YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Vegetable Paella

Despite the calendar, it’s wintertime in Cleveland. Can’t get the chill out of your bones? This one-pot meal is the perfect remedy. It makes the house smell great and keeps you in leftovers for days. If you happen to be lucky enough to have a cast iron skillet, you can use it for this recipe. But if you (like me) don’t, any ovenproof pot will do.

  • 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 8 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (approx. 2 c.)
  • 28 oz. can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 4 c. vegetable stock or water
  • 1.5 c. Valencia or other short-grain rice (such as Arborio)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground fennel
  • generous pinch of saffron threads (optional) 
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 c. cooked or canned cannellini beans (rinse and drain if using canned)
  • 1 c. frozen peas, thawed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet or saucepan on medium-high until fragrant. Add onion, bell pepper and green beans, and cook 5 minutes, until vegetables are beginning to soften. Stir in tomatoes, garlic and liquid, and bring to boil. Stir in rice, fennel, saffron, turmeric, salt and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat, cover, and place in oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until rice is tender.
Remove from oven, fold in cannellini beans and peas, cover and allow to stand 10 minutes. Serves 4-6. Adapted from Robin Robertson’s One Dish Vegetarian Meals.

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