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There is something sexy about paella. Maybe it’s the name. Maybe it’s the pile of seafood sitting on a bed of golden rice. Either way, with this paella recipe will be sure to impress your family and friends.

My seafood paella recipe brings together prawns, mussels, clams, chicken wings and chorizo, with bacon tucked into the rice for another layer of savoury flavour. It’s generous, a little messy to eat and exactly the sort of meal I love making when family or friends come over.

The seafood gets everyone’s attention, but the rice is what keeps them going back for another spoonful. It cooks in saffron stock, tomatoes, garlic and the flavour left behind by the bacon and chorizo. Then the shellfish add their juices. This is definitely no subtly here.

Why our family loves paella

What I love most about paella is how many different experiences you get from one meal. One mouthful is deeply seasoned rice with a piece of smoky chorizo. The next is a prawn, a mussel or a little clam. Then someone reaches for a chicken wing, and suddenly dinner requires both hands.

In our house, there are usually at least two tapas on the table as well. I might make chorizo meatballs and patatas bravas, or start with pan con tomate while everyone waits for the paella.

What goes into my paella

The base starts with onion, garlic, bacon and chorizo. I cook the tomatoes down before adding the rice so the flavour is concentrated rather than watery, then add the saffron to bring it all together. This is called the sofrito.

A stock cube is absolutely welcome here. Between the bacon, chorizo and shellfish, there is plenty of flavour going into the pan. Just taste the stock before adding extra salt; these ingredients have already been doing their bit.

For the seafood, I like shell-on prawns, mussels and clams. The shells make the pan look fantastic, and peeling prawns at the table is part of the experience for me. Put out a bowl for the shells and a few extra napkins. Your guests will work out what sort of dinner this is and start regretting wearing white to dinner.

Chicken wings bring another texture and something properly satisfying to pick up and eat. I cook them with the broth and rice to further enhance the flavoured rice. Everything flavours the rice!

Frozen peas go in towards the end to cook through. Parsley and lemon finish the dish, with the lemon especially useful for lifting all that richness.

What rice should you use for paella?

I would buy rice specifically labelled for paella, ideally bomba. Spanish paella rice is suited to soaking up the cooking liquid while keeping the grains distinct, which is exactly what we want here.

You may also see paella rice sold under a Calasparra designation or other Spanish rice labels. Check the packet’s cooking guidance: different varieties don’t all need the same amount of liquid.

I wouldn’t casually swap in whatever rice is hiding at the back of the cupboard and expect the same result. A different rice can change both the texture and the liquid needed. For your first go, make life easier and use paella rice. However if you cannot get your hands on paella rice, Aborio rice used for risotto will be ok.

What toppings and combinations can you use?

For this version, I’m going all in: prawns, mussels, clams, chorizo, bacon and chicken wings. I like having something different waiting in each part of the pan.

But you don’t need every ingredient every time. Choose a combination that suits the occasion, then give those ingredients room to cook properly.

Seafood paella: Prawns, mussels and clams make a lovely combination on their own. Squid or firm fish pieces can also work, with their cooking times planned separately. Leaving out the bacon, chorizo and chicken changes the seasoning and flavour base, so taste and adjust accordingly.

Chicken and chorizo paella: A good option when you want something hearty without buying several types of seafood. Chicken thighs or wing pieces work well, but bone-in chicken needs more cooking time. Without shellfish releasing their juices, you may also need more stock.

Prawn and chorizo paella: A simpler combination that still gives you sweet seafood against smoky sausage. It’s a useful option when you want fewer ingredients to prepare.

Vegetable paella: Mushrooms, capsicum, green beans and artichokes can make a generous pan. Use vegetable stock and leave out the meat and seafood, adjusting the liquid and seasoning for that version.

Yesterday’s leftover paella: sounds odd but this is my absolute favourite paella! It uses whatever meat/protein that was leftover from yesterday’s dinner. Add in some seafood and you have an extremely tasty pan. And it save you from throwing away perfectly good meat!

These are different versions worth giving their own recipes, with their own tested timings and quantities. For this mixed paella, the important thing is to add each ingredient when it needs to cook, rather than piling everything in at the beginning and hoping for the best.

How to turn this into a meal

I bring the paella to the table in its pan and put the tapas around it so everyone can help themselves. Some people start with rice. Someone else immediately takes a meatball. There is no organised system, which is probably why I enjoy it.

For the meal in the photo, I’d serve it with my chorizo meatballs and patatas bravas. The meatballs give you another rich, savoury bite, while the potatoes bring the crisp edges. Make my bravas sauce for the potatoes and keep a little extra on the table for anyone who likes more heat.

If I want something to put out before the main pan arrives, pan con tomate is ideal. Crunchy bread, juicy tomato, garlic and olive oil give people something to eat while I finish the rice.

For a bigger spread, add gambas al ajillo. Yes, there are already prawns in the paella. I’m comfortable with that decision. The garlic oil is also a very good reason to keep extra bread nearby.

And my romesco sauce is a lovely extra alongside grilled vegetables, bread or any grilled meat. Put it in a bowl for people to try rather than pouring it over the whole pan.

You don’t need to make all six accompaniments. Two tapas and the paella already make a generous dinner. Add more if you enjoy cooking a spread, or if you have enough people coming to justify it.

Then put out the lemon wedges, a bowl for the shells and something cold to drink. The best part of this meal is getting to sit down and eat it together.