Few dishes capture the feeling of sharing good food quite like a seafood paella. Loaded with tender octopus, sweet king prawns, fresh mussels and juicy clams, this one-pan recipe is packed with the flavours of the sea while remaining simple enough to recreate at home.
Traditionally, paella is made with saffron, which gives the rice its signature golden colour and delicate floral aroma. If you can’t find saffron, or simply don’t want to spend the extra money, turmeric is an excellent alternative. While it doesn’t have the same flavour as saffron, it creates that beautiful golden colour and adds a subtle earthy note that works brilliantly in this dish.
This is exactly how I like to cook—using quality ingredients where they matter, making smart substitutions when needed, and creating restaurant-quality food that anyone can make at home. Gather everyone around the table, squeeze over some fresh lemon, and enjoy every bite.
Recipe
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 300g paella rice
- 200g raw king prawns, peeled
- 200g cooked octopus, sliced
- 500g fresh mussels, cleaned
- 300g fresh clams, cleaned
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric (or a generous pinch of saffron threads if available)
- 750ml hot fish stock
- 100g frozen peas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
1. Cook the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a wide paella pan or large frying pan.
Cook the onion and red pepper for 5–6 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Build the base
Stir in the tomato purée, smoked paprika and turmeric (or saffron).
Cook for one minute before adding the paella rice.
Stir to coat every grain.
3. Add the stock
Pour in the hot fish stock.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Stir once, then avoid stirring again to allow the rice to cook properly and develop the famous socarrat (the crispy layer on the bottom).
4. Add the seafood
After about 12–15 minutes, add the octopus, king prawns, mussels, clams and peas.
Cook for another 8–10 minutes until:
- The prawns are pink
- The mussels and clams have opened
- The rice is tender
Discard any mussels or clams that remain closed.
5. Finish
Increase the heat for the final minute or two to crisp up the base.
Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Finish with chopped parsley and plenty of fresh lemon.
Chef’s Tips
- Saffron is the traditional choice, but turmeric is a great budget-friendly substitute if saffron isn’t available.
- Don’t keep stirring once you’ve added the stock.
- Use hot stock so the cooking temperature stays consistent.
- Fresh seafood will always give the best flavour, but good-quality frozen seafood works well too.
- Resting the paella for 5 minutes makes a noticeable difference to the texture.
Approximate Nutrition (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 560 kcal |
| Protein | 38g |
| Carbohydrates | 56g |
| Fat | 18g |
| Fibre | 5g |
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