GRILLED SEAFOOD PAELLA

Grilled Seafood Paella is a crowd-pleasing dish loaded with seafood, sausage, and rice. This recipe is rich with flavor and is really simple to make because it is made entirely on the grill.

Seafood Paella

We had another beautiful spring day yesterday and I spent it working all day.  BUT this time, I took my work outside to whip up a few grill recipes I’ll be sharing this week!  Like this Grilled Seafood Paella recipe.  Yeah, that’s right…I made everything for this dish right on the grill!  I took the pots and pans outside, in the fresh air…and made a meal that I can’t stop looking at.

What is Paella?

Paella is a traditional dish originating in Valencia. Made mostly of rice and stock, similar to a risotto, it’s one of the best known dishes in Spain. 

This Seafood Paella is inspired by a dish I had on vacation in the Dominican Republic. Cooked over hot coals in a paella pan the size of Canada, this recipe totally stole my heart. Heavy on the shellfish with grilled lemons for seasoning, you can easily make this recipe at home on your own grill or in your oven.

Authentic paella is often made with rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood cooked and served in one pan. I skip the chicken in this recipe and go all in on the seafood.

How To Make Paella

1. Bring the seafood stock (or chicken stock) to a boil over medium heat.
2. Add the saffron and the clams. Cook until opened.
3. Add the mussels and cook until opened.
4. Toss the shrimp, scallops, lobster tail and lemon with paprika and salt.
5. Heat the olive oil in the paella pan.
6. Cook the onions, garlic and chorizo.
7. Stir in the tomato paste and rice.
8. Add the stock 1 cup at a time to the rice until all the stock is used.
9. Grill the shrimp, scallops, lobster and lemon on the grill rack and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
10. Stir the peas into the rice.
11. Top with the shellfish and lemons.
12. Cook the paella over medium high heat for 3-4 more minutes until a crust forms on the bottom of the pan.
13. Transfer to a trivet and serve immediately!

If you’re on a budget and find most of the shellfish expensive, you can easily make this a Shrimp Paella by omitting the other seafood and doubling the amount of shrimp called for in the recipe card below.

What Rice To Use

You’ll want to use a medium grain rice when making this easy paella recipe. I’ve used Arborio and Jasmine rice with excellent results. The shorter, rounder grains soak up the liquid quickly making them perfect for paella.

What To Serve With Paella

Serve the best paella recipe with some crisp tortilla chips and The Very Best Guacamole Recipe. Wash it all down with some margaritas! 

Can it be made in advance?

You can make this easy paella recipe in advance! It’s great for entertaining because everything can be cooked up to a day in advance and then reheated on the grill. I do enjoy it right after cooking it for best results but it’s definitely do-able if you make it ahead of time.