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    Home » Recipes » Seafood

    Keto Paella

    Published: Jul 14, 2022

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    This Keto Paella is as close as you can get to traditional Spanish Paella, without using rice. High in flavour and protein, low in carbs!

    A bowl of cauliflower paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    Recently, I was craving traditional paella.

    It’s a classic Spanish dish, with meats, vegetables, and a highly seasoned rice ... cooked with chorizo oil in a paella pan, over an open flame.

    The authentic version - as a Spanish RICE dish - isn’t exactly keto friendly, so I was kind of SOL.

    ... obviously, I needed to develop a keto version of my regular paella recipe. I don’t have any Spanish recipes on this blog yet, so I had a good excuse to indulge in the craving!

    In the spirit of my fabulous Keto Jambalaya, I decided to make this a cauliflower rice paella, rather than use shirataki rice or celery root rice.

    (Thought I may try it with celery root - celeriac - some day, as I bet that would also taste amazing!)

    I didn’t know if I wanted to do a shrimp paella or a chicken paella, so I did both - along with traditional Spanish chorizo sausage.

    Oh, it was good. This is a really great recipe, and has definitely become a favourite go-to dinner in this house!

    A bowl of low carb paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    The Nutrition

    This is a great recipe just as-is, whether you’re on a ketogenic diet or not.

    It’s got a pretty high protein content, and it’s just plain delicious food - a great way to cook a single main dish for the whole family.

    For those who are following a keto diet, swapping out the white rice for cauli rice make this low carb paella an easy fit for the lifestyle.

    Specifically, we’re talking 309 calories, 29 grams of protein, and only 9 grams of total carbohydrate per serving.

    When you factor in the 3 grams of fiber, you’re looking at only 3 grams of net carbs per serving!

    The best part is that this absolutely doesn’t feel like diet food, or like you’re missing out on anything.

    It’s a great “meats and vegetables” dish that’s full of wonderful flavours and textures.

    SO good. Hope you love it as much as we do!

    A bowl of keto paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    Ingredients

    For the most part, this recipe uses simple ingredients that should be readily accessible in most grocery stores. A few notes:

    Riced Cauliflower

    I like to use a couple bags of frozen cauliflower rice in place of the regular rice in the source material, for a few reasons:

    It’s cheap, easy, I always have some on hand, and it’s already conveniently measured (by weight).

    That said, you can use fresh cauliflower in this recipe if you prefer. Just shred it on a box grater, or cut into small florets and blitz it in a food processor a few times.

    The Meats

    For this recipe, you will need:

    Chorizo Sausage
    Boneless skinless chicken breast
    Large Raw Shrimp

    As a note: There are two very different types of Chorizo sausage: Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo.

    Mexican is a raw meat product, with a texture like a more paste-y version of ground beef.

    Spanish chorizo is a hard, cured sausage that you can slice and serve. This is the kind you’re looking for.

    A hand holds up a plastic container of saffron threads.

    Saffron Threads

    Everything Else

    In addition to those ingredients, you will also need:

    Roma tomatoes
    Red bell pepper
    Onion
    Fresh garlic
    Italian parsley
    Chicken broth / chicken stock
    Dry white wine (Can use more chicken broth, instead)
    Extra virgin olive oil
    Saffron Threads
    Bay Leaf
    Smoked Paprika
    Salt
    Ground Black Pepper
    Lemon slices, for garnish

    A bowl of cauliflower paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    How to Make Keto Paella

    The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, this is a pictorial walk though.

    Get Ready

    Because this recipe comes together incredibly quickly when you get going, I like to prep all of the ingredients ahead of time, having the diced tomatoes, diced bell peppers, chopped onion, and minced garlic together on one plate.

    Chopped tomatoes, red peppers, onions, and minced garlic on a plate.

    I also chop the parsley, chicken and sausage, as well as peel the shrimp.

    The spices and wine are all measured out and ready to go when I start cooking.

    Chopped up Spanish chorizo, and an overview of all the prepped ingredients.

    Thaw cauliflower rice, drain well.

    In a small bowl, add saffron threads to the warmed chicken broth, allow to sit for 10 minutes.

    As the saffron is blooming...

    A 3 part image showing the saffron being bloomed in the chicken broth.

    Make your Cauliflower Paella

    In a large skillet or large frying pan (I used a large frying pan with sides) over medium-high heat, brown the chorizo sausage in the olive oil.

    Add chicken, continue cooking until chicken is browned on all sides.

    Chorizo and chicken browning in a pan.

    Add red pepper, onion, and garlic, and tomatoes. Turn element down to medium heat, continue cooking until vegetables are tender.

