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Home » Recipes » Main meals

Colourful vegetarian paella

April 4, 2017 by Mandy Mazliah 14 Comments

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vegetable paella in pan

Try this delicious and easy vegetarian paella for dinner tonight and you'll be pleasantly surprised about how simple it is to put together. Paella is a great veggie meal that anyone can make. It's suitable for vegans and jam-packed full of delicious, healthy veggies.

close up of vegan vegetable paella

How to make paella for kids

The key to making a vegetable paella that kids will love is to fill it full of things they already like. For us that includes red peppers, peas and black olives.

I've also added in fennel and butterbeans because:

  1. they are both delicious
  2. both work really well in paella, and
  3. it's a great chance to serve up something new for the kids to get used to.

My paella recipe is easily adaptable

You can adjust this recipe to suit you. For example, you could swap the butter beans for a meat substitute like Quorn if you prefer.

However, I do think the butter beans work really well in this dish so give them a go if you can.

If you can’t find (or don't like) fennel feel free to substitute another onion, more peppers, or another vegetable that you like.

Broad beans and green beans also work well if you’re making this in summer.

vegetarian paella in bowl with large pan in background

Paella brings back holiday memories

R has been asking me to make paella for him at least once a week since we went to Valencia last year.

We stayed in a tiny beach resort that only had one cafe. Every lunch time we queued up with the Spanish holidaymakers to choose our lunch from the counter. R absolutely loved the traditional paella that he had there. 

I'm not sure that my version will ever be as good as the Valencian paella made in the biggest pan you've ever seen, with fresh local ingredients, and enjoyed after a busy morning playing on the beach, but it's a pretty great meal nonetheless.

Vegetable paella is a great way to eat lots of veggies

This easy vegetarian paella recipe is also a fantastic way to up your vegetable intake. 

And you can always add even more veggies to your paella if you want to.

If you're looking for more vegetable ideas for kids you might find this collection of 35 deliciously tempting vegetable recipes for kids useful.

overhead shot of vegetarian paella in pan

Is this paella suitable for vegans?

Yes, my vegetable paella is 100% vegan friendly.

In fact it's a brilliant meal for vegans as it contains lots of healthy vegetables and a portion of protein in the form of butterbeans.

Plus it's absolutely delicious of course.

If you like this you might also like my vegan jambalaya.

How to make vegetarian paella

If you have made this recipe I would love it if you’d leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!

Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.

close up of vegan vegetable paella

Easy and colourful vegetable paella

Mandy Mazliah
A delicious, easy and colourful vegetarian and vegan paella recipe that is surprisingly easy to put together. Easy adaptable to suit individual tastes.
4 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Spanish, Vegan
Servings 4 people
Calories 645 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely sliced
  • 2 peppers red, yellow or orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb cut into thin strips, optional
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon saffron strands optional
  • ½ optional chilli powder to taste optional
  • 300 g paella rice paella rice can be found in most big supermarkets
  • 900 ml hot vegetable stock
  • 240 g butter beans 1 standard tin, drained and rinsed
  • 100 g peas frozen are fine
  • 400 g black olives drained and rinsed
  • Small handful parsley finely chopped
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges, to serve
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add 1 sliced onion and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Stir often.
  • Add the 2 sliced peppers and sliced fennel, stir well, and continue to stir and cook for a further ten minutes until soft.
  • Add two cloves of crushed garlic and the spices (1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon saffron and ½ teaspoon chilli powder if using). Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add 300g paella rice and stir so that it is coated in the vegetable mixture.
  • Pour in 900ml vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and leave to bubble away for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. You don’t need to stir.
  • A couple of minutes before the rice is due to be cooked add the rinsed butterbeans, 100g peas and the jar of olives and stir in. 
  • Cover with a lid or foil and leave for 10 minutes.
  • Add the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and intended as a guide.

Nutrition

Calories: 645kcalCarbohydrates: 104gProtein: 17gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 2497mgPotassium: 1118mgFiber: 18gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1656IUVitamin C: 82mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 8mg
Keyword vegetarian paella
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vegetable paella in pan

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah

    September 28, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    4 stars
    Very good! I think i needed a touch more liquid for my rice to be 100% done. I omitted the olives and fennel, added corn as i had it on hand. My husband grilled shrimp to go with his. Healthy comfort food.

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      September 29, 2020 at 1:38 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it Sarah - interesting that you needed more liquid - probably different varieties vary slightly.

      Reply
  2. Julie's Family Kitchen

    April 06, 2017 at 12:14 pm

    Ooh this look heavenly and my eldest daughter would love the black olives too.

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      April 06, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Thanks Julie - my kids all love olives which I find really surprising!

      Reply
  3. Severien Vits

    April 05, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    This looks so good, it would make a great variation to our usual fried rice!

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      April 05, 2017 at 4:09 pm

      Hope you enjoy it Severien!

      Reply
  4. The Peachicks Bakery

    April 05, 2017 at 10:56 am

    That looks lovely! The Peachicks would love this and its a great way of getting veggies in them!

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      April 05, 2017 at 4:09 pm

      It's a great way to use any veggies that your kids like as well! Hope you enjoy it Midge x

      Reply
  5. Juliet evans

    April 05, 2017 at 9:22 am

    This looks absolutely delicious. I love the addition of the fennel and the beans, perfect. My kids should eat this too, I'll definitely be trying it out on them and will let you know! Thanks

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      April 05, 2017 at 10:36 am

      Thanks Juliet - I'd love to hear what you think if you do make it - hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Mel - Healing Gracie's Gut

    April 05, 2017 at 9:03 am

    Oh yummy this sounds so delish!

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      April 05, 2017 at 10:36 am

      It's a really tasty dinner Mel - thanks for commenting x

      Reply
  7. Natalia

    April 05, 2017 at 8:18 am

    We love paella! Need to try this colourful recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Mandy Mazliah

      April 05, 2017 at 8:20 am

      Thanks so much Natalia - hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

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