Tomato Sauce Paella

This is a tomato-forward paella, built on a generous three pounds of peeled Roma tomatoes that break down into the rice as it cooks, giving the whole pot a deep, ruddy color and a rich background sweetness that classic paellas with just a smear of tomato paste cannot match.

Saffron threads do the rest. A half teaspoon is enough to perfume the entire casserole and stain the rice that signature golden-orange. Drop the threads into the hot stock before adding to the pan so they bloom fully, otherwise you waste the most expensive ingredient on the shelf.

The build order matters here. Brown the chicken first to develop fond, soften onion and red pepper next, then toast the rice in the seasoned oil so each grain coats up before the liquid hits. This is where paella gets its depth.

Add the seafood in stages, shrimp at the 25 minute mark, then clams and mussels at the very end. They cook fast and rubberize if added too early, so resist the urge to dump everything in at once.

Pro Tips

• Use a wide, shallow pan rather than a tall pot. Paella needs a thin layer of rice for the prized socarrat (the crusty caramelized bottom). A traditional paellera is ideal.
• Do not stir once the rice goes in. Stirring releases starch and turns paella into risotto. Resist the urge.
• Discard any clams or mussels that do not open after a few minutes of cooking, those were dead before they hit the pot.
• Let the paella rest covered for 5 minutes off the heat before serving, this finishes the rice and lets juices redistribute.

Variations

• Add a half cup of frozen peas with the seafood for a pop of green and a touch of sweetness.
• Stir in a teaspoon of smoked paprika with the rice for a deeper, smokier base flavor.
• Add half a pound of sliced chorizo when you brown the chicken for a richer, meatier paella mixta.