Description
This one-pot seafood rice is a vibrant and satisfying dish packed with shrimp, mussels, and calamari simmered with fragrant rice, tomatoes, and spices. It’s a deliciously easy way to enjoy a seafood feast with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 8 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 6 oz calamari rings
- ½ cup frozen peas
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges for serving
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch saffron threads or ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
Liquids & Staples
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups long-grain rice (jasmine or basmati)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
- 3 cups seafood or chicken broth
Instructions
- Prepare the Aromatics: In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft. Then stir in the minced garlic and diced red bell pepper, cooking for another 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Spices and Rice: Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and ground cumin, then add the long-grain rice. Stir thoroughly to coat the rice evenly in the spices and oil.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, seafood or chicken broth, and the pinch of saffron threads or turmeric. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer Covered: Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook undisturbed for 10 minutes, allowing it to absorb the flavors and liquid.
- Add Seafood: Carefully uncover the pot and gently fold in the shrimp, mussels, and calamari. Re-cover and simmer for an additional 8–10 minutes, or until the seafood is fully cooked and the rice is tender.
- Finish with Peas: In the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas to heat through without overcooking.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pot from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes to let the flavors settle. Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley on top and serve the seafood rice with fresh lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Notes
- You can use a frozen mixed seafood blend if fresh seafood isn’t available.
- Add chili flakes for a spicy kick.
- Swap in chorizo for a surf-and-turf twist.
