Vegetable Paella

300g Paella rice (you can substitute with arborio rice if you can’t find paella rice)

1 litre low salt vegetable stock

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 red peppers, thinly sliced

100g frozen peas

3 tbsp parsley

2 tbsp smoked paprika

5-6 olives, thinly sliced

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: a pinch of saffron threads

-In a large frying pan fry the onion in a little oil for 4-5 minutes until soft

-Add the garlic, peppers and carrot and fry for a further 5 minutes

-Stir in the rice, then add the parsley, smoked paprika, saffron (if using) and vegetable stock and simmer uncovered on a low heat for 15 minutes

NOTE: Unlike risotto, paella doesn’t need to be stirred frequently, as you are aiming for a thin crispy almost burnt layer at the bottom of the rice

-After the first 15 mins stir in the frozen peas and olives then cover the pan, cooking on a low heat for a further 12-15 minutes until the rice is cooked and the veggies are soft

-Leave the rice to stand for a few minutes before adding the lemon juice, salt and pepper and fluffing up the rice with a fork 

🌱Suitable for Vegans

👶🏻Suitable for babies from 6 months (omit the olives for very young babies to keep the salt content lower)

❄️Can be frozen for up to 3 months

Have a go at making this delicious vegetable paella, and let us know how you get on – or post a photo of the finished result and tag us @doddl.