One Pan Vegan Paella

Paella is a rice dish from Spain. The word Paella means "frying pan", and it uses the shallow pan to make this dish. If not a vegan dish, it comes with meats or seafood. The saffron gives this dish a distinctive flavor and orange color. My paella is based on the method of making Paella from Spain, but it is a simpler way to make it. As for vegans, grill tofu in this dish to add protein. I also use leftover rice to develop a crispy crust called Socarrat.  It is much easier to use the cooked rice instead of the short grain rice that is typical to make Paella in Spain. My recipe is not traditional Paella, but the taste is wonderful and the time needed to create this dish is minimal compared to the right way to make Paella. Shrimp or fish are two protein sources to add to this dish if you are not a vegan.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice

8 oz. of tofu, grilled and cut into bite-size pieces

1 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 cup zucchini, diced

1 fresh tomato, remove the seeds and dice (1 cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs olive oil

Spices: smoked paprika, salt, one package of sazon goya, and lemon juice (1 tbs)

Directions:

Drain tofu and slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces and then sprinkle with 1/4 tsp each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to flavor the tofu.

Add one tablespoon of oil on a grill pan and grill the tofu on both sides until golden brown. Let cool off and cut into cubes.

Use the same pan and add a little oil. Place all the vegetables into the pan and pan fry them for few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large shallow skillet, heat 1 tbs oil over medium heat.

Add diced onions and minced garlic. Cook until fragrant.

Stir in rice and press down to cover the bottom of the skillet. Do not stir for 2 minutes until the rice starts to sizzle and stick to the bottom.

Add grilled tofu and vegetables into the rice. Stir and mix. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Paella is now ready to serve.

Tip: I use one package of Sazon Goya to give this dish an orange color. The skillet photo is the paella pan.