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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Main Dishes

    Vegan Paella With Smoked Tofu

    Published: Feb 13, 2017 · by Nicole · Updated: Sep 15, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    vegan_paella_3

    Hands down, one of the best things about living in Europe is having the rest of Europe at our fingertips. When we lived in Vancouver we might have driven up to Whistler or down to Seattle for a weekend, but now we can nip over to Barcelona when the mood strikes.

    One of my favorite things to do in Spain is to wander around the local food markets. There are amazing displays of fresh produce and cheeses and spices, and food counters where you'll find old Spanish men and women drinking red wine and eating calamari at nine o'clock in the morning. We always restock on our favorite Spanish smoked paprika and saffron, then sidle up to a food counter for some tapas. Spain isn't the most vegetarian-friendly country, but you can usually get a vegetarian paella if you're willing to wait for it.

    vegan_paella_1

    This vegan paella may not be totally traditional, but I promise you what it lacks in authenticity it more than makes up for in flavor. I've replaced the classic Calasparra rice with short-grain brown rice to turn out a more healthful paella. This increases the cooking time a bit, but otherwise I honestly couldn't note any real difference in the taste or texture. Cubes of smoked tofu take the place of the traditional chorizo to keep things vegan, and a blend of peppers, carrot, fennel, and peas pack some good nutrition into this one-pan meal. It's worth seeking out good-quality saffron and sherry for this recipe, as they add considerable flavor.

    vegan_paella

    I learned on a trip to the south of Spain that it is considered mortally offensive to the cook if you add salt to your paella, but if you feel that it needs a little extra punch, we won't tell anyone.

    Vegan Paella with Smoked Tofu

    Vegan Paella With Smoked Tofu

    This vegan version of paella uses short-grain brown rice and smoked tofu for a healthier dish.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: paella recipe, Vegan Paella, Vegan Paella With Smoked Tofu
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 451kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small red onion finely diced
    • 1 small red bell pepper sliced into strips
    • 1 small yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
    • 1 small green bell pepper sliced into strips
    • 1 small fennel bulb sliced into strips
    • 1 large carrot peeled and sliced diagonally
    • 3 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 cup short-grain brown rice
    • 4 ounces smoked tofu cubed
    • ½ cup good quality dry sherry
    • 1 teaspoon saffron threads
    • 2 ½ cups hot vegetable broth
    • 12 mini plum tomatoes halved
    • ½ cup frozen peas
    • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
    • 1 lemon sliced into wedges
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet (or paella pan, if you have one) over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the red onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add the peppers, fennel, and carrot and continue to sauté for 5-6 minutes, until the veggies are softened and the onion is slightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
    • Add the bay leaves, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cayenne to the vegetables and stir well to combine, and then add the rice and cubed tofu and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
    • Add the sherry and the saffron threads and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, and allow it to simmer for a minute, until reduced by about half, then add the vegetable broth.
    • Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid or foil, and let the mixture simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Do not stir the rice. After 30 minutes, remove the lid or foil, and test the rice without stirring the rice and vegetables too much. Add a bit of salt to the paella if needed.
    • Scatter the halved tomatoes and peas over the top and replace the lid. Leave the mixture to rest for 10-15 minutes. At this point the rice should be cooked — some of the bits on top may have a bit of crunch left but as long as the majority of the rice is well cooked that's okay.
    • Remove the cover and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.

    Notes

    If you don't have sherry you could substitute some white vermouth or even white wine in a pinch, but I really do think it's worth getting your hands on some sherry for the overall effect.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 12gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 651mgPotassium: 1232mgFiber: 10gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 6229IUVitamin C: 179mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 4mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Baked Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Mushrooms & Kale
    Lightened-Up Black Bean Burrito Bowls with Carrot Rice »

    Vegan Main Dishes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes main dishes, peas, rice, tofu

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. [email protected] says

      February 24, 2017 at 12:05 pm

      As always, Katie creates a flavour and vegetable packed recipe. Shared

      Reply
    2. CT says

      February 25, 2017 at 7:43 pm

      Made this for dinner tonight. So delicious!

      Reply
    3. Carmen says

      October 14, 2017 at 12:10 pm

      Where can I get smoked tofu?

      Reply
      • Preston says

        October 16, 2017 at 7:24 pm

        Hi Carmen! Smoked tofu can be difficult to track down, but organic markets and larger supermarkets will usually sell smoked tofu in the refrigerated produce section. If you live near a Whole Foods, the company sells a tofu product called Soy Boy, and their product line includes smoked tofu.

        Reply
    4. Dana says

      October 22, 2017 at 9:30 am

      I just made this, it was so easy and delicious. I also added some broccoli 5 min before removing from the stove. I'll surely be making this very frequently. Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Katie Trant says

        October 23, 2017 at 12:52 pm

        Oh yum, adding broccoli sounds delish! I'll have to try that next time I make it. Thanks, Dana!

        Reply

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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