Instant Pot Paella (with frozen seafood)

Ingredients

	2 cups of frozen seafood – any type of frozen shrimp, prawns, mussels, calamari rings, or scallops. (If you are using fresh seafood, cook it separately in advance, and add it after to the paella.)
	4 cups of rice – Spanish bomba or Italian arborio rice is typically best for a paella as they are short-grained rice.
	1 chopped white onion, fresh or frozen.
	1/2 chopped red and green bell peppers
	1 cup of frozen green peas. (Fresh green peas will overcook and dissolve into the paella.)
	2 chopped large tomatoes or 1 can of whole-peeled tomatoes
	(Optional) 1 chopped chorizo sausage – Spanish traditionalists don’t usually add chorizo in their paella, but I will say is absolutely delicious as it adds a ton of juices and flavor.

Spices and flavoring ingredients:

	5 cups of chicken stock
	4 crushed garlic cloves or 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
	1 tablespoon of paprika
	1 teaspoon of saffron or turmeric
	1 tablespoon of olive oil to sauté the garlic
	(Optional) 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
	Pinch of salt and pepper

How to make paella in the Instant pot

1. Chop the onions, peppers, and tomatoes.
2. Sauté the onions, chorizo, and crushed garlic in olive oil using the Instant Pot’s Sauté function for a few minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
4. Seal the lid and cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 5 minutes.
5. Quick release the pressure once the timer finishes.
6. Stir the paella gently, fluffing the rice.
7. Serve warm.

If you’re looking for the perfect one-pot rice recipe to cook for an easy weeknight dinner, this Instant pot seafood paella recipe may be just what you need. It’s easy to make and delicious to eat, which is why it’s no surprise that this is our household.

Paella is considered a national dish in Spain, and there are many variations to the traditional recipe. The most common ingredients in paella recipes are rice, shrimp, mussels, peas, peppers and saffron.

Now, I usually get a pack of frozen seafood at my local grocery store that includes shrimp, mussels and calamari, so I can just put the whole thing in.

With the flavors of the tomatoes, peppers and saffron, this is a recipe that is high in protein and low in fat. The biggest controversy will be deciding whether to add in the chorizo or not!

Type of rice for paella

The best rice for a paella is short-grained rices like the Spanish bomba or Italian arborio rice. You can also use French riz de camargue, which is also traditionally used in a paella.

Note, Basmati rice is a long-grain rice and unfortunately does not do well in a paella.

Cooking tips

• Seafood cooks quickly, so if you are using fresh seafood, you will want cook it separately in advance. Just add it after to the paella, as otherwise it will get overcooked in the Instant Pot.
• Make sure all the shells are off of any seafood that you add to the Instant pot. For instance, all shrimp should be cleaned and deveined before adding it into the Instant pot.

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Other seafood recipes

• Baked salmon with hollandaise sauce
• Seafood vermicelli noodle bowl
• Tuna wheat berry salad with balsamic vinaigrette
• Instant pot lemon garlic scallops pasta
• Instant Pot shrimp fried rice