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This Grilled Seafood Paella Recipe is a show-stopping one-pan dinner made with saffron rice, smoky chorizo, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, lobster tails, and grilled lemons. It’s cooked entirely on the grill for a lightly smoky flavor and finished with crispy rice on the bottom, making it perfect for summer entertaining, holidays, or any night you want a restaurant-worthy seafood dinner at home.
Table of Contents
- Kellie’s Note Paella-mazing Dinner
- Why You’ll Love This Paella Recipe
- What is Paella?
- Ingredients for Seafood Paella
- What Rice To Use for Paella
- How To Make Paella
- Tips for the Best Grilled Paella
- Paella Variations and Substitutions
- What To Serve With Paella
- Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- More Easy Seafood Recipes
- Grilled Seafood Paella Recipe
Kellie’s Note
Paella-mazing Dinner
I fell in love with Paella on the beach in the Dominican Republic and never looked back. I don’t know if it was the crispy rice on the bottom of the pan, the plethora of fresh seafood or the fact that I was eating the most amazing meal on a beautiful beach but I think about it every day.
That’s how this Seafood Paella recipe came to be, the inspiration needed to be replicated at home.
You don’t need to be a paella expert to make it. This easy seafood paella comes together with simple ingredients, a paella pan or large grill-safe skillet, and a few smart tips for getting tender seafood and flavorful rice every time.
This version is made on the grill, which gives the rice, chorizo, seafood, and lemons a lightly smoky flavor you just don’t get from the stovetop.
The rice cooks in a flavorful saffron-infused stock, then gets topped with grilled shrimp, scallops, lobster tails, clams, mussels, peas, parsley, and charred lemons. It’s hearty, colorful, and perfect for serving family-style right from the pan. You can even make it in the oven if you don’t have a grill.
Why You’ll Love This Paella Recipe
- Flexible: Use all shrimp, swap in your favorite shellfish, or make it in a large skillet if you don’t have a paella pan.
- Made on the grill: Cooking paella outside adds smoky flavor and keeps the kitchen cool.
- Loaded with seafood: Shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and lobster make this seafood paella feel extra special.
- Great for entertaining: Serve it family-style straight from the pan for a dramatic, crowd-pleasing dinner.
- Big flavor: Saffron, smoked paprika, chorizo, garlic, and grilled lemons give the rice bold Spanish-inspired flavor.
What is Paella?
Paella is a classic Spanish rice dish that originated in Valencia. It’s traditionally made in a wide, shallow pan so the rice cooks in an even layer and can form a crispy golden crust on the bottom.
There are many different versions of paella, including chicken paella, seafood paella, and mixed paella with both meat and seafood. This recipe skips the chicken and goes all in on seafood, with shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, lobster tails, chorizo, saffron rice, and grilled lemons.
While traditional paella is often cooked over an open flame, this grilled version is an easy way to get that same smoky, outdoor-cooked flavor at home.
Ingredients for Seafood Paella
- Stock: Seafood stock gives this paella the most seafood-forward flavor, but chicken stock also works well.
- Saffron: A small pinch adds golden color and classic paella flavor.
- Clams and mussels: These cook in the hot stock first, adding briny flavor to the cooking liquid.
- Shrimp, scallops, and lobster tails: These grill quickly and make the finished seafood paella feel extra special.
- Smoked paprika: Adds warm, smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the grill.
- Lemons: Grilling the lemons makes them sweeter, juicier, and lightly smoky.
- Olive oil: Helps sauté the aromatics and toast the rice.
- Spanish onion and garlic: Build the savory base of the paella.
- Chorizo: Adds smoky, rich flavor. Spanish-style chorizo works best.
- Tomato paste: Deepens the flavor and adds color to the rice.
- Rice: Use Spanish short-grain rice, bomba rice, Calasparra rice, Valencia rice, or Calrose rice for the best texture.
- Peas and parsley: Add color and freshness at the end.
