Peasant Paella

Peasant Paella (aka Paella del Contadino)

This is a recipe in progress. Not tested yet.

I wanted to create a recipe called Peasant Paella as a simpler, more practical version inspired by typical vegetable paella videos online. The idea was to make something truly one-pot, easy to follow, and flexible enough for anyone to cook with cheap or pantry ingredients. Authenticity was not the goal here. I wanted something that could be vegetarian if needed but would also welcome a few chicken pieces if you had them on hand. It’s meant to feel rustic and adaptable, like the kind of dish you can throw together without worrying about fancy rules or expensive ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups rice (short-grain preferred, but any rice works)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (or a pinch of saffron if you have it)
• 1 tsp salt (more to taste)
• 3 cups stock or water
• 1 cup frozen peas or any beans (optional)
• 1 or 2 chicken thighs or drumsticks per person (optional)
• black pepper to taste
• lemon wedges for serving

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large wide pan over medium heat

1. If using chicken, season lightly with salt and pepper, then brown on both sides for 5 to 8 minutes, remove and set aside

1. Add onion and bell pepper to the pan, sauté until softened, about 5 minutes

1. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant

1. Stir in chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, turmeric, and salt, cook 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly

1. Add rice and stir to coat in the oil and spices

1. Pour in stock or water and bring to a boil

1. Return chicken (if using) to the pan, nestling it into the rice

1. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed

1. Scatter peas or beans over the top in the last 5 minutes of cooking

1. Rest 5 minutes off heat before serving

1. Serve with lemon wedges

Notes

• No need for fancy rice, just rinse whatever you have
• You can skip the chicken entirely for a vegetarian version
• Substitute any firm veggies you have (carrots, zucchini, green beans)
• Beans (chickpeas, white beans) make it heartier without meat
• Turmeric gives a cheap yellow color if you don’t have saffron
• Use water instead of stock if needed, just add extra salt

Formatted to Recipe Style Guide on 11:32, 30 June 2025 (PDT) by ChatGPT