If you think paella is too difficult to make, think again! This one pan wonder is surprisingly approachable, incredibly flavorful, and customizable based on taste and season. We couldn’t help but add some vegan chorizo (check out our recent recipe here) for even more substance. Let us show you how it’s done!
What is Paella?
Paella is a rice-based dish originating in Valencia, Spain. The word paella means “frying pan,” and the dish is traditionally made in a shallow, wide pan with handles on the sides, sometimes also called a paellera.
Paella typically includes rice, saffron (which gives it a yellow color), meat or seafood, broth, and spices. It’s traditionally simmered over an open flame where it develops a crispy crust called socarrat.
Our version is not traditional but is our plant-based take on this delicious Valencian dish. You can find a more traditional (not vegan) paella recipe here from Spain on a Fork.
How to Make Vegan Paella
This recipe starts with combining saffron threads and lemon juice. This brings out the flavor and vibrant red-yellow color of the saffron to get the most use out of it. It’s an expensive spice (because it’s a flower that blooms only one week per year), but it’s essential to paella and has a unique, slightly sweet, and fragrant flavor.
Next, we sauté the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic for a naturally sweet, savory base. Smoked paprika adds a smoky component and sea salt infuses the dish with flavor.
Paella is traditionally made with short-grain round rice, which is considered the best variety for paella because of its low starch content (source). Since it’s not easily available in our area, we used arborio rice, a medium-grain rice that seems to hold up well. Long-grain rices such as basmati and jasmine will be more prone to getting mushy.
Since vegan paella can easily become a rice-heavy dish, we packed this recipe with veggies. Marinated artichoke hearts contribute a salty, brine-y element, cherry tomatoes add sweetness, and frozen peas help it feel more substantial and perfect for spring!
To finish it off, we included an optional topping of our Easy Vegan Chorizo. It adds extra protein and pairs beautifully with the flavors in this paella.
We hope you LOVE this vegan paella! It’s:
Warming
Tender
Savory
Hearty
Customizable
& Comforting!
It’s a weeknight-friendly, crowd-pleasing entrée. While plenty filling and veggie-packed on its own, it would also pair nicely with our Easy Traditional White Sangria, Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas, Perfect Roasted Asparagus, and/or a Simple Green Salad.
More Comforting Rice-Based Recipes
- Easy Vegan Fried Rice
- Vegan Risotto with Miso and Spring Vegetables
- Caramelized Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Easy Vegan Paella (1 Pan!)
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.
Katie says
We made this last night. We used carnarolli rice, which is similar to arborio and we use it for risotto. I bought some Field Roast chorizo and put it on the side since it’s pretty spicy so we could add in the amount we wanted. My picky eater fiance said, “let’s make it again!”. I loved how much easier it was to let it all cook vs. risotto. This inspired us to try risotto this way(I’m sure the Italians would be mad), but it’s so much less energy intensive.
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Katie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Hollie says
I love this recipe so much! I substitute the chorizo for chickpea and kidney beans, and the artichokes with courgette, and it works so well. Ive also used sushi rice in place of the arborio rice (i have a big 10kg bag of sushi rice so seemed more worth it) and it’s fab! Thank you so much! 😊
Amazing! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Hollie! xo
Amelia says
This is the definition of quick, easy, cheap, filling, and delicious! I will definitely make this the next time I host a dinner party or attend a potluck.
I couldn’t find saffron at the store so I used 1:1 sub with turmeric, and it worked just fine.
Minimalist baker is the best!
Aw, YOU’RE the best! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Amelia! xo
Michelle Billing says
This was delicious paella! Instead of using chorizo, incorporated Jack fruit, which was marinated overnight in a vegan fish sauce. Incl eggplant and zucchini also. The eggplant was salted and soaked overnight, then rinsed before use! This dish was so flavoursome and delicious! It was sooo yum! Thankyou x Eggplant was chagrilld. Will chargrill capsicum and eggplant next time for more flavour!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Michelle!
Kim says
So delicious and so rich in flavor!!! Thank you😊
Christin says
Simple, but super flavorful! I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this dish. I made a couple adjustments — used cauliflower rice vs. arborio rice & used turmeric vs. saffron — it was absolutely delicious to say the least. Thank you for another fabulous vegan dinner! Xoxo.
Wonderful! Love your creative modifications, Christin! Thank you for sharing! xo
Kerry says
So tasty! Followed the recipe exactly, super easy to put together and really great. Will make again!
Kerry says
ahh! apologies – I used turmeric instead of saffron!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kerry! Thank you for sharing! xo
Jess says
Made this last night and it was amazing! I used a rice cooker and different rice since it’s what we had but my boyfriend and I both loved it. Paired it with some spicy vegan sausage. We have a ton of leftovers and will be enjoying them tonight again!
