Here is a tailored, step-by-step recipe for your Shrimp and green beans paella. First, this recipe focuses on building deep flavors by layering the ingredients in a single pan, ensuring the rice absorbs the rich fish stock and the shrimp stay perfectly juicy. If you enjoy pairing shellfish with vegetables, this dish sits nicely alongside our 3 and a Half Shrimp Paella. For more technique tips, see this BBC Good Food paella guide.
Green beans are a common addition in paellas from Spain’s eastern coast, where cooks often mix garden vegetables with whatever seafood is freshest that morning. The beans hold their bite even after simmering in stock, giving the dish textural contrast against the tender shrimp and softened rice. If you are new to building a good base stock for seafood paellas, our Paella for Beginners guide walks through the fundamentals of fish stock and sofrito that this recipe builds on. And if saffron isn’t already in your pantry, it’s worth reading our guide to the best saffron brands before you start, since the quality of the threads makes a real difference in both color and aroma.
Ingredients List
- Paella Rice: 300g (preferably Bomba or Senia)
- Shrimp: 300g (whole, peeled, or head-on depending on preference)
- Green Beans: 150g (flat Romano or round beans, cut into 1-inch pieces)
- Onion: 1 medium, finely diced
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
- Chopped Tomatoes: 3-4 tbsp (grated fresh tomato or tomato purée)
- Fish Stock: approx. 750ml to 900ml (hot)
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin
- Seasoning: Salt, a pinch of saffron threads (or sweet paprika)
Step-by-Step Cooking Workflow for Shrimp and Green Beans Paella
1. Sear the Shrimp
- Heat a generous splash of olive oil in your paella pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the shrimp and sear for about 1 minute per side until they just turn pink.
- Remove the shrimp and set them aside on a plate. Crucial step: Leave the flavored oil in the pan.
2. Sauté the Vegetables (The Sofrito)
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the green beans to the same oil and sauté for 3-4 minutes until they get some color. Move them to the outer edges of the pan.
- Add the diced onion to the center. Sauté until translucent and soft (about 5 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes. Mix everything together in the center and let it reduce until the tomato darkens and the water has completely evaporated, leaving a thick paste (the sofrito).
3. Toast the Rice
- Add the paella rice directly to the pan.
- Stir it thoroughly with the sofrito and green beans for 1-2 minutes. Toasting the grains helps them absorb the flavors and keeps them from getting mushy.
4. Add the Stock & Simmer
- Crush the saffron threads (or paprika) into your hot fish stock, then pour it evenly over the rice. Give it one final stir to distribute the rice evenly across the pan. Do not stir again after this.
- Bring it to a boil over high heat for 8-10 minutes. The liquid should bubble rapidly.
5. Reduce and Rest
- Lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for another 6-8 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, beautifully arrange the seared shrimp back on top of the rice, pressing them gently into the surface to warm through.
- (Optional) If you want a socarrat (the coveted crispy rice crust at the bottom), turn the heat up to high for the final 1-2 minutes until you hear a crackling sound and smell a deeply toasted aroma.
6. The Rest
- Remove the pan from the heat. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel or aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This settles the steam and finishes cooking the rice to perfection.
