Paella is a Valencian rice dish traditionally made with meats and seafood. I came up with this vegan version with brown rice instead of white. It’s super-flavorful and although it may seem hard to make, prep time is only about 15 minutes and active cooking time is about 15 minutes; the rest is all slow baking done in the oven. And, guess what? Paella is actually a perfect summer picnic dish because it serves well at room temperature and can be carried well in a picnic basket.
Arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, making sure you have ample space between racks for a Dutch oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.
Add shallots and a pinch of salt and cook until onions are tender and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add garlic and tomatoes until the mixture thickens.
Add rice and mix well until grains are well coated.
Stir in beans, broth, wine, saffron, and 1 tsp. salt.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven.
Bake for about 50 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
While the rice is in the oven, line a large-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
On the baking sheet, combine artichokes, peppers, chopped olives, 1 tbsp. oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few dashes of freshly ground black pepper.
Toss to combine, then spread contents evenly across the baking sheet.
Add to the oven and roast vegetables for 40 minutes on the upper rack until tender and brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let the vegetables cool for a few minutes.
Add parsley and lemon juice to the vegetables and toss gently.
Add salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
Putting everything together and distributing roasted vegetables over baked rice, cover, and let paella sit for 5 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!
You can store your leftover Vegetarian Paella in an airtight container after it is cooled for up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
You can keep in the freezer in an airtight container for about 1 month.
When reheating, add to a pan on medium-low heat with some broth until heated all the way through. This will help you retain the same texture when it was originally cooked.
Here are some other vegetables that work well with this vegetarian paella; cauliflower, asparagus, and portobello mushrooms.
Saffron is quite an expensive spice but a little goes a long way.
You can make the roasted vegetables ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just reheat the vegetables and add them to the cooked rice.
What is the best rice for paella? Short grain brown rice or arborio works best. Basmati, Sushi, and Jasmine rice are too soft and will make the consistency of this dish very soft and mushy.
Check out these two popular vegan rice dishes that will be sure to please every taste bud in your family! Pea Pulao, Dal Chawal Arancini