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing! xo
Lluís says
Look, I am Valencian and just feel compelled to leave a comment…….
Authentic paella absolutely does not have chorizo, it is a capital sin to add some and all Valencians laugh at you poor—– Also, no onion nor garlic!!
Ingredients for authenthic vegan paella: Spanish rice, red pepper, tomato, artichokes, fava beans, long green beans, saffron.
Note that paella originally was a just a dish made with whatever you had available/in season, you just added it all to a “paella” (pan) so there’s a few variables depending on the season or region of Valencia where it’s made. This recipewould be elegible for authenthicity.
A trick: do use Spanish rice, and the quantity of water is always double than the rice, an easy trick for not having to add more water and cooking the rice to perfection.
PS: note that I do love your recipes and veganism is veganism! But no chorizo on a paella, please…………..
Jacob says
Well said!!
Kate says
I used the recipe the first time with this comment guiding my ingredients – no onion, no garlic – and the flavor was excellent. I’ll continue to leave those out as I make this again. I added more of some vegetables and less of others based on what I had handy – lots more red pepper to make up for the lack of onion – used baby lima beans as I didn’t have fava beans, etc – but I followed the recipe as written for technique and overall quantities/proportions – it all worked well and I will 100% be making this again. I really liked that lemon juice saffron bloom technique. (following my general practice when using pre-made stock I didn’t add as much salt, but I do that for every recipe) I’m new to this website – thanks Minimalist Baker and thanks Commenter Lluís! I will be trying other recipes here!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kate! Thank you for sharing! xo
Samantha says
Misleading cook time- the cook time should read forty-five minutes, as the cook time is about 25 minutes and then it needs to sit for 20 minutes longer with the heat off!
Hi Samantha, we find it only needs to rest off the heat for a couple minutes. Mind sharing why you find it needs 20 minutes?
Ines says
the BEST vegan paella this is so delicious highly recommend
Alyssa says
This is now one of my favorite recipes I have ever made and also probably the best paella I’ve ever had. It comes together so easily and is packed with such beautiful flavors. I think you could also be pretty versatile with what veggies go in it. I think corn would go well in there too. 10/10, would recommend. I will *definitely* be making this again.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed, Alyssa!
Suzie Dubuisson says
Delicious recipe!
Yay! Thanks, Suzie!
Cari says
The first time I made this was a disaster, for these reasons:
– I’m not a good cook (this is important to understand the following).
– My broth was already salty, so adding the salt with the smoked paprika was unnecessary (I should’ve read the comments first). The paella was massively over-salted.
– For some reason, my measuring cup’s 1 cup is different from my liquid 1 cup measuring cup. I used the latter, and the rice was still too watery after 20 mins, so I left it a lot longer (almost another 20 mins). But wooo was it salty! So I added more water to try to get rid of the saltiness, and cooked it for another 20 minutes… it was…. well, I think I made glue. It’s now in my green recycling bin. Hope the worms like salty glue!
Tonight’s second attempt was much much better! Salting to taste AFTER the dish is cooked is the way to go.
In the future I might try this again with actual paella rice, because this rice is a tad sticky (or it could be me just being a bad cook LOL).
p.s. I hate peas, so I used shelled edamame. Recommend!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you gave it a second try and enjoyed it, Cari! Thanks for sharing!
Nicole Escudero says
I have to say, this is my favorite recipe I’ve found online of all time. The saffron is just such a decadent touch, and this meal is something I crave again and again. Love, love, love, love. Even non-vegans would crave this, I’m sure!
Aw, we LOVE hearing this, Nicole! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xoxo
Louisa says
Delishious! Oversalted it the first time because I used store bought broth. It was still good just a bit salty and the family wasn’t excited about eating it. May be helpful to add a note to omit the salt or buy low sodium broth for those who may use store bought and don’t think through the saltiness situation. Second time worked great and it was chowed down by everyone!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Louisa! We’ll give it another look!
Laurie says
OMG! Best new recipe I’ve introduced in quite some time ❤️. My husband isn’t fond of peas or artichoke so I subbed those out for baby lima beans but did everything else as written. Fantastic & will be making again, & again & again…. Yum( forgot I used a 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes because I was out of cherry tomatoes & decreased vegetable broth by 1/4 cup to make up difference in liquid from the canned tomatoes
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Laurie! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Laurie says
OMG! Best new recipe I’ve introduced in quite some time ❤️. My husband isn’t fond of peas or artichoke so I subbed those out for baby lima beans but did everything else as written. Fantastic & will be making again, & again & again…. Yum
Kate says
Yum. So easy and delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kate! Thank you for sharing! xo
Maddie says
This is far and away the easiest and most delicious vegan paella recipe I’ve ever attempted!! My boyfriend and I each took our first bite and made a knowing eye contact that confirmed we were both on the same page: this was really, really good. Don’t skimp – get the right kind of rice, and get some saffron! It makes a huge difference.
