Vegetable Paella?

Question

Can I make it without saffron as I don't have any?

Answer 1

I am not a vegetarian but I would certainly enjoy a Paella made with only vegetables. The traditional vegetables are green peppers, onions, tomatoes and saffron. Without saffron I would use Turmeric in its place and if you don't know what that is then consider cayenne or chili powder, just to add a little heat & to color the dish; most of saffron's work is to color the paella a mild reddish yellow. Since you want vegetables only, consider eggplant & zuchini slices and vary your peppers using red yellow and green for variety. Shrimp are traditional but you may not want to add them either although they would be delicious in a paella such as this. Spicy green pitted olives are a good enhancer and taste nice, and cook your rice in vegetable broth for more flavor. Try a vegetarian sausage sliced and sauteed. Here is the how too:

Saute in vegetable oil, a green, red & yellow pepper diced, an onion diced and your sausage if using until they begin to brown all over. Flavor with 1 ts cayenne or chili power. Add your sliced eggplant, zuchini and saute until slightly brown, last add a diced tomato & sliced olives but do not heat any further, set aside. Saute 2 cups of rice in 2 tb oil until the rice begins to brown around the edges, add 4 cups of water or vegetable broth, salt & pepper to taste, cover and lower flame to simmer for 15 minutes. When the rice is done, add your vegetables combining well, shrimp if using and layer into a casserole dish that is wide rather than deep, bake in a 350 oven until nice and crispy around the edges. This method allows the vegetable to keep their integrity and flavor............Serve with fresh lemon slices and enjoy! As a side to Paella I make a salad of sliced oranges seeded, ( growing up in NM we called this Roosters Bill), adding a drop of tobasco to the center of each orange, refridgerate until very chilled and drizzle just a little oil over the top when serving.

Answer 2

The vegetable paella in Spain has more vegetables than you would imagine...
Besides the usual green pepper and peas, we use chopped onion, artichoke hearts (these will darken your paella a little) green beans & white beans (large navy beans callad garrafon in spanish).
To replace the saffron, use 2 teaspoons of turmeric...
And if you don't have that, use 2 teaspoons of yellow food colouring.... add it to the water or consommé that you use for the rice, it won't change the flavour but should give it the right colour. Garnish with red pimento slices
If you rinse the artichoke hearts with lemon juice before placing in the pan, they will darken less...
Eggplant also darkens the rice, and zucchini usually fall apart .

Answer 3

One of the main ingredients in a paella dish is saffron. It will really not taste the same. if you live near a Trader Joe's, they sell saffron. I've also looked for boxed flavored rice in the grocery store to see if saffron is in the seasoning and use that for the base flavoring to your rice.

Answer 4

Of course you can make it without Saffron as long as you have the other ingredients. Enjoy.

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

Pretty much.

Answer 7

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