RECIPE · SHRIMP · MAIN

Paella with Shrimp

That Spanish holiday feeling straight from the pan. This paella thrives on the intense flavor of Bavarian shrimp; the heads and shells are used to create a rich stock in no time at all. The result is succulent, grainy rice, sweet and spicy paprika, a hint of saffron and, as the highlight, the much-loved socarrat — the crispy layer at the bottom of the pan. The key is simply not to stir once you've added the stock.

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Superior Taste Award 2026

  • Serves 2

  • Difficulty: Medium

  • Prep 50 min

  • Socarrat Finish

  • Saffron · Paprika

Ingredients:

  • 500 g whole raw white tiger shrimp (head and shell on)
  • 220 g paella rice (Bomba, Calasparra or Albufera)
  • 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions, finely diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 200 ml strained tomatoes (passata or fresh)
  • ½ tsp saffron (approx. 20 threads)
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 400 ml fish stock
  • 1 liter water (for the shrimp stock; you'll need a total of approx. 700 ml hot stock at the end)
  • 2 tsp salt (adjust according to the saltiness of the stock)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1–2 lemons, cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

How to cook it:

  1. First, prepare the shrimp. Peel and devein half of them; leave the other half whole, but make a slit down the back of these and remove the vein.

  2. Briefly fry the heads and shells in a pan without any fat over a high heat until they give off a strong aroma. Then pour in a liter of water, add half an onion and a pinch of smoked paprika, and leave everything to simmer gently for about twenty minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, mix with the fish stock and keep warm. Steep the saffron in three to four tablespoons of hot stock for ten minutes. You'll need around 700 ml of hot stock for the rice.

  3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large paella pan or nonstick frying pan and briefly fry the whole shrimp until they start to brown slightly. Remove and set aside. In the same oil — adding a little fresh oil if necessary — sweat the onions until translucent, then add the garlic and peppers and fry briefly. Add the rice along with the peeled shrimp and fry for about three minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice grains are translucent. Next, stir in the strained tomatoes and allow to simmer for one to two minutes until a creamy base forms. Sprinkle in the sweet paprika, half the parsley, and salt and pepper, and cook briefly.

  4. Now comes the crucial step: pour in the saffron infusion and enough hot stock to just cover the rice. Distribute everything evenly one last time, but do not stir any further. Arrange the whole shrimp, which were fried earlier, decoratively on top of the rice.

  5. Leave the pan to simmer uncovered over a medium to low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes. If the rice starts to dry out too soon, add a little stock, ladle by ladle, until the grains are cooked through but still slightly al dente.

  6. To create the socarrat, turn the heat up slightly for two to three minutes at the end, until there is a gentle crackling sound from the bottom of the pan. Then turn off the hob, cover the pan with a tea towel and leave the paella to rest for a further ten minutes.

  7. To serve, sprinkle the remaining parsley over the top and arrange lemon wedges between the shrimp.