What Rice To Use for Paella
The best rice for paella is a short-grain Spanish rice such as bomba, Calasparra, or Valencia rice. These varieties absorb flavorful stock without turning mushy and help create the classic paella texture.
If you can’t find Spanish rice, Calrose rice is a good grocery-store substitute. Arborio rice can work in a pinch, but it will create a creamier texture because it’s commonly used for risotto. Avoid jasmine or other long-grain rice if you want a more traditional paella-style result.
For the best texture, spread the rice into an even layer and avoid stirring too much once it begins absorbing the stock. This helps the bottom of the rice crisp into the golden layer known as socarrat.
How To Make Paella
- Warm the stock. Bring the seafood stock or chicken stock to a boil, then add the saffron.
- Cook the shellfish. Add the clams and cook until they open. Transfer to a platter, then repeat with the mussels.
- Season the seafood. Toss the shrimp, scallops, lobster tails, and lemons with smoked paprika and salt.
- Start the rice base. Heat olive oil in a paella pan or large grill-safe skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened.
- Add the aromatics. Stir in the garlic, then add the chorizo and cook for a few minutes.
- Toast the rice. Stir in the tomato paste and rice, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly toast the grains.
- Add the stock. Ladle the warm stock into the rice, a little at a time, allowing it to absorb before adding more.
- Grill the seafood. While the rice cooks, grill the shrimp, scallops, lobster tails, and lemons until cooked through and lightly charred.
- Finish the paella. Stir the peas into the rice, then top with the grilled seafood, clams, mussels, and lemons.
- Create the crispy bottom. Let the paella cook for a few more minutes without stirring so the bottom layer of rice can crisp.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
If you’re on a budget and find most of the shellfish expensive, you can easily make this a Shrimp Paella by omitting the other seafood and doubling the amount of shrimp called for in the recipe card below.
Tips for the Best Grilled Paella
- Preheat the grill: Medium-high heat, about 400°F to 450°F, works well for this recipe.
- Use a wide pan: A paella pan or large grill-safe skillet helps the rice cook in a thin, even layer.
- Rotate the pan: Grills have hot spots, so rotate the pan as needed for even cooking.
- Don’t over-stir the rice: Stirring too often can make the rice creamy instead of crisp.
- Look for socarrat: Let the paella cook undisturbed for the last few minutes so the bottom layer of rice gets crispy.
- Watch the seafood: Shrimp should be pink and opaque, scallops should be opaque and just firm, and lobster should be opaque throughout.
- Discard unopened shellfish: Any clams or mussels that do not open after cooking should be thrown away.
- Serve right away: Paella has the best texture when served hot from the grill or the oven.
Paella Variations and Substitutions
- Shrimp Paella: Skip the scallops, lobster, clams, and mussels, and double the shrimp.
- Budget-Friendly Paella: Use shrimp and mussels only, or swap lobster for firm white fish.
- Seafood Stock: Use seafood stock for deeper flavor, or chicken stock if that’s what you have.
- No Paella Pan: Use a large grill-safe skillet or cast iron pan. Make sure it’s wide enough for the rice to spread out.
- Stovetop Paella: Cook the recipe in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat on the stovetop.
- No Chorizo: Leave it out for a seafood-only version, or replace it with extra shrimp or vegetables.
- Add Vegetables: Bell peppers, artichokes, green beans, or roasted red peppers are all great additions.
- No Lobster: Use extra shrimp, scallops, mussels, or clams instead.
What To Serve With Paella
Seafood paella is hearty enough to serve on its own, but it’s also wonderful with simple sides. Try it with:
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
Paella is best served right after cooking, when the rice is tender, the seafood is freshly grilled, and the bottom layer of rice is crisp.
- To prep ahead, scrub the shellfish, chop the onion and garlic, slice the chorizo, measure the rice, and cut the lemons up to 1 day in advance.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of stock or water until hot. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, but the seafood may become firmer.