Amazing! We LOVE to hear this. Thank you so much for the lovely review, Maddie! We’re so glad you both enjoyed!
Anna says
I’ve tried about 5 MB recipes now because I always hear how delicious they are. Every recipe looks and sounds so good but I’ve been disappointed with the result every time. I keep trying to give them another chance but I’m probably done trying now. Very disappointed!
Hi Anna, we’re so sorry to hear that has been your experience. We’d love to help troubleshoot, if possible. Could you share what you disliked about it so we can try to figure out what went wrong?
Kendra says
soooo delicious, and so easy! I didn’t have a paella pan, or a pan with a cover, so I cooked it without the cover and did it risotto-style, ladeling in a cup at a time. It took longer than 20 minutes, and a bit more water, but it was worth it. I used Trader Joe’s Soyrizo, which paired excellently with it.
Ooo – delish! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your method, Kendra! xo
Sherri Neil says
Another husband approved meal. I can’t wait for an excuse to make this again. Absolutely delicious. The only thing I left out was the 3TBs of marinade, as I’m pretty oil free these days. The artichokes them selves had plenty of marinade to add flavor. Thanks Dana
Yay! So glad you both enjoyed. Thanks as always for the lovely review, Sherri! xo
Mark says
Paella-another good, Easy, quick to make recipe. Thanks
So glad you enjoyed it, Mark! Thank you for sharing!
Nicole says
So very delicious, and ridiculously easy considering how yummy it is! I did have to cook the rice quite a bit longer than the recipe indicated, but it was worth the wait. Thanks for yet another winning recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Stasha says
Is the idea to add the peas from completely frozen at the end? Or should I cook them first?
Hi Stasha, the peas can be added from frozen because they cook really quickly. Let us know how you like it!
Stasha Rosen says
Wow, that’s cool! Thanks!
Manuela says
This paella is sooo good! My favorite so far out of multiple recipes I’ve tried. Love the lemony taste and of course the marinated artichoke is a must!! I wanted to ask for suggestions on how I might make the rice a bit “drier?” I remember a paella my aunt who is from a Spain once made for us and the texture of the rice was firmer/drier. I remember she actually put it in the oven on a sheet. When would it be indicated to put in the oven? Thanks in advance for the suggestions! P.S. I love your blog and book! Our family is addicted to the strawberry cheesecake from the book!
Hi Manuela! So happy to hear you and your family enjoy our recipes! We haven’t tried paella in the oven but it’s possible if you make it in an oven safe skillet that you could then stick it in the oven (maybe 350 F?) for 10 minutes or so to achieve the drier results you want. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try! xo
Manuela says
Thank you! I will try that!
Kira says
Okay, was not sure what to really expect with this but YUM!!! Super easy to make and it was so so good! The bright colors made me so excited to eat it. Couldn’t get my hands on saffron so substituted with turmeric. Also made with the vegan chorizo but since I’m not vegan, next time I make it (because this will definitely be made numerous more times!) I want to try with seafood.
Yumm, we love to hear this Kira! Thank for the lovely review. xo
Nicki Escudero says
OMG, such a fragrant, flavorful dish. I’m half-Spanish, and this was my first time making paella. 😂 Artichokes, peppers, tomatoes, what more could you ask for? The saffron made for the most enjoyable cooking experience. Such a fantastic dish. Thanks so much for this recipe. Nicki
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nicki. We’re so glad you enjoyed the paella! xo
Emily says
So good! My husband and I loved it. I made it as written and topped the paella with the vegan chorizo. De.li.cious.
Yumm, amazing! Thanks for the lovely review, Emily. We’re so glad you both enjoyed! xo
Linda says
Substituted turmeric for saffron, other then that followed the recipe as written. Delicious, fast and easy. Will make again.
Thanks.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Linda! xo
Jill says
So delicious, and really a simple dish to make! We paired it with the soy chorizo from Trader Joe’s and it was perfect!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jill. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Ana says
I just made it and liked it very much!!! I’m happy I tried this oil free recipe!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Ana. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Molly says
Hi- I am so excited to make this for a friend for our first dinner together since pre covid!!! I am trying to be better about using the groceries I already have… do you think white Jasmine rice would be okay? I love all your recipes! They never disappoint.
Hi Molly, we think it would be more prone to getting mushy. But let us know if you try it!
Jem says
Another hit! Made this tonight exactly as written. The family loved it. Thank you!
Woohoo! We’re so glad to hear it, Jem. Thank you for sharing!
