Vegan Paella

This vegan paella is a big, colorful pan of saffron rice cooked in vegetable stock and white wine, then baked with artichoke hearts, shiitake mushrooms, sweet piquillo peppers and briny capers. It's a classic vegetarian paella that feeds a crowd with very little fuss, and it tastes like a special occasion even on a weeknight.

Paella comes from Valencia in eastern Spain, which has been one of the country's most important rice-growing regions for around 1,200 years. It started out as a meal for farm workers, who cooked rice with a little seasoning and whatever vegetables (or meat) they could find around the rice fields. It was traditionally eaten family style, straight from the pan it was cooked in, and that's still the best way to serve it.

Our version keeps things vegetable-forward and easy. The rice simmers on the stovetop while the veggies cook in a separate pan, then everything bakes together in the oven. And here's the secret that makes it so good: don't cook the rice in water. Simmering it in vegetable stock and white wine gives every grain a deep, savory flavor (and a gorgeous golden color). You can swap almost anything else in this recipe and it will still be delicious, as long as you keep that part.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Rice. We make this with yellow (saffron) rice, sometimes sold as Spanish rice, like Mahatma Yellow Rice. For a more traditional paella, use a Spanish short-grain rice such as bomba rice, which soaks up lots of liquid without turning mushy. If you use a seasoned rice mix, go easy on the salt.
• Vegetable stock. Store-bought is fine, or you can make your own vegetable broth from kitchen scraps. A low-sodium stock gives you more control over the seasoning.
• White wine. Use a decent dry wine, nothing fancy, but if you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it. Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are great choices. Steer clear of anything too sweet (like Riesling) or too strongly flavored (like Sauvignon Blanc). Our guide to vegetarian food and wine pairing has more ideas. For an alcohol-free version, replace the wine with the same amount of extra vegetable stock plus a tablespoon of lemon juice for brightness.
• Saffron. Saffron gives Spanish rice dishes their distinctive aroma and color, and there isn't a true substitute. It's famously expensive, but you only need a pinch, so a small, reasonably priced jar of Spanish saffron threads lasts a long time. In a pinch (ha!), a little turmeric and extra smoked paprika will give you the color, though not quite the flavor.
• Artichoke hearts. Canned quartered artichoke hearts packed in water are the easiest option. Drain them well. Frozen artichoke hearts work too; thaw and pat them dry first.
• Shiitake mushrooms. They add a meaty, savory bite. Remove the tough stems before slicing. Cremini or oyster mushrooms are good stand-ins.
• Piquillo peppers. These sweet, smoky roasted Spanish peppers come in jars, like these Roland piquillo peppers. Jarred roasted red peppers are an easy swap.
• Capers. A couple of tablespoons of capers add little salty, briny pops all through the rice. Chopped green olives are a good substitute.

Helpful Tips

Choose a wide, oven-safe pan. You need something large and oven safe, and nonstick makes cleanup easier. A traditional paella pan is made for exactly this job. It's wide and shallow, so the rice cooks in a thin, even layer, and many have little divots in the bottom that help spread the liquid and heat evenly. A large, deep oven-safe skillet or braiser works well too.

Keep the paella juicy. The rice keeps drinking up liquid in the oven, so hold back some of the stock and keep it warm. Every 10 minutes, drizzle a little over the top. Adding warm (not cold) stock keeps the rice cooking steadily and stops the top from drying out. If it still looks dry at the end, add one more splash and give it 5 more minutes.

Get a crisp bottom. That toasty, caramelized layer of rice on the bottom of the pan (called socarrat in Spain) is the best part of paella. Don't stir once the pan goes in the oven. When it comes out, set the pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop for 2 to 3 minutes, until you hear the rice crackle and it smells toasty. Lift an edge with a spoon to check, and pull it off the heat before it scorches.

Use disposable pans for big batches. Paella is a great party dish, and this recipe doubles or triples easily. If it won't all fit in one pan, cook the rice and vegetables on the stovetop as usual, then combine everything in big disposable aluminum pans to bake. It won't get quite as crusty, but cleanup is as easy as it gets.

Bloom the saffron. Crumble the threads between your fingers as you add them, or steep them in a few tablespoons of the warm stock for 10 minutes first. Either way, you'll get more color and aroma from that tiny pinch.

Variations

• Asparagus. Cut a bunch of asparagus into 2-inch pieces and scatter it over the paella for the last 10 minutes of baking, so it stays bright green and crisp-tender.
• Eggplant. Cube one small eggplant and cook it with the onions and peppers. It soaks up the saffron and smoked paprika beautifully.
• Zucchini. Add a diced zucchini along with the mushrooms for an easy summer version.
• Smoked tofu. For extra protein and a smoky flavor, stir in cubes of smoked tofu with the artichokes. Or try our Vegan Paella With Smoked Tofu, a smoked tofu and brown rice paella with its own spin.
• Peas and green beans. A cup of frozen peas or trimmed green beans adds color and sweetness. Stir them in right before the pan goes into the oven.

Serving Ideas

Bring the whole pan to the table and let everyone dig in, with lime or lemon wedges for squeezing over the top. A bright, simple side balances all that rich rice: a crunchy green salad with sherry vinegar and olive oil, sliced cucumbers with red onion, or a platter of sliced tomatoes with flaky salt.

For a Spanish-style spread, start with a few tapas while the paella bakes. Marinated Olives with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic and some crusty bread are perfect for nibbling, and a chilled glass of the same white wine you cooked with ties it all together.

Storing & Freezing

Let leftover paella cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a splash of vegetable stock or water and warm it in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, or microwave it covered, stirring halfway through. The rice firms up in the fridge, so that extra splash of liquid brings it back to life.

Paella also freezes well. Portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat with a little stock as above. The artichokes and mushrooms soften a bit after freezing, but the flavor holds up nicely.

To get a head start, chop all the vegetables up to 2 days ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Then dinner is mostly hands-off time while the rice simmers and the pan bakes.

More Vegan Spanish-Inspired Recipes

If you loved this vegan paella, here are a few more Spanish-inspired dishes to try:

• Vegan Paella With Smoked Tofu
• Vegan Tomato Gazpacho
• Arroz Con (No) Pollo
• Spanish Rice and Beans

📖 Recipe