Ina Garten Paella Salad (Easy Recipe)

This Ina Garten Paella Salad will feed a party and look good doing it.

This colorful dish hails from Valencia, Spain, and is considered one of the most famous dishes in Spanish cuisine. Paella translates to “frying pan”, and refers to the wide pan the dish is traditionally cooked in.

One of Paella’s defining characteristics is that it’s packed with plenty of ingredients. This paella salad features chicken breasts, shrimp, and vegetables like bell pepper and tomatoes.

Savory Spanish flavors like saffron and curry help tie all these ingredients together into one delicious dish.

With its festive colors and flavors, this summer paella salad is the perfect meal for parties and celebrations!

Customizing Ina Garten’s Paella Salad

This paella salad is a fresher, lighter take on a traditional Spanish paella. While typical paella is fully cooked, this salad paella incorporates fresh vegetables like bell pepper and celery.

But Ina’s recipe keeps the essence of paella with ingredients like saffron and chicken stock.

Rather than fennel seeds and crushed red pepper flakes, I’ve included chopped tomatoes. They add a nice acidity and a pop of color. And they pair deliciously with the shrimp and mussels.

I know these changes might not be for everyone. So, if you prefer to follow Ina Garten’s recipe exactly, you can find it in her cookbook “Make it Ahead”.

Easy Tips for the Best Ina Garten Paella Salad

• Use short-grain Spanish rice for authentic paella. Bomba rice is a popular choice for paella because it will absorb the flavors without getting sticky.

  Bahia, Calasparra, and Senia are other great options too.I know not every grocery store carries Spanish rice, so any medium-grain rice will do.

• Avoid using glutinous varieties of rice, such as jasmine or japonica.


• Cook with a large shallow pan. If you can find a paella pan that’s wonderful, but any large thin metal pan will do. A large shallow pan ensures the paella cooks evenly, and allows the liquid to cook off faster.


• Don’t use a lid. Cooking paella uncovered allows the rice to keep a tender but dry texture. The rice will steam and turn out mushy if you use a lid.


• Don’t stir the paella once it’s simmering. Leave the rice alone while it boils so the grains stay nice and separated. Stirring will ruin this texture.

Method

1. Season the Chicken Stock
   

   Pour the chicken broth into a large saucepan. Stir in the saffron and let it come to a boil. Add 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper, and the curry powder.

   When the broth reaches a simmer, take it off the stove and set it aside.
   

2. Saute Onions and Garlic
   

   Heat the Dutch oven on medium low heat and add olive oil. Sauté the chopped onions for about 5 minutes or until they become soft. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
   

3. Add Rice
   

   Pour the rice into the Dutch oven and stir so it gets coated with the flavored oil. Let the rice toast for about 2 minutes.
   

4. Add Stock and Simmer
   

   Add the seasoned chicken stock from earlier to the Dutch oven. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the rice simmer for about 10 minutes.

   Do not cover the Dutch oven while the rice is cooking.
   

5. Cook the Chicken and Shrimp
   

   Place the chicken pieces in the rice and let them cook for another 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, then let them cook for about 5 minutes. At this point, the shrimp should be almost cooked, and the rice should be tender.

   Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes with the lid on.
   

6. Mix in the Fresh Vegetables and Kielbasa
   

   Combine the scallions, celery, peppers, kielbasa, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl. Stir in the rice and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Set the mixture aside so it can cool.
   

7. Boil the Mussels
   

   In a medium pan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Add your mussels and let them simmer for 4-5 minutes with the lid on. You will know the mussels are done when they open.

   Add the mussels to the paella salad.
   

8. Let the Salad Marinate
   

   Cover the paella salad with a lid or saran wrap. Chill the paella salad for 1 hour so the flavors can marinate.
   

9. Taste, Season and Serve!
   

   Taste the paella and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Then serve to your family or guests!
   

How to Store Barefoot Contessa Paella Salad

The USDA recommends storing leftovers for a maximum of 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

To freeze this Ina Garten paella salad, divide your leftovers into portioned airtight containers. If your containers aren’t exactly airtight, you can wrap the top with cling wrap to seal out the air. Before freezing, remove the mussels from their shells so they don’t take up too much space.