Vegetarian Paella: Low-calorie And Tasty

Vegetarian paella is ideal as a first course for a light lunch or dinner. It is balanced and tasty at the same time.

A vegetarian paella has nothing to envy to a classic paella. If you are looking for a low-calorie, nutritious and tasty dish, this Spanish recipe is for you. And the preparation takes no more than 40 minutes.

Paella is a typical first course of the Valencian Community, but over the years it has become one of the symbols of Spanish cuisine, one of the most requested by tourists.

The best known version includes meat and seafood, but there are variants for all tastes, such as our vegetarian paella .

Vegetarian paella: first recipe

Ingredients (for 4 or 5 people)

• 1 onion
• olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic
• vegetable broth
• 1 broccoli
• 3 artichokes
• 1 can of peas (125 g)
• 2 cups of brown rice (400 g)
• mushrooms (200 g)
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 red and 1 green pepper
• green beans (200 g)
• Condiments: salt, black pepper, saffron or turmeric, sweet paprika

Preparation

1. First, cut all the vegetables into small pieces, except for the green beans which, if you prefer, you can leave in half.
2. Boil the green beans separately, without adding salt or vinegar.
3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into large chunks and reduce them to cream with an immersion blender.
4. Leave the green beans a little crunchy. Turn off the heat and let them cool in the cooking water.
5. Sauté the peppers and carrots in a little oil first, as they take longer to cook.
6. Once golden, add the chopped onion, two cloves of garlic and the mushrooms. Stir often to prevent sticking. 
7. Once cooked, add the broccoli, thinly sliced ​​artichokes and peas.
8. Now pour in the rice and a little hot broth. Cook for a while and then pour in the rest of the broth and the tomato cream. 
9. Stir to combine all the ingredients and to prevent the paella from sticking.
10. Finally, season with salt and add a little sweet pepper.
11. Once the broth has dried completely, the paella is ready. Cooking can take about twenty minutes, depending on the quality of the rice.
12. Turn off the heat and cover your vegetarian paella with a clean, dry towel. Let it rest for about ten minutes before serving.

Vegetarian paella: second recipe

Ingredients (for 3 or 4 people)

• ½ onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 4 cups of vegetable broth (1 liter)
• 2 or 3 medium tomatoes
• a handful of green beans (50 g)
• 1/2 can of peas (62.5 g)
• 1 cup of brown or basmati rice (200 g)
• ½ red and ½ green pepper
• Artichoke hearts (100 g)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
• Seasonings: Salt, black pepper (to taste), 2 teaspoons of turmeric (10 g), 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika (5 g)
• Optional: saffron can be used instead of turmeric.

Preparation

1. First boil the rice, following the package directions. In general, two glasses of water are needed for each glass of rice. Do not let it overcook, al dente cooking is perfect. 
2. Chop the onion and, if you like the flavor, also the garlic. Wash and slice the julienne peppers.
3. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices and set aside.
4. In a pan with olive oil, brown the onion and garlic.
5. As soon as they are softened, add the peppers. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, without stopping stirring. All the ingredients must be golden brown. 
6. At this point you can add the sliced ​​tomato. Close with a lid and continue cooking for 8 – 10 minutes, so that the tomato releases its flavor.
7. Add the thinly sliced ​​artichoke hearts, green beans and peas. Cook everything over high heat for another 5 minutes. Now add the cooked rice, the hot vegetable broth and the spices.
8. Let the broth consume. Turn off, cover your vegetarian paella with a lid and let it rest for about ten minutes before serving.

Both recipes are tasty and with excellent nutritional content. Including a vegetarian paella in our diet is a good food choice, ideal for both lunch and dinner.