    Vegetables being added to the large pan of chicken and Spanish chorizo.

    Add white wine (if using), simmer for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.

    Add saffron chicken broth, bay leaf, smoked paprika, and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer.

    Add drained cauliflower rice. Turn heat up to high, bring it back to a simmer, and allow to cook until the cauliflower rice is tender and the mixture has thickened up a bit.

    Seasonings, broth, and cauliflower rice being added to the pan and stirred together.

    Add shrimp and mussels (if using), stir to combine. Continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes or so, until the shrimp is cooked through.

    Raw shrimp being added to the pan and stirred in.

    Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add chopped parsley to the pot, stir well.

    Fresh parsley being added to the pan and stirred in.

    Season with more salt, pepper, and/or spice, to taste. Serve hot, with lemon slices.

    Leftovers

    Allow leftovers to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. This is fantastic reheated the next day, and will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

    A bowl of low carb paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    Variations

    In the recipe card, I mention that you can add ½ lb Mussels or scallops, with the shrimp, if you’d like.

    You can leave out the chicken if you’re doing this, and go for more of a seafood paella - just know that it’ll increase the carb count. (That’s why I generally skip it).

    If you’d like, you can add some green peas (with the cauliflower) or cut green beans.

    When you add green beans will depend on if you want it more crisp (after the cauliflower) or more soft (with the other veggies, or with the cauliflower) .

    A bowl of keto paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    More Low Carb Fish & Seafood Recipes

    Looking for more low carb or keto fish recipes? I’ve got you covered!

    Keto Spicy Salmon Poke Bowl
    Low Carb Keto Chirashi Bowl
    Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp
    Keto Clam Chowder
    Low Carb Shrimp Curry
    Keto Crab Cakes
    Hot Smoked Salmon
    Keto Fish Cakes & Tartar Sauce
    Pesto Shrimp Palmini
    Keto Jambalaya
    Low Carb Spinach Feta Salmon Pinwheels
    Keto Sushi
    Seared Scallops with Dijon Wine Sauce
    Keto Coconut Shrimp
    Keto Cod au Gratin
    Baked Sesame Ginger Salmon [Keto]

    ... But wait, there’s more! Check out my Keto Seafood Recipes section for even more low carb seafood recipes!

    A bowl of cauliflower paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    Share the Love!

    Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen. We're also on Pinterest, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!

    Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!

    ... and hey, if you love the recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and comment!

    A bowl of keto paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.

    A bowl of low carb paella, with shrimp, chicken, and chorizo visible.
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    5 from 1 vote

    Keto Paella

    This Keto Paella is as close as you can get to traditional Spanish Paella, without using rice. High in flavour and protein, low in carbs!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Spanish
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Servings: 8 Servings
    Calories: 309kcal

    Equipment

    • Large pan or pot

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs Frozen cauliflower rice
    • 1 pinch Saffron threads
    • ¼ cup Chicken broth warmed
    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 1 lb Spanish Chorizo sliced
    • 2 Large boneless skinless chicken breast chopped
    • 1 Red bell pepper
    • 1 Medium onion chopped
    • 3 Garlic Cloves pressed
    • ¼ cup Dry white wine
    • 2 Roma tomatoes diced
    • 1 Bay leaf
    • 2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
    • Salt
    • 1 lb Large Raw Shrimp
    • ½ lb Mussels or scallops optional
    • ¼ cup Italian parsley chopped
    • Ground black pepper
    • Lemon slices for garnish

    Instructions

    • Thaw cauliflower rice, drain well.
    • In a small bowl, add saffron threads to the warmed chicken broth, allow to sit for 10 minutes.
    • As the saffron is blooming:
    • In a large pot over medium heat, brown the chorizo sausage in the olive oil. Add chicken, continue cooking until chicken is browned on all sides.
    • Add red pepper, onion, and garlic, and tomatoes. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
    • Add white wine (if using), simmer for a few minutes.
    • Add saffron chicken broth, bay leaf, smoked paprika, and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer.
    • Add drained cauliflower rice. Turn heat up to high, bring it back to a simmer, and allow to cook until the rice is tender and the mixture has thickened up a bit.
    • Add shrimp and mussels, if using, stir to combine. Continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes or so, until the shrimp is cooked through.
    • Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add chopped parsley to the pot, stir well.
    • Season with more salt, pepper, and/or spice, to taste. Serve hot, with lemon slices.

    Notes

    Allow leftovers to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
    Note: Nutritional information does not include any optional ingredients or garnish

    Nutrition

    Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 844mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1211IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg

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