Spanish baked rice with shrimp and peas with saffron Recipe
This bake is reminiscent of a small paella, but it’s simpler – the rice, shrimp, and green peas cook together in one dish, soaking up the aroma of saffron and garlic. In Spanish homes, dishes like this often land on the table at the weekend, when the family gathers for a relaxed lunch. It’s an easy way to capture the feel of coastal Spain without standing over a pan for a long time.
This dish combines the sunny flavors of Spain with the convenience of a one-pan oven bake. The rice absorbs the aromatic saffron stock, while the shrimp and peas cook gently on top, so you get a paella-like effect without having to watch the pan constantly. It’s impressive enough for guests but relaxed and easy for a weekend family meal.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality stock, as it’s the main source of flavor for the rice. Don’t overcook the shrimp – they should be just pink and opaque, not rubbery. If your oven tends to dry food out, you can add a little extra stock before baking or keep the dish covered for most of the time, uncovering only at the end if you want a slightly drier top.
How to serve
Serve with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon, or with tomato salad sprinkled with sea salt and oregano. Put lemon wedges on the table so everyone can adjust the acidity to their taste. Warm crusty bread is also a nice addition to soak up the flavorful juices.
Ingredients
- rice - 300 g
- shrimp - 300 g
- peas frozen or fresh - 150 g
- vegetable stock hot - 800 ml
- saffron threads - 0.25 teaspoons
- onion - 1 small piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- white wine dry - 80 ml
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- lemon - 1 piece
- flat-leaf parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw them in advance and pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat the stock in a saucepan almost to boiling. Add the saffron threads, turn off the heat, and set aside for 5–10 minutes so the saffron releases its color and aroma.
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash the pepper, remove the core and seeds, and cut into thin strips. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan or wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic and pepper and fry for another 3–4 minutes, until the pepper softens slightly.
- Add the rice to the pan, stir, and fry for 1–2 minutes, until each grain is lightly coated in fat and turns slightly glassy-white.
- Pour in the white wine, stir, and cook for 1–2 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Transfer the contents of the pan to an ovenproof dish (or use the pan if it is oven-safe). Pour in the hot saffron stock, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and take off the foil. Evenly scatter the frozen peas and shrimp over the top. Gently press them into the rice, but do not stir everything together.
- Cover again and bake for another 10–12 minutes, until the rice is tender and the shrimp are pink and opaque in the center.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the rice can “relax.” Sprinkle the dish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing at the table.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is my go-to recipe when I want the feeling of a paella feast without the pressure of cooking it in a traditional pan. The oven does most of the work, and I can relax with guests while it bakes. The saffron is worth using here – even a small pinch transforms the whole dish.
