I have fallen in love with Spain… Barcelona to be more exact… and paella! A few months ago I traveled to Spain from LAX for a quick and unforgettable trip to see BonnieXClyde perform. A speedy 72 hour visit that was full of adventures on mopeds, fun nightclubs, and epic sightseeing. And to my pleasant surprise, it was also easy to find great vegan food options!
My first real meal in Spain was vegano paella. Fun fact: vegano is my favorite word. Another fun and not so surprising fact: Spain is one of the worlds biggest producers of saffron. Saffron is a powerful spice, high in antioxidants, and when consumed has been linked to health benefits such as improved mood, libido… and is an essential ingredient in paella. Not to be overlooked, saffron is a labor intensive crop making it one of the worlds most costly spices… surely to be savored and enjoyed.
Paella is made with arborio rice, an Italian short grain rice that beautifully absorbs flavor, making for a dish that is rich, creamy, hearty, and addictively delicious. You could say paella is cozy and sexy at the same time.
To be served in the same large shallow pan that it’s cooked in… and possibly even better with a glass of wine to pair. Delicioso!
Please find the recipe below and a video of the steps in the highlights section of my Instagram @katielopynski . I hope you enjoy! Even better, let me know how you love it and make sure to tag me in your re-creations.
xoxo,
katie
Vegano Paella
Ingredients
- 1 package of 4 vegan hot italian sausage i love the beyond meat version
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 1 cup carrots diced (or baby carrots thinly sliced)
- 16oz can diced tomatoes no salt added
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- salt
- pepper
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 3-5 cup vegetable broth
- .5 cup white wine i love a good oak forward chardonnay
- 1 small bay leaf optional
- 1 handful fresh parsley minced
- .5-1 cup frozen green beans
- .5-1 cup frozen peas
- 1 16z can artichoke hearts drained and quartered
- 1 lemon optional, wedged for garnish
Instructions
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Heat paella pan over medium heat.
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Cook sausage, set aside.
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In that same pan with the juices from the sausage, still over medium heat, carefully add 2 tablespoons of water to the hot pan. Next, add the onion and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.
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Next add the carrots, combine, and cook down for 2-3 minutes.
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Next, add the tomatoes, spices, and garlic. Combine and cook down for 2-3 minutes. Season with Salt and pepper.
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Next add the rice. Combine and cook for one minute.
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Next add 3 cups of the broth, the herbs, peas, and green beans. Also now is a good time to add the bay leaf* if you so choose. Bring to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes. *Carefully remove the bay leaf after 2 minutes. (This is to avoid leaving it in for too long as the flavor from the can be overbearing.)
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Add the artichoke and let cook for another 10 minutes, resisting the urge to stir, rather giving the pan a little shake if needed to prevent the bottom bits from burning. The end goal is to have a beautifully browned crispy layer on the bottom.
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Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let steam for 10 minutes.
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To be served in the same shallow pan it was cooked in, garnished with some lemon wedges, and maybe some additional fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!
