Paella

[Plump82]

I'm making paella for my inlaws next weekend and reading some conflicting recipes as to whether I should use tinned tomatoes.
It's vegetarian so I want it to be really flavorsome.
What would you recommend? I've had paella so many times but off the top of my head I can't remember whether it tasted particularly tomato-y!!

I live in Spain OP & the paellas here are rarely that tomatoey. My favourite veggie "paella" has roasted veg. Also use paella sachets & well flavoured stock. Mushroom stock cubes are fantastic & would work well here.

Yes I use tinned at this time of year, much more flavoursome.

I use this recipe, add more paprika and a good quality stock if you’re making it vegetarian. I like to serve with alioli for an extra garlicky punch.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/aug/18/how-to-cook-perfect-paella

I’ve used this recipe before, but with tinned or jarred artichokes to make life easier: https://www.thepaellacompany.co.uk/vegetable_paella.html it has tomato paste but no tinned tomatoes. I think a tomato salad would go well on the side. And yes to the garlic mayo.

Personally I always add tinned tomatoes. Mutti would be my first choice.

Personal choice but I have eaten paella in Spain many many times and made it myself and I am not sure I have ever seen tomatoes in it

Aioli and tomato salad already on the menu!
Problem with good quality stock is so many contain gluten and my FIL is coeliac so need to be careful with what I use.

I’d use the Knorr vegetable stock pots. They’re gluten free and have a more natural taste than the cubes imo.

I use the Kallo cubes, I’m also gluten free and these are great.

You don’t see the tomatoes, it’s part of the soffrito, so if you’ve never made it, then you’d probably not realise they’re in it, but they definitely go in! Especially in Spain!!

josepizarro.com/press/how-do-i-make-authentic-paella/

(I am Spanish but not from Valencia.) Many paella recipes involve tomate purée and often some tinned tomatoes as well/instead, but not so much that you can really taste them. I hope this helps.

If you’re making vegetarian paella, you can’t go wrong with flat green beans and good quality white beans (pre-soaked or from a jar of pre-cooked).

Enough salt, and plenty of saffran.

I lived in Valencia and have Valencian friends. Tomato is definitely an ingredient. @AnnaDelvorkina's suggestions are very close to a traditional Valencian paella. For Valencians anything which isn't chicken, often with rabbit too, flat green beans and white beans (butter beans are closest in the UK) is another rice dish, not a paella. In addition to sweet paprika and saffron, rosemary is typically added.

A vegetarian here who gets a bit fed up of every single dish having tinned tomatoes as the liquid element! Use a good veg stock or bouillon as others have said, and maybe a tiny bit of tomato puree, more to enrich the colour if it's looking a bit peely wally, yum makes me want to make a paella soon...

These hints and tips are all great. Thank you!
Ive got the kallo stock cubes but might get the stock pots as well.

Tomato in a paella is not the liquid element. It forms the base to build flavour and should be finely diced tomato flesh. The rice is cooked in stock and it's not like risotto where it is liquid/creamy when cooked. The crispy bit on the bottom is the best!

The best ever veggie paella is the Ottolenghi one https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/apr/12/foodanddrink.recipe

This one sounds fab. Thank you.
I think I'll use tomato's but fresh rather than tinned. I love tomato's so it'll be a nice addition anyways

I grate a tomato in to help others favour but assuming you are in the uk wouldn't at y to his time of year. Never add tinned.