Best 4 Weeknight Paella Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Do you have a short amount of time during the week to cook an exciting meal? If so, a weeknight paella can be a great option. Paella is a traditional Spanish dish made with rice, seafood, and vegetables. It is typically cooked in a large pan called a paella pan. While traditional paella can be time-consuming to make, there are many weeknight paella recipes that can be made in under an hour. These recipes often use shortcuts such as precooked rice or frozen seafood. As a result, you can enjoy a delicious and authentic paella meal without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

WEEKNIGHT PAELLA



Weeknight Paella image

Try our skillet-made, Spanish-inspired paella that's ready in 30 minutes.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 package (5.9 oz) chicken-and-garlic rice and vermicelli mix
1 cup frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry (from 1-lb bag)
1 3/4 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
3/4 cup water
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 lb fully cooked chorizo sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup frozen baby sweet peas
1 deli rotisserie chicken (2 to 2 1/2 lb), cut into 6 serving pieces
1 cup cooked deveined peeled medium shrimp, thawed if frozen, tail shells removed

Steps:

  • In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add rice mix and stir-fry vegetables; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice mix begins to brown.
  • Stir in broth, water, bay leaf and seasoning packet from rice mix. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 minutes.
  • Stir in sausage and peas. Add chicken pieces. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in shrimp. Cover; cook about 5 minutes or until shrimp and chicken are thoroughly heated. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 530, Carbohydrate 12 g, Cholesterol 170 mg, Fat 3, Fiber 0 g, Protein 45 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1430 mg, Sugar 2 g, TransFat 1/2 g

SURF 'N TURF PAELLA



Surf 'n Turf Paella image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 (1 1/4 cup) servings, (5 cups total)

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 1/4 cups uncooked basmati brown rice, rinsed
One (6-ounce) boneless strip steak
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup broken whole-wheat spaghetti
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
6 olives, coarsely chopped

Steps:

  • Cook rice in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, as you would cook pasta, until it is tender, about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, season each side of the steak with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray the steak with nonstick spray. Add the steak and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking on the other side until browned, 5 minutes more. Transfer the cooked steak to a plate and let rest.
  • Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, broken spaghetti, chicken broth, and saffron and cook until the pasta is cooked through, 8 minutes. Drain the rice and add to the pot along with the peas. Stir until warm. Arrange the shrimp on top of the rice, cover and let shrimp steam until shrimp is just cooked through and pink, about 3 minutes.
  • While the shrimp cooks, slice steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay over the paella. Remove from the heat. Scatter cilantro and olives over the top and serve warm from the pan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 370, Fat 8.5 grams, SaturatedFat 1.7 grams, Cholesterol 110 milligrams, Sodium 860 milligrams, Carbohydrate 47 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 28 grams

EASY PAELLA



Easy Paella image

You may not think of paella as a weeknight dish, but this half-hour recipe might change your mind. The trick is to start it on the stove and finish it in a superhot oven so you get a nice, crisp crust on the bottom. The name "paella" refers not to a combination of rice, seafood, sausage and other meats, but rather to the paellera, a large pan that looks like a flat wok. But you don't need one to make a good paella. A cast-iron skillet will do just fine. Shrimp is called for here, but you can use chicken, sausage, vegetables, scallops, pork or firm tofu in its place.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Categories     dinner, weekday, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

4 cups chicken stock (see text)
Pinch saffron
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cups short- or medium-grain rice
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste
2 cups raw peeled shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Minced parsley for garnish

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, or as near as you can. Warm the stock in a saucepan with the saffron. Place a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. One minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the rice, and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy -- just a minute or two. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and add the warmed stock, taking care to avoid the rising steam. Stir in the shrimp, and transfer the pan to the oven.
  • Bake about 25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is dry on top. Garnish, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 605, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 89 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 26 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 1024 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams

WEEKNIGHT PAELLA



Weeknight Paella image

This is a super quick paella dish that can be made in about 1/2 an hour. The flavors aren't as complex as the original but this is close. It uses an already cooked rotisserie chicken.

Provided by mommyoffour

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (6 ounce) package chicken and garlic rice vermicelli mix (rice a roni)
1 cup frozen onion and three pepper blend
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 lb fully cooked chorizo sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 rotisserie-cooked chicken, cut into six serving pieces
1 cup cooked deveined peeled medium shrimp, thawed and tails removed

Steps:

  • In 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add rice mix and stir fry vegetables; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice mix begins to brown.
  • Stir in broth, water, bay leaf and seasoning packet from rice mix.
  • Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low.
  • Cover; simmer 5 minutes.
  • Stir in sausage and peas.
  • Add chicken pieces.
  • Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low.
  • Cover; simmer 10 minutes.
  • Stir in shrimp.
  • Cover; cook about 5 minutes or until shrimp and chicken are thoroughly heated.
  • Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 523.1, Fat 34.4, SaturatedFat 10.3, Cholesterol 121, Sodium 776.3, Carbohydrate 15.2, Fiber 5, Sugar 0.9, Protein 39.7

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients. Fresh seafood, vegetables, and rice are essential for a delicious paella.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan. Paella is a rice dish, so you need to give the rice enough room to cook.
  • Cook the rice over medium heat. This will help the rice to cook evenly and prevent it from burning.
  • Don't stir the rice too much. Stirring the rice too much will make it gummy.
  • Add the seafood and vegetables at the end of the cooking time. This will help to prevent them from overcooking.
  • Let the paella rest for a few minutes before serving. This will help the flavors to meld together.

Conclusion:

Paella is a delicious and versatile dish that can be made with a variety of ingredients. It's perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. By following these tips, you can make a paella that is sure to impress your family and friends.

Related Topics