Vegetarian and Vegan Mixed Vegetable Paella

Vegetarian paella may seem odd, but it lends itself perfectly to being a vegetable-based dinner, my version features artichokes and fennel.

This dish takes around an hour to cook which includes all of the preparation, but most of that time is hands-off cooking.

Veggie Paella with Artichokes and Fennel

Paella seems to have a longstanding association with seafood and or meat. But I think it is a dish that lends itself to both vegetarian and vegan cooking.

I already have a couple of paella recipes here. A take on a traditional paella Valenciana with rabbit and chicken which sits alongside a superb prawn and chorizo paella.

My latest offering is a glorious vegetable paella which shares many ingredients and the same technique as my previous offerings.

The lack of meat or seafood doesn’t diminish the dish at all. On the contrary, it allows room for more yummy veggies.

Alongside the onion, green beans and artichokes which all appear in my previous offerings, we now have room for sweet peppers and anise-rich fennel.

It’s a really easy cook, especially once you have made it a couple of times to get your pan temperatures spot on… and most importantly it is absolutely delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different vegetables?

Yes, use anything you have lying around! But make sure they will stand up to the 30-odd minute cooking time and not turn to mush.

I would avoid root vegetables though because they will not have enough time in the stock to cook. You may just get away with squash or pumpkin if cut small enough.

Do I have to use a paella pan?

No, you can use a similarly sized regular frying pan. But you should try and make it nonstick so that you get that nicely browned “socarat” at the bottom of the pan.

Why do you not wash the rice?

You should never wash or rinse paella rice. In fact, when it goes in the pan you shouldn’t even stir it.

Try and pour it evenly over the pan, and if needed make sure it is submerged in the stock. Then let the food gods do their work.

My rice is not cooking at the sides, what am I doing wrong?

This usually happens if the heat source below the pan is not large enough. Either that or your hob is set too high. Don’t worry, you can rescue this!

If you are getting a lot of boiling in the centre of the pan this is a sign you may struggle with this issue. It is important to reduce the heat at this point.

If this does not solve the problem, drizzle a little extra stock around the edges of the dish, cover the pan with foil and finish the rice in the oven.

Serving Suggestions

I consider a bowl of paella to be the perfect one-pot meal and the vegetable-loaded vegetarian offering is no different.

Having said that I often add some salad leaves or a nice simple dressed green salad and a few wedges of lemon on the side.

There is a lot of food here, but if you want even more then bread is always a great option.

I’ll typically toast off a slice of ciabatta and rub it with some garlic.

But if you are a baker and want something a little more “Spanish” then this pan rustico would be ideal.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob or Stovetop.
• Paella pan, I use a 28cm or 11″ pan designed to be used on an induction hob made by Vaello. You could use a similarly sized frying pan.
• Chopping board.
• Grater.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and or a combination of a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
• Kettle to boil water for the stock.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Kitchen foil.