The Best Instant Pot Paella Ever

The origin of the Best Instant Pot Paella Ever: Our love for paella began during a trip to Mallorca, Spain where we tasted several versions of this classic Spanish rice dish. The most unforgettable one was served at a small restaurant on Es Trenc Beach. The paella arrived in a traditional paellera — a wide, shallow pan with two handles — and the presentation alone felt like part of the experience.

The waiter mixed in the socarrat, the crispy toasted layer of rice at the bottom of the pan that paella lovers crave, before serving generous portions with two large spoons. When he finished, he gathered the remaining rice to one side and covered it with an overturned plate, a small ritual that made the meal feel even more authentic.

We also noticed a menu option called paella ciega, which translates to “blind paella.” When we asked about it, the waiter explained that the shrimp are served without their heads — a detail that makes the dish easier to eat while keeping all the traditional flavors.

This trip was the moment we truly fell in love with paella, from the saffron infused rice to the ritual of serving it. It’s a dish that brings people together and captures the heart of Spanish coastal cooking.

This recipe for Instant Pot Paella is not authentic by any means as it will not produce the soccarat and does not use a paellera. Nevertheless, it is very tasty and brings back memories of our trip to Mallorca.

Adapted from Phillips, Diane. “Paella”. The Easy Pressure Cooker Cookbook. Chronicle Books, 2011

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• There are multiple variations of paella so you can adjust the recipe based on what you have on hand or prefer: you can prepare with shellfish only, add pieces of seafood, add any vegetables you like, use white beans with meat or poultry (as it is prepared in Valencia, Spain) or beans alone for a vegetarian version
• Perfect for serving a crowd
• Once the ingredients are cooking in the Instant Pot, the preparation is hands off, leaving time to enjoy your guests.

What Makes This Recipe So Flavorful

The secret to this recipe:

• Saffron gives the paella a golden color and warm, smoky note
• Sofrito, a mixture of onions, garlic, and peppers, is the base layer of flavor
• Bomba or Calasparra rice which absorb the flavors of paella without turning mushy

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Best Instant Pot Paella Ever

• Saffron
• Bomba or Calasparra rice
• Shrimp
• Chicken breast or thighs
• Spanish cured Chorizo sausage

How to Make Instant Pot Paella: Step‑by‑Step

1. Saute chorizo and chicken
   Saute chorizo in olive oil until it has rendered some fat, remove to bowl. Then saute chicken pieces until lightly browned and add to bowl with chorizo
2. Saute the sofrito
   Saute onions, garlic and red bell pepper in olive oil until onions begin to soften
3. Coat the rice with sofrito and pan drippings, deglaze the pan
   Add the rice to the vegetables in the Instant Pot and coat the rice with the oil, then deglaze the pot with chicken broth to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan
4. Add remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot
   Add chorizo, chicken, and Shrimp to the Instant Pot. Add the tomatoes last and do not stir.
5. Pressure cook the paella
   Pressure cook the paella on the manual setting for 4 minutes, then do a natural release of the pressure
6. Steam the rice
   Steam the rice for 2 more minutes with the lid on but not locked, adjust taste with salt or pepper as needed, then place in serving platter or bowl, garnish and enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Try to source Bomba or Calasparra rice
• Saffron is key to the recipe for its flavor and color
• Deglaze the Instant Pot with stock to loosen the fond (brown bits on bottom of pan). This adds great flavor and prevents the burn notice on the Instant Pot
• After adding the tomatoes, do not stir the ingredients as any tomatoes that drift to the bottom of the pot can burn. The pressure in the Instant Pot will mix and fully combine all the ingredients
• I use a 6 quart size Instant Pot for this recipe, ingredients can be halved and made in a smaller Instant Pot

Variations and Substitutions

• Pescatarian: use shellfish (shrimp, clams, scallops or any combination of these) with seafood stock
• Vegetarian: use white beans, peas and vegetable stock
• Italian Paella: use cubed hard salami or pepperoni in place of chorizo, add smoked paprika and use crushed tomatoes in puree
• Use Brown arborio rice, the cooking time will be longer so add shrimp after the rice has finished cooking, and the pressure has been released. The remaining heat will cook the shrimp in about 5 minutes
• Add defrosted frozen peas after natural release of pressure

How to Store, and Reheat Instant Pot Paella

• Leftovers will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator
• This dish does not freeze well
• Best reheating method: Place in an oven-proof casserole, add some chicken broth to moisten and reheat in 350℉ oven for 30-35 minutes

Serving Suggestions

FAQ About Making Instant Pot Paella

• Can I make the paella ahead of time? You can prep all the ingredients ahead of time but cooking just before serving is ideal
• Can I freeze paella? This is not recommended

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to rate it in the recipe card and let me know how it went in the comments below. Your ratings and feedback help others find and trust my recipes, and they mean so much to me. Thanks for cooking along!

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