Hello everyone! This easy peasy paella recipe is a remix of the traditional one. Instead of bomba rice, I used pearl couscous, a pasta made from durum wheat that looks like tiny pearls. I love making this version because it’s quick, easy and perfect for a weekday meal. Best part is, you won’t be left with loads of dishes as everything comes together in one pan.
I used onions and bell peppers for the base, cut half of them into small dices and the other half into thin strips. I used mushroom stock for this recipe, but I have also made it with seafood stock, which honestly tastes even better, but is just a bit harder to find. Use vegetable stock, if you can’t find any of those.
To make this recipe, I used a frying pan. But you can also use a traditional paella pan instead. I served the paella with cod fish baked in the oven, topped with a homemade breadcrumbs mix flavoured with lemon juice and zest.
It probably takes you less than 30 minutes to prepare this easy paella recipe. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Pearl Couscous Paella with Cod Fish and Lemon Breadcrumbs
Adjust servings here:
Equipment
- frying pan or use a traditional Paella pan
Ingredients
PAELLA
- 140 grams pearl couscous
- 1 red onion
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 garlic
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 150 ml tomato puree
- 8 threads saffron
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 300 ml stock use seafood/fish stock or vegetable stock
- 75 grams green peas (frozen)
- a bunch fresh parsley
- salt & pepper
COD FISH
- 2 cod fish filets
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
BREADCRUMBS
- 1 bread roll
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 lemon lemon juice
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the cod fish. Rinse with water, pat dry and place on a tray. Cover with butter and a bit of lemon juice. Season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F)
- Cut the vegetables. Grate or finely chop the garlic. Dice half of the onions and slice the other half into thin strips. Do the same with the bell peppers. This will give the paella more structure.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and stir it through. Add the bell peppers and cook for a few minutes.
- Add smoked paprika to the pan, followed by the tomato purée and stock. Stir until combined.
- Chop the parsley.
- Add the saffron threads and parsley to the pan. Stir. Add the pearl couscous and let it all simmer on low heat for 6 minutes.
- Place the cod fish on baking paper and bake in the oven for 8 minutes at 200°C (400°F).
- Prepare the breadcrumb topping. Chop or blend a bread roll into crumbs. Mix with olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Toast the breadcrumb mixture until crispy. Set aside.
- After the paella has been simmering for 6 minutes, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Add the green peas and increase the heat to medium-high. Let the liquid evaporate. Allow the bottom to turn slightly brown for a smoky touch, but avoid burning. This should take around 2–3 minutes.
- Add the paella in the center of each dish. Place the baked cod fish on top. Sprinkle with parsley and the lemon breadcrumbs. Serve with a slice of lemon.
Like these quick and easy weekday meals? Watch my kimchi stir fry recipe or my tuna tomato pasta recipe here.
Enjoy!
