First Try at Vegan Paella 🥘

I was planning to bring a vegan paella dish to our family get together on Christmas Eve… but time got away from me & I brought a green bean salad and a couple of bottles of Spanish wine instead. It was a Spanish themed meal, and although I didn’t eat any of the gigantic pan of paella all the cousins participated in making, I was definitely inspired to make my own version :yum:

I was pleased with the results, although I know I didn’t have the correct pan… nor have I actually eaten the dish enough to really know if it tastes authentic 🤔

I combined two different vegan recipes and added my own favorite ingredients so can’t give the exact recipe… but can try to approximate

It was tasty the first day… but the next day the flavors really blended together and it was delicious! :heart_eyes: :sunglasses: 🤩

Served alongside garlicky green beans and tofu

Here’s the recipe if interested…

▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil

▢ 4 cups vegetable broth

▢ hefty pinch of saffron threads (1 tsp approx)

▢ 1 diced medium onion

▢ 1 red & green bell peppers, cut in strips

▢ 5 cloves garlic, chopped, minced or crushed

▢ 1 large tomato, diced

▢ 1 ½ cups Bomba Rice (I subbed arborio rice)

▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

▢ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

▢ Fresh cracked pepper to taste

▢ 2 sprigs fresh thyme

▢ 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

▢ 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained & dried

▢ 1 can of hearts of palm, drained & dried

▢ 1 can of mock pork, drained & dried

▢ 6-7 shiitake mushrooms & cherry tomatoes

Garnish (Optional)

▢ Lemon or lime wedges

▢ Fresh-cut parsley or cilantro

Instructions

Add vegetable broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Break up the saffron and add it to the broth. When it begins to simmer, give it 1 minute, and then lower the heat just to keep it warm.

In a hot, lightly oiled pan char the artichoke hearts and hearts of palm. Once charred remove from pan and set aside. Then char the mock pork and mushrooms until ends are starting to crisp. Turn off heat and add a dash of soy sauce, cover till it stops sizzling. Remove from pan… set aside

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch Paella Pan (I used a 12” cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Once heated, and the onions and peppers. Sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Now add the tomatoes, smoked paprika, and sweet paprika. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add the rice and remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir to coat well. Cook for 1 minute to lightly toast the rice and incorporate flavors. Move around occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add the fresh thyme and slowly pour in broth. Add salt and pepper. Do not stir after this point or it will release starches and cause creamier rice. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a heavy simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Now turn the heat down (between medium-low and medium heat) to a mild simmer. This is where I added the peas, charred artichokes, hearts of palm, mock pork and cherry tomatoes on top. Simmer until rice is al dente. Recipe said 15-20 minutes, but I found the rice needed more time. The peppers & tomatoes also added more liquid, so I probably should’ve used less broth.

Once the broth is nearly cooked off, pay attention to the socarrat forming on the bottom of the pan (the golden rice crust). It will start to snap, crackle, and pop, along with smelling a nutty aroma. This should take 1-2 minutes to form. Stick a fork or spoon straight to the bottom to test if it's forming.

I did get a bit of the socarrat on the pan bottom, but I think the amount of liquid was too much for it to form correctly🤔 Regardless, the dish was a big hit in my house, I’ll definitely be making it again! :yum: :heart_eyes: 🤩