Paella with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas

A luxurious Spanish paella featuring fresh seafood, chorizo, and spring vegetables. This colorful dish combines succulent shrimp, clams, and mussels with crisp asparagus and sugar snap peas, all flavored with authentic saffron and smoked paprika.

6 servings

1 hr 2 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 pound slender asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
•5 cups low-salt chicken broth
•1 pound uncooked large shrimp
•¾ cup dry white wine
•½ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
•¼ cup olive oil
•2 links Spanish chorizo sausage
•2½ cups chopped onions
•3 cloves garlic
•1 large tomato
•⅓ cup roasted peppers
•2 teaspoons smoked paprika
•1 teaspoon salt
•2½ cups rice
•18 pieces littleneck clams
•24 pieces mussels
•5 ounces sugar snap peas
•1 to taste lemon wedges

Cooking Instructions

1.
Cook asparagus in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
2 min
2.
Bring 4 1/2 cups broth to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add reserved shrimp shells; simmer 10 minutes. Bring wine to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; add saffron and set aside 5 minutes to steep. Strain saffron-infused wine into 8-cup measuring cup. Strain in shrimp broth. Add enough chicken broth to measure 5 cups broth mixture.
15 min
3.
Heat oil in large wide pot (at least 3 inches deep) over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until lightly browned, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with side of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until onions are slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato and peppers. Sauté until tomato is soft and juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Mix in paprika and salt, then rice. (Asparagus, broth mixture, and rice mixture can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let each stand at room temperature.)
15 min
4.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Add broth mixture to rice mixture and bring to boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat. Scatter shrimp over. Tuck clams and mussels into rice mixture, hinged side down. Place pot in oven and bake paella, uncovered, 15 minutes. Sprinkle peas and asparagus over. Continue to bake until broth is absorbed, rice is tender, and clams and mussels open, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pot to work surface. Cover with foil; let stand 5 minutes.
27 min
5.
Transfer paella to large shallow dish. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
3 min

Ingredients

•1 pound slender asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths

•5 cups low-salt chicken broth

•1 pound uncooked large shrimp

•¾ cup dry white wine

•½ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads

•¼ cup olive oil

•2 links Spanish chorizo sausage

•2½ cups chopped onions

•3 cloves garlic

•1 large tomato

•⅓ cup roasted peppers

•2 teaspoons smoked paprika

•1 teaspoon salt

•2½ cups rice

•18 pieces littleneck clams

•24 pieces mussels

•5 ounces sugar snap peas

•1 to taste lemon wedges

Cooking Instructions

Cook asparagus in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.

2 min

Bring 4 1/2 cups broth to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add reserved shrimp shells; simmer 10 minutes. Bring wine to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat; add saffron and set aside 5 minutes to steep. Strain saffron-infused wine into 8-cup measuring cup. Strain in shrimp broth. Add enough chicken broth to measure 5 cups broth mixture.

15 min

Heat oil in large wide pot (at least 3 inches deep) over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until lightly browned, breaking into 1/2-inch pieces with side of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until onions are slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato and peppers. Sauté until tomato is soft and juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Mix in paprika and salt, then rice. (Asparagus, broth mixture, and rice mixture can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let each stand at room temperature.)

15 min

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add broth mixture to rice mixture and bring to boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat. Scatter shrimp over. Tuck clams and mussels into rice mixture, hinged side down. Place pot in oven and bake paella, uncovered, 15 minutes. Sprinkle peas and asparagus over. Continue to bake until broth is absorbed, rice is tender, and clams and mussels open, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pot to work surface. Cover with foil; let stand 5 minutes.

27 min

Transfer paella to large shallow dish. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

3 min