- Freezing seafood paella is not recommended because the rice can turn mushy and the seafood can become rubbery.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
If you love this seafood paella recipe, try these easy seafood favorites next:
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Easy Shrimp Ceviche
- Sautéed Garlic Butter Crab Legs
- Seafood Gumbo
- The Best Crab Cakes Ever
- Best Grilled Lobster Tail
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Easy Cod Fish Tacos with Avocado Ranch Dressing
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Grilled Seafood Paella Recipe
Equipment
- 1 paella pan
- grill
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- spatula
Ingredients
- 5 cups seafood stock or chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
- 1 pound scallops
- 3 4-ounce lobster tails, split in half
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped Spanish onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups sliced Spanish chorizo
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups Spanish short-grain rice, bomba rice, Calasparra rice, Valencia rice, or Calrose rice
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400°F to 450°F.
- In a medium stock pot, bring the seafood stock or chicken stock to a boil over medium heat. Add the saffron and boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the clams to the pot and cook until the shells open, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the clams to a platter with a slotted spoon.
- Add the mussels to the pot and cook until the shells open, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to the platter with the clams. Cover and set aside. Discard any clams or mussels that do not open.
- In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp, scallops, lobster tails, and lemons with the smoked paprika and salt. Set aside.
- Place the paella pan or a large grill-safe skillet over high heat on the grill. Add the olive oil and heat for 1 minute.
- Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chorizo and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until well combined and dark red in color.
- Stir in the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to lightly toast the grains.
- Add 2 cups of the reserved saffron stock to the rice and stir to combine. Let the rice absorb the stock for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Continue adding the stock, 1 cup at a time, letting the rice absorb most of the liquid before adding more. Spread the rice into an even layer as it cooks.
- While the rice cooks, place the shrimp, scallops, lobster tails, and lemons directly on the grill rack. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until the seafood is cooked through and opaque. Grill the lemons until charred on all sides. Transfer everything to the platter with the clams and mussels.
- Stir the peas into the rice mixture. Top with the grilled seafood, clams, mussels, and lemons.
- Let the paella cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes without stirring so a crispy crust forms on the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the paella from the grill and transfer it to a heatproof trivet. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- For the best texture, use Spanish short-grain rice such as bomba, Calasparra, or Valencia rice. Calrose rice is a good substitute. Arborio rice can work in a pinch, but it will create a creamier texture. Avoid jasmine or other long-grain rice for the most traditional paella-style result.
- Seafood stock will give this recipe the most seafood-forward flavor, but chicken stock also works well.
- Use Spanish-style chorizo for the best smoky flavor.
- Discard any clams or mussels that do not open after cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of stock or water until hot.
- Freezing is not recommended because the rice can become mushy and the seafood can turn rubbery.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this Grilled Seafood Paella Recipe, please leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to know what seafood you used and whether you made it on the grill or stovetop!
Yes. Use a large grill-safe skillet or cast iron pan. The wider the pan, the better, because paella cooks best when the rice is spread into a thin, even layer.
Yes. Cook it in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat on the stovetop. Follow the same steps, adjusting the heat as needed so the rice simmers steadily without burning.
Yes. Thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator overnight, pat it dry, and make sure clams and mussels are cleaned before cooking.
You can use shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, lobster, calamari, crab, or firm white fish. For a budget-friendly version, use all shrimp or a mix of shrimp and mussels.
Shrimp should be pink and opaque, scallops should be opaque and just firm, lobster should be opaque throughout, and clams and mussels should open. Discard any shellfish that do not open.
Socarrat is the crispy golden layer of rice that forms on the bottom of the pan. To create it, let the paella cook undisturbed for the last few minutes.
Yes, but use a larger paella pan or divide the recipe between two pans so the rice stays in a thin layer and cooks evenly.
Hello, Amy your paella looks delicious!hmm yummy!Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this Amy – looks so good!