Mexican Seafood Rice

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A festive coastal Mexican dish from Veracruz and Sinaloa, this smoky seafood rice combines tender shrimp, sweet squid rings, and plump mussels with rice simmered in a vibrant tomato-achiote broth. Every forkful delivers briny ocean flavor balanced by garlic, peppers, and fresh cilantro. Serve it straight from the pan with lime wedges for an easy showstopping meal.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 485 kcalCalories
• 12 gFat
• 2 gSaturated Fat
• 62 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 620 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 3.5 mgIron
• 32 mgVitamin C
• 680 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the seafood and rice

• 1 lb raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
• 1/2 lb cleaned squid, bodies sliced into rings
• 12 fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1/2 lb firm white fish (such as cod or tilapia), cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons achiote paste (annatto)
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, blended into a smooth puree
• 4 cups warm seafood or fish stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving

Optional garnish

• 1 small avocado, sliced
• Sliced pickled jalapeños
• Extra cilantro sprigs

Directions

1. Build the broth first: in a large wide pan or paella-style skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and sauté the reserved shrimp shells with half the onion and 2 garlic cloves for 4 minutes. Pour in the warm stock, add bay leaves, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain and keep warm.
2. In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and the achiote paste. Stir over medium heat for 1 minute until the oil turns deep red and fragrant. Add the remaining onion, red bell pepper, and garlic; cook 5 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in the blended tomato puree, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, mashing and stirring, until the sauce thickens and darkens to a brick-red color.
4. Add the rinsed rice and stir for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in the red sauce. Pour in the strained warm stock, taste for salt, and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, spread the rice evenly, and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes without stirring. Nestle the fish chunks and mussels into the rice, cover the pan, and cook 6 more minutes.
6. Add the squid rings on top, recover, and cook another 4 minutes until the rice is tender, the fish flakes, and every mussel has opened. Discard any mussels that stay closed.
7. Stir the shrimp into the hot rice, cover, and let rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the shrimp turn pink and just cook through. Scatter cilantro over the top.
8. Serve family-style directly from the pan with lime wedges, avocado slices, and pickled jalapeños on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Achiote paste is the soul of this dish; if you cannot find it, substitute 1 tablespoon sweet paprika plus 1/2 teaspoon turmeric for color, though the flavor will be milder.
• For maximum seafood flavor, do not skip the quick shrimp-shell stock in step 1, it adds deep oceanic depth that bottled broth alone cannot match.
• Resist the urge to stir the rice once the stock is added; the crispy bottom layer (called the socarrat) is the prized part of the dish.
• If mussels are unavailable, extra shrimp or scallops work beautifully; just adjust the final cooking time so they stay tender.
• Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the rice.

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