Gilly says
Hi! I don’t *love* artichokes and was wondering if you had any recommendations for something to replace them with.
Hi Gilly, We could see kalamata olives, jackfruit, or summer squash being nice. Let us know if you try it!
Caitlin says
Soooooo delicious and easy to make! Will be a new go to staple for me. I added beyond sausage instead of chorizo and it worked great!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Caitlin. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Arizona says
Hi! I’m a big fan of your recipes, especially the sweet ones :) I wanted to comment on this one, to let you know we have an “official” plant-based take on paella in València, which is called paella de verduras (vegetable paella), and it’s normally made with artichokes (like you used), spring onions, garrofó (butter beans), and some greens (not peppers). Ah! And I think you will get better results (crispier rice) if you don’t cover the pan, and only cover it for the last 5 minutes of the cooking process. I would not add the chorizo here, but I will definetely use it in other recipes, looks delicious!!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Arizona!
Beth Ann Schumacher says
Is there some other way to make Vegan Chorizo without soy? Thank you for considering my request.
Hi Beth Ann, you could try cooked lentils or pinto beans. We’d suggest pulsing them in the food processor for a smoother texture. Let us know if you try it!
Vicky says
Where did you buy saffron or do you have any recommendations on brands? Thanks
Hi Vicky, we got it at Trader Joe’s.
VICKY says
Thank you, I made it yesterday and it was amazing! The whole house smelled like a fancy restaurant and everyone loved it including my 3 year old!
Aw, love that! Thanks, Vicky! xo
Lola says
Oh, I will give this one a go! If I want to add vegan protein, e.g. Quorn “chicken” pieces or vegan sausages, at what point would you recommend to add them? Or cook separately and add at the end with saffron? What about premixed paella mix (containing saffron), add it in the beginning? Thank you!
Great! We’d suggest cooking separately then adding at the end. Similar to the way the vegan chorizo is used in this recipe. We aren’t familiar with premixed paella mix, so we’re not sure there. Let us know how it goes!
Monika Niemasik says
I am such a fan of your recipes, I browse your site daily. I made this and it was a hit with my family and neighbors! Next time I am going to consider using Cauliflower rice as a lower carb option.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Monika. Thank you for sharing!
Vicky says
So happy to see this on here! I grew up around paella but never liked the sea food in it, I’ve even fallen into ( luckily empty) paelleras lol
I can’t wait to make this! Do you think brown arborio rice is ok to use? I think it could work but asking the experts, thanks!
Yay! We’ve never experimented with brown arborio rice actually, so we’re not sure. Let us know how it goes!
Ashley Crawford says
Oh my gosh… So good and honestly, so easy to make. I normally always have to increase my seasonings and I didn’t with this recipe. I did use my own homemade tofu for the “meat”. The flavor was fantastic. Definitely worth making. I’ve never liked paella until now.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ashley! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Aimee T. says
This looks great and I’d love to try it, was curious what could be swapped in instead of peas for the non-peas lovers? :) edamame? Chopped green beans? I don’t want to freestyle and mess up the flavor! Thank you!
Hi Aimee, we think either of those ideas would be lovely! Let us know how it goes!
Aimee says
I just made it this past week with diced haricot vert green beans – it all turned out so great! My only weirdness was with how oily the marinated artichokes were but I got over that! Yummmm.
Wonderful! Thank you for the update, Aimee! xo
Dee Hughes says
Hi – Is there anything I can sub for the saffron? ~ Much Thanks ~ Dee
Hi Dee, saffron is a pretty key ingredient for classic paella flavor. But perhaps try subbing a little bit of ground turmeric for color? Let us know how it goes!
Marta Paunero says
Hey! Haven’t really tried (or fully read) this recipe but please don’t include the vegan chorizo in it! I’m Spanish and I’ve always wondered why overseas Paella recipes always include this ingredient? Which is never used in traditional Spanish Paella. ..just do you know :)
Hi Marta, as mentioned in the “what is paella” section, our version is inspired, not traditional. The vegan chorizo is optional, but we like adding it for making the meal feel more complete and nutritionally balanced in the absence of other protein sources. You can certainly leave it out, if preferred.
Sonia says
The paella combined with the vegan chorizo is absolutely delicious! Very yum
Thank you for sharing, Sonia! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Caroll Flores says
Can I use short grain brown rice instead?
Hi Caroll, we think it will be more prone to getting mushy, but might be okay! Let us know if you try it!
Teresa says
Could quinoa be substituted for the rice?
Hi Teresa, we think it will be more prone to getting mushy, but might work. If you try it, keep in mind that it won’t need to cook for as long. Let us know how it goes!
Erica says
Looks delicious! I love adding vegan sausage to my paella for extra protein.
Let us know if you give this one a try =)