How to Make Paella: The Mother of All One-Pot Meals

Paella might just be the mother of all one-pot dishes. Endlessly adaptable and packed with flavour. Today, I’m making a version with fish, chorizo, and king prawns that hits all the right notes: smoky, savoury, and satisfying. If you’ve never made paella at home before, this is the perfect place to start.

No paella pan? No problem. I’ll show you how to make it in a regular wide frying pan with simple ingredients, big flavour, and only one pot to clean.

Check Out The Recipe Video Below

How to Make Paella: The Mother of All One-Pot Meals

Ingredients

100g x Chorizo (diced)

1  x Brown Onion (finely diced)

1 x Red Bell Pepper (finely diced)

3 x Garlic Cloves (minced or grated)

6–8 x King Prawns (peeled (tails left on), deveined)

300g x White Fish (like sea bass, cut into chunks)

30ml x Olive Oil

150g x Chopped Tomatoes (fresh or canned)

8g (2 tsp) x  Smoked Paprika

200g x Paella Rice 

600ml x Stock (chicken, fish, or a combo - I used 400ml chicken + 200ml fish)

Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

To Garnish

Fresh Parsley 

Lemon wedges

Method

Prep the ingredients:

• Dice the chorizo into small cubes.

• Finely chop the onion, bell pepper, and garlic (or use a garlic press or microplane).

• Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the tails on for presentation.

• Cut the white fish into bite-sized chunks.

Cook the chorizo:

• Heat a wide frying pan (or paella pan) over medium heat.

• Add olive oil and the diced chorizo.

• Cook for 3–5 minutes until crisp and the fat renders out.

Build the base:

• Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

• Season with salt and black pepper.

• Cook for 4–5 minutes until soft.

Add tomato & spices:

• Stir in chopped tomatoes and smoked paprika.

• Cook for a minute, then add the rice.

Add stock & simmer:

• Stir to coat the rice in the mixture.

• Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.

• Do not stir again after this point.

• Let simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered.

Add the seafood:

• Once most of the stock is absorbed, arrange the chunks of fish and prawns on top.

• Let cook uncovered for another 10–15 minutes until the seafood is cooked through and the bottom begins to caramelise.

Rest:

• Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and let it rest for 5 minutes to finish steaming.

Garnish & serve:

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.