Vegan Paella: Spanish-Inspired Rice
1 hr
Meal
Servings
Total
1 hrPrep
20 minCook
40 minFree from
soy
peanut
tree nut
sesame
gluten
Ingredients
-
1 Tbsp (15 mL)olive oil
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1medium onion, chopped
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2cloves garlic, minced
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1 tsp (6 g)salt
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½ tspground black pepper
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1 tsp (1 g)dried thyme
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½ tspground cumin
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½ tspdried oregano
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½ tspcayenne pepper
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2medium tomatoes, diced
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1red bell pepper, thinly sliced, reserve 6 slices for garnish
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4 cups (960 mL)boiling water
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2vegetable bouillon cubes
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1 pinchsaffron threads (optional, but recommended)
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1½ cups (255 g)canned artichoke hearts, chopped
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1 cup (134 g)frozen green peas
Optional garnish
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fresh chives
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fresh parsley
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lemon slices
Directions
- Add the olive oil to a large pan* or paella pan over medium-high heat, and when hot, add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook this for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
- To the pan, add the paprika, thyme, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook this while stirring for 30 - 60 seconds, to toast the spices.
- Add in the tomatoes and bell pepper, sautéing for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add the Paella rice, toasting this for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To a large jug, mix the boiling water and vegetable cubes so that the cubes dissolve in the hot water. You could also substitute the bouillon cubes and water for 1L of vegetable stock instead.
- Add the liquid to the pan, along with the saffron, and bring the paella to a rapid simmer for 2 minutes. Then turn the heat to a low simmer and let cook uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Avoid stirring the rice while it cooks.
- When the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, taste-test the rice. Try to test the rice on the outer-most part of the pan, as this is the rice that will cook last given it's furthest away from the heat source in the centre. If the rice is firm but tender, it's ready. If the centre is still a bit raw, add a small splash of boiling water or hot stock, and let it continue to cook until the rice is cooked through.
- When the rice is cooked, add half of the artichoke hearts and peas to the rice, and gently stir it in. Add the other half on top, together with the 5 pieces of reserved bell pepper.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover the pan with a lid and let the Paella rest for 10 minutes. Do not skip this step, as it makes all the difference in the taste and texture of the rice.
- Remove the lid, top with chopped chives or parsley, serve alongside lemon wedges, and enjoy!
Notes
- * Try to use a pan that has a large cooking surface on the bottom of the pan, so that the rice cooks evenly throughout. A wok-shaped pan, for example, may result in cooked rice in the centre of the pan, but uncooked rice around the perimeter of the pan.
Storage
- The paella can be stored an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Plate method
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Grains & Starches 20%
• uncooked Spanish paella rice
Proteins 14%
• frozen green peas
Fruits & Veggies 66%
• medium onion
• clove garlic
• medium tomato
• red bell pepper
• canned artichoke hearts
Calcium
No significant sources of calciumFat
• olive oil
Nutrition info
We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.
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Discussion & Rating
This is the one of the best vegan receipes I know, everyone I made it for loved it. I always use 2 times the veggies because me and my friends are like that. It is such a nicely balanced meal!
I've made this at least once a month since I first found the recipe over a year ago. Definitely a favourite!
THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. what amazing flavors! Can't wait to eat it for the next few days.
Best version of vegan paella! I tried also with jackfruit,it's even better!
Love it! Have made it many times!
This is one of our favorite recipes. The spices make it so flavorful and it's a one pan meal! I love that you can also sub in different veggies so it's easy to make with whatever you have on hand.
Amazing! Definitely use the amount of salt the recipe calls for. I also marinated my own canned artichokes with some salt, black pepper, olive oil, and some herbs -- the marinated artichokes were my favorite part! I also threw in some kalamata olives as well.
We regularly make this dish. It is an absolute winner, full of fresh vibrant flavours that just pop in your mouth!
This is absolutely amazing, been my go to over a year now, mushrooms work great here too:)
Perfect to divide in portions and freeze as well!
This vegan paella is absolutely amazing! Really.. We got addicted a bit. After we made it for the first time, we made it every week for a few months and it just stayed so comforting and tasty. Both for dinner and lunch. I love the spices, and the artichokes work really well. We accidently used risotto rice (is there a difference?) but that worked great as well. I really recommend this recipe! Thank you for this one :)
If you had asked me what to include in a vegan paella to make it taste amazing, I wouldn't have thought about artichokes, but they work so well alongside all the spices and the texture of the paella rice. I love how paella can be left to cook slowly by itself and this recipe looks so beautiful when it all comes together. ❤ Thank you for making vegan paella delicious!!
This recipe is amazing! Really simple to make, but everyone loves it... even my non-vegan family :).
(It tastes even better on the barbecue)
this was so flavorful and comforting!! dreaming of making it again 🤎
I have made this multiple times and it has always turned out great. It's super simple, yet feels fancy enough to count as a special dinner...a perfect dish to cook for friends or family. I love your videos and recipes so much!
I am IN LOVE with this dish. I usually double the spices and the vegetables, because we like spiced-up food ;) but even as is it's pretty delicious. Definitely the best meat/fish-free paella I've ever had/made!
Ik heb laatst je paella voor het eerst gemaakt, en mijn half Spaanse vriend zei: het ruikt zoals bij mijn oma als ze paella maakt. Een mooi compliment! Het was heerlijk.
Is there anything I can switch with artichokes? I am not really fan of them.
BTW I love your recipes. For a newbie vegan they are so simple and tasty!!! I have tried couple of them and loved each one of them.
Love this! Oh, those artichokes! :D
Hello PUL! Love your website and your recipes. I would love to make this recipe, looks so good! However I was put on a low FODMAP diet recently and unfortunately can not eat onions or garlic! Do you have a suggestion on a replacement so the dish is not compromised?
This was so delicious! Can’t wait to make it again!
Hi Sadia,
I just made this recipe and we loved it here.
I would like to know how much is the right amount of rice/paella for one serving? Sometimes I am not sure how much rice I should eat when that is the whole meal.
Thank you.
Absolutely delicious. I have cooked it more than 3 times in a row.
Super easy mid-week wonder.
I love your website it is a Bible for me on my vegan journey.
THANK YOU xxx