My Spanish vegetarian paella recipe is made with short-grain rice, broth, tomatoes, vegetables, and spices. The rice soaks up every bit of flavor, making it rich, hearty, and satisfying!
A Note From Kristen
I wanted to keep this vegetarian paella as authentic as possible while still delivering the same depth of flavor you’d expect from traditional versions. Everything cooks in one pan, and the rice slowly absorbs all that rich broth, tomatoes, and spices as it goes. I like that it feels straightforward but still comes together into something really satisfying. It’s a great reminder of how flavorful plant-based cooking can be. I hope you enjoy!
~Kristen
What is Paella?
Paella is an iconic rice dish from the region of Valencia. It’s known for its rich depth of flavor, signature golden color, and the wide, shallow pan used to cook it, called a paellera. It remains one of Spain’s most well-known and celebrated dishes.
A Note on Socarrat
Socarrat is the crispy rice layer found at the bottom of a perfect paella. People consider it the mark of a well-cooked dish, adding crunch and contrast to the softer rice above it. It forms once the vegetable broth has been fully absorbed by the rice, and then the rice at the bottom of the pan begins getting toasted. When making paella, the key to achieving socarrat is to make sure to let the rice cook undisturbed, without any stirring, towards the end. This leads to that toasted bottom forming properly!
Ingredient Notes
A few quick notes on the ingredients that matter most. Find the full ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Vegetable Paella
01
COOK ONION
Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
02
ADD GARLIC
Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
03
TOAST THE RICE
Add the rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly toast.
04
ADD SPICES
Add the smoked paprika, oregano, and saffron. Stir to coat the rice.
05
ADD TOMATOES
Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
06
ADD BROTH
Pour in the warm vegetable broth and stir once to combine.
07
ADD VEGGIES
Add the green beans and artichokes, spreading them across the pan.
08
SIMMER
Bring to a gentle simmer, then stop stirring. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
09
ADD PEAS
Scatter the peas over the top during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Once the liquid is absorbed, increase the heat slightly for 1 to 2 minutes to form a light crispy bottom, then remove from the heat.
11
SERVE
Let the paella rest for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Tasty Serving Ideas
- Serve with crusty bread on the side.
- Pair with a simple green salad.
- Serve alongside grilled or roasted vegetables.
- Top with garlic aioli, halloumi, toasted almonds, fresh parsley, or roasted chickpeas.
Perfect Paella Secrets
- Using warm broth helps cook the rice better while also keeping the temperature from dropping while on the burner.
- Allowing the vegetarian paella to sit for a few minutes before serving helps the flavor settle, making it tastier to eat.
- Don’t skip toasting the rice as it’s key to unlocking its nutty flavor!
I love using La Tienda’s paella kit for making paella and their terracotta cazuelas for serving!
More Delicious Spanish Recipes To Try
Easy Vegetarian Paella
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice I like to use bomba paella rice
- 2 teaspoons Spanish sweet smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- large pinch saffron threads
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth warm
- 1 1/2 cups green beans fresh or frozen
- 1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts canned or jarred, drained
- 3/4 cup peas fresh or frozen
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- lemon wedges for serving
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer.
- Add the rice and stir for 1–2 minutes to lightly toast it.
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, sweet paprika, oregano, and saffron. Stir quickly to coat the rice.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes.
- Pour in the warm vegetable broth. Stir once to distribute everything evenly.
- Add the green beans and artichokes, spreading them across the pan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then stop stirring. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Scatter the peas over the top in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Once the liquid is fully absorbed, increase heat slightly for 2–3 minutes to develop a light crispy bottom (socarrat), then remove from the heat.
- Let the paella rest for 5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper, and serve with lemon wedges.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using a third-party calculator and is an estimate only.
