Catalan Noodle Paella with Seafood

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Fideuà is the Catalan coastal cousin of paella, swapping rice for short, toasted noodles simmered in a saffron seafood broth. Crisp noodle strands on the bottom of the pan — prized as the fideuà's signature socarrat — give this dish deep, nutty flavor. It's traditionally served with a dollop of garlic aioli to cut the briny richness.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 485 kcalCalories
• 16 gFat
• 2.5 gSaturated Fat
• 52 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 7 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 720 mgPotassium
• 115 mgCalcium
• 4.5 mgIron
• 38 mgVitamin C
• 185 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the seafood and noodles

• 250 g fideos (thin short noodles) or angel hair broken into 3 cm pieces
• 400 g large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
• 300 g cleaned squid, bodies sliced into rings and tentacles left whole
• 500 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the sofrito and broth

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, grated (or 3/4 cup canned crushed tomato)
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water
• 4 cups hot fish or seafood stock
• 1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To garnish

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup garlic aioli, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a 30 cm (12-inch) paella pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sear 45 seconds per side until just turning pink, then transfer to a plate. Add the squid and sauté 1 minute, then transfer to the same plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion and red pepper to the pan. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly caramelized. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the grated tomato and smoked paprika and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the tomato darkens to a deep rusty color and the oil starts to separate at the edges. Pour in the bloomed saffron with its water and stir to combine.
4. Pour in the hot stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a brisk boil. Taste and adjust seasoning — the broth should be well-salted since the noodles absorb a lot of flavor. Boil 5 minutes to concentrate.
5. Scatter the fideos evenly across the pan in a single layer. Do not stir after this point. Cook 6–8 minutes, rotating the pan occasionally so the noodles cook evenly, until the noodles are nearly al dente and the liquid has reduced to just below the noodle surface.
6. Nestle the mussels hinge-side down into the noodles, cover the pan with a large lid or foil, and cook 3–4 minutes until the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed. Return the reserved shrimp and squid to the top, arranging them decoratively, and cook uncovered 1–2 minutes to warm through.
7. Remove from the heat, drape a clean kitchen towel over the pan, and let rest 3 minutes so the bottom layer of noodles crisps into a golden socarrat. Scatter with parsley, set lemon wedges around the pan, and serve hot with garlic aioli on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• A wide, shallow paella pan is essential — its large surface area is what creates the prized crispy noodle crust (socarrat) on the bottom. A skillet works, but the crust will be thinner.
• For the best socarrat, resist the urge to stir once the noodles hit the broth. If your stove has hot spots, rotate the pan a quarter turn every 2 minutes for even browning.
• If fideos are unavailable, capellini or vermicelli broken into short pieces is a good substitute; cook a minute or two less as they soften faster than traditional fideos.
• Serve with a small bowl of allioli (garlic-and-olive-oil emulsion) — Catalan tradition calls for a generous spoonful on top or alongside to balance the briny seafood.
• Save the shrimp shells! Simmer them in the stock for 20 minutes before starting to make an intensely flavorful homemade seafood broth.

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