Paleo diet basics

PAELLA

If you’ve ever had paella, then you know how complex and savory the flavors are. It’s a Spanish rice dish usually infused with saffron and loaded with lots of seafood and sometimes meat. Because the rice is arguably the main ingredient, a Paleo paella might seem a little counterintuitive, but this one has many of the same spices (including saffron, which gives paella its gorgeous color), as well as the more typical shrimp, chicken, and sausage. SERVES 6

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK TIME: 1 hour, 40 minutes

1 large onion, sliced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 head garlic

1 pound (454 g) asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound (454 g) Italian sausage

1 pound (454 g) boneless chicken breast, diced

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground paprika

½ cup white wine (optional; omit if strict Paleo)

1½ cups chicken broth

2 pounds (907 g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pinch saffron threads

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. On a baking sheet, sprinkle the onion with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cut the top off the head of garlic, remove the outer papery skin, and wrap the head in aluminum foil. Roast the onion and garlic for 20 minutes.
3. Transfer the cooked onion to a large bowl, leaving the garlic on the baking sheet. Put the asparagus on the baking sheet with the garlic, and roast them together for 10 minutes more. Remove the asparagus from the oven, and add to the bowl with the onion. Return the garlic to the oven to roast alone for 10 more minutes.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until the whole outside is browned, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove, slice, and return to the skillet. Continue to cook, flipping and stirring, until browned inside, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove it from the skillet, and put it in the bowl with the onion and asparagus.
5. Sauté the chicken in the sausage fat until the outsides are browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the paprika, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Pour in the wine or some chicken broth and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, and then add the rest of the chicken broth. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp and the roasted garlic. Stir and cook until the shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes, and then return the onion, asparagus, sausage, and chicken to the skillet. Add the saffron, and continue to cook on low until ready to serve.

VARIATION 1 PAELLA WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE: Since traditional paella is cooked with rice, you can create a more authentic, but still Paleo, version of the dish by serving this on top of a bed of Plain Cauliflower Rice (here).

VARIATION 2 LOBSTER PAELLA: Make this paella extra special by serving it topped with lobster tails, steamed in an inch or two of water for about 8 minutes.

PREP TIP: You can cook all the ingredients ahead of time and throw them together 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve it.

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This Paleo paella skips the rice and piles the pan high with roasted garlic, asparagus, Italian sausage, chicken, and sweet shrimp instead. The onion roasts low and slow until it's jammy, then everything comes together in one big skillet with smoky paprika and a splash of wine. It's a festive, shareable feast that just happens to be grain-free.

Pro Tips

• Roast the garlic and onion first and let them go far past translucent — that slow sweetness is what gives the dish its depth without rice.
• Brown the sausage and chicken in batches; crowding the skillet steams the meat and you lose the fond that flavors everything.
• Add the shrimp at the very end — they need only 3 to 4 minutes and overcooked shrimp ruin an otherwise great pan.
• A wide cast iron skillet gives the best presentation and the most browned bits clinging to the bottom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is paella really Paleo without rice?

Traditional paella isn't, but this version replaces the grain with roasted asparagus and a mountain of vegetables while keeping the smoky, savory spirit of the dish.

Can I make this paella ahead of time?

Cook everything except the shrimp ahead, then rewarm and finish with the shrimp just before serving so they stay snappy and tender.

What sausage works best?

Italian sausage with good spice and fat content. Choose a sugar-free variety to keep it strictly Paleo, and remove the casings if you prefer crumbles.

Can I skip the white wine?

Yes — the recipe notes to omit it for strict Paleo. Deglaze with a splash of chicken broth and add a squeeze of lemon at the end instead.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

PAELLA

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 head garlic
• 1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast, diced
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• ½ cup white wine (optional; omit if strict Paleo)
• 2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• On a baking sheet, sprinkle the onion with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cut the top off the head of garlic, remove the outer papery skin, and wrap the head in aluminum foil. Roast the onion and garlic for 20 minutes.

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Transfer the cooked onion to a large bowl, leaving the garlic on the baking sheet.
3. Put the asparagus on the baking sheet with the garlic, and roast them together for 10 minutes more.
4. Remove the asparagus from the oven, and add to the bowl with the onion. Return the garlic to the oven to roast alone for 10 more minutes.
5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until the whole outside is browned, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
6. Remove, slice, and return to the skillet.
7. Continue to cook, flipping and stirring, until browned inside, 5 to 7 minutes more.
8. Remove it from the skillet, and put it in the bowl with the onion and asparagus.
9. Sauté the chicken in the sausage fat until the outsides are browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
10. Add the paprika, and season with salt and pepper.
11. Pour in the wine or some chicken broth and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, and then add the rest of the chicken broth.
12. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
13. Add the shrimp and the roasted garlic.
14. Stir and cook until the shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes, and then return the onion, asparagus, sausage, and chicken to the skillet.
15. Add the saffron, and continue to cook on low until ready to serve.

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