Spanish Artichoke Rice with Smoked Paprika

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A simple yet elegant Spanish rice dish built around tender artichoke hearts, sweet green peas, and green beans, all perfumed with smoky pimentón and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon. It borrows the soul of a paella without needing a seafood specialty list, making it perfect for a weeknight vegetarian main course.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 410 kcalCalories
• 14 gFat
• 2 gSaturated Fat
• 62 gCarbs
• 8 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 10 gProtein
• 680 mgSodium
• 620 mgPotassium
• 90 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 22 mgVitamin C
• 80 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the sofrito base

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
• 1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika (pimentón picante), optional
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small jarred roasted red pepper, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)

For the rice and vegetables

• 1 1/2 cups Spanish bomba rice or other short-grain rice
• 9 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered if large
• 1 cup trimmed green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
• 3 cups warm vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

For finishing

• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds, optional

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch wide skillet or paella pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Sprinkle in both paprikas and stir for 10 seconds, then add the tomato paste and roasted red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the rice, coating each grain in the sofrito for about 1 minute. Add the artichokes and green beans, then pour in the warm broth and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a vigorous simmer.
4. Once boiling, scatter the peas over the surface and stop stirring entirely. Let the rice cook undisturbed for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan occasionally so it heats evenly, until the liquid is absorbed and a golden crust (socarrat) forms on the bottom.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for 5 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle generously with parsley and the toasted almonds if using, and serve directly from the pan with lemon wedges for squeezing over each portion.

Cook’s Notes

• Frozen artichoke hearts give the most reliable texture; if using jarred marinated ones, drain and pat them dry to avoid excess moisture in the rice.
• Resist the urge to stir once the broth is in; this is what allows the prized crispy bottom crust to develop on the bottom of the pan.
• For a deeper socarrat, raise the heat to medium-high during the final 2 minutes of cooking and listen for a gentle sizzle.
• A vegetarian version with mushroom broth is excellent, while a splash of dry sherry stirred in with the broth adds a traditional Spanish flourish.
• Leftovers reheat well with a splash of broth in a covered skillet over low heat to keep the rice from drying out.

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