 lb shrimp
12 oz mussels
8 oz squid
1 tsp saffron threads
4 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium lemon

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large paella pan over medium heat.
Step 2: Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
Step 3: Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Add saffron threads and stir to infuse the oil.
Step 5: Add arborio rice and toast for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.
Step 6: Pour in 1 cup chicken broth, stir to coat rice, then add another 1 cup broth.
Step 7: Meanwhile, clean mussels by scrubbing, and devein shrimp.
Step 8: Add remaining chicken broth, then place seafood in the pan.
Step 9: Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender and seafood is cooked.
Step 10: Squeeze lemon juice over the top and serve.