Easy Vegan Paella (1 Pan!)
Easy vegan paella that’s packed with seasonal vegetables and so flavorful! Comforting, naturally gluten-free, and perfect for weeknight meals or meal prep. Just 1 pan required!
Servings 6 (Servings)
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp saffron
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (if oil-free, sub vegetable broth)
- 1 ½ cups diced yellow onion (~1 medium onion as recipe is written)
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper (~1 medium pepper as recipe is written)
- 3 Tbsp minced garlic (~6 cloves garlic as recipe is written)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup quartered, marinated artichoke hearts, marinade reserved (~12-ounce jar as recipe is written)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup frozen peas
FOR SERVING optional
- 1 batch Easy Vegan Chorizo (or sub store-bought such as El Burrito Soyrizo and avocado oil for cooking)
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the saffron with the lemon juice to bloom the saffron. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or paella pan — at least 12 inches in diameter — heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until softened — about 5 minutes. Add paprika and salt and toss.
- Add the rice and stir to coat and lightly toast the grains — about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and the saffron and lemon juice. Stir well to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Bring broth to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover, set a timer for 20 minutes, and simmer for 20 minutes undisturbed, or until the grains are tender and the liquid is fully absorbed.
- While the rice cooks, cook vegan chorizo (if including).
- CHORIZO: If serving with optional vegan chorizo, prepare it while the rice cooks. Heat a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add a thin layer of avocado oil and as much vegan chorizo as will comfortably fit in a single layer in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. It should sizzle and pop a bit — if it’s not, turn up the heat a little. Once nicely browned on the bottom, use a spatula to flip as evenly as possible to brown the other side for another 3 minutes. Break it up slightly and toss to evenly brown all sides — ~2 minutes. Repeat with any remaining chorizo and set cooked chorizo aside.
- Test the rice after 20 minutes to ensure it’s cooked. If it needs more time, add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and cover again for a few minutes. When the rice is tender, turn heat off. Add the artichoke hearts, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of artichoke marinade, tomatoes, and peas and toss gently. Cover for 2 minutes to warm through. Taste test and adjust as needed, adding more salt to taste, artichoke marinade for acidity, or smoked paprika for depth/smokiness. Optionally, serve with vegan chorizo and lemon wedges.
- Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Not freezer friendly.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 372 Carbohydrates: 68.5 g Protein: 9.8 g Fat: 7.3 g Saturated Fat: 0.4 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1385 mg Potassium: 371 mg Fiber: 8 g Sugar: 8.6 g Vitamin A: 1756 IU Vitamin C: 47.4 mg Calcium: 41.9 mg Iron: 1.2 mg