Instant Pot Paella (easy Vegan Recipe)

This easy Vegetarian Instant Pot Paella recipe is chock full with colourful veggies like red pepper, artichokes, mushrooms, green pea, green beans and cannellini beans. Honouring the traditional paella recipe, this Vegetable Paella cooked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker becomes a delicious one pot meal perfect for busy weeknights. It’ll be on the table in under 30 minutes and is guaranteed to be a hit with vegans, vegetarians and those who eat meat.

This recipe, with step-by-step instructions, is easy to adapt to suit whichever vegetables you have lying around. I have also included instructions on how to achieve the unique crispy bottom of this traditional Spanish dish.

• What is paella?
• Why you should make this delicious paella
• Ingredients
• Easy and Quick Alternatives
• How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Paella
• Storage
• FAQs
• Other Instant Pot Rice Recipes
• Save Instant Pot Paella Recipe to Pinterest

What is paella?

Valencian paella is a traditional Spanish rice dish made with a mix of meat, seafood and vegetables.

It is distinct from other rice dishes as it is flavoured with saffron which also provides the yellow color.

It originated as a peasant dish and was made with whichever ingredients were available and cooked over an open fire. Cooking over wood fires provided authentic flavour and these techniques are still practiced today.

There are many flavour variations such as seafood paella, chorizo paella, or a mixed paella.

A paella pan (a shallow, large pan) is usually used to cook the paella and I love to make this stove top Vegetable Paella with Halloumi for entertaining.

This version uses the instant pot to speed up the process – all parts of the recipe are cooked inside the inner pot. All you will need to do is part-cook the vegetables, add in the rice and stock and then pressure cook!

It is so easy and there is little mess as this is effectively a one-pot meal.

Why you should make this delicious paella

There are so many reasons to try this recipe.

It is an easy instant pot rice recipe that is made in less time than using a paella pan. You can cook your paella in just 3 minutes pressure cooking on High Pressure with quick release .

You can still achieve the much-coveted socarrat thanks to the bottom of your instant pot. This leads to delicious crispy browned bits that provide bursts of flavour and texture.

Easy to make ahead – the great thing is that it works wonderfully as meal prep.

The recipe is plant-based , naturally gluten-free and nut-free.

You can consider this rice dish to be healthy as it is packed with vegetables and the pressure cooking mode helps to retain the nutrients.

The carbs from the rice provide energy. If served alongside a salad, and eaten at lunch, you can enjoy this vegetable paella as a balanced meal .

Ingredients

(see below for tips and substitutes for the following ingredients. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full measurements and method instructions)

The rice

I have used Spanish Bomba Rice which is usually sold as Spanish Paella Rice in grocery stores. This rice is also round rice.

The type of rice commonly used for paella is short grain rice as these are the traditional varieties grown and eaten in Spain.

An alternative is to use arborio rice which is sometimes more easily available and is labelled as risotto rice on packaging.

Basmati rice is a no-no for paella as it is a long grain rice, and it is only short-grain rice which is used in the traditional version.

I have come across brown rice paella but have never tried it out for myself.

The vegetables

A delicious vegetable paella needs a variety of vegetables – I like to imagine the rainbow when I choose my veggies to ensure I get plenty of variety in flavour, texture and nutrition.

You can add and remove from this list to make your own unique paella.

green peas – I used frozen green beans.

green beans – I used fresh green beans cut into 2 inch lengths.

red bell pepper – alternatively use green, orange or yellow bell pepper

artichokes – I used jarred artichokes but you can also use fresh.

carrots – I used fresh carrots

mushrooms – I have used chestnut mushrooms, you could use whole button mushrooms too. If you do not like mushrooms then leave these out.

Be mindful that certain vegetables have different water content which means you may have to adjust the water used.

Vegetables such as aubergine or squash can go mushy in the instant pot, so I recommend sautéing them first in oil in the inner pot and removing when cooked.

Then pressure cook the paella and once the paella is done, add the veggies back in.

The base

You will need white onion, garlic and tomato. The onion and garlic should be finely chopped and the tomato cut into chunks.

Use fresh tomato where possible but an alternative is to use tinned chopped tomatoes but try not to add in too much of the juice.

The protein

I used white cannellini beans to add texture. Using beans are a great way to make the recipe suitable for vegans and vegetarians and are a great alternative to using chorizo sausage or chicken breast.

The broth

I use vegetable stock in replacement of chicken broth or chicken stock. Vegetable stock cubes tend to be vegan, but it is best to check the packaging.

The flavouring

Paprika – I have used smoked paprika but you can also use sweet paprika or hot paprika

Saffron threads – saffron is an expensive spice! These red threads are the dried stigmas of crocus flowers and each stamen has to be hand-picked.

You can find Spanish saffron and Kashmiri saffron online or in specialist supermarkets. Adding saffron provides complex flavours that you can definitely taste in the final dish.

As an alternative, use a pinch of turmeric to add colour to the paella.

Olive oil – I used extra virgin olive oil but you can use any other olive oil. An alternative is to use a flavourless oil such as vegetable oil or sunflower oil that will not interfere with the Spanish flavours.

Seasoning – salt and black pepper. You may not need much salt if the stock is high in salt.

Lemon – use fresh lemon for the best flavour but bottled lemon juice is also fine

Parsley – add freshly chopped parsley to garnish the finished paella just before serving

Optional – add a splash of white wine such as a vegan sauvignon blanc when cooking the vegetables. Ensure that the wine has cooked off before closing the instant pot lid and pressure cooking.

Easy and Quick Alternatives

If you are really short of time, you can also use store-bought vegetable preparations. You can find prepared carrots, cauliflower and broccoli in the vegetable sections or use frozen country mix.

Note that frozen vegetables may have higher water content so you will find that you need a bit less stock.

How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Paella

(see the detailed ingredient list above or scroll down to find the method in the recipe card below)

Some important tips to note before cooking:

Do not wash the rice – washing the rice leads to gelatinization and will make the dish starchy.

Do not stir the rice during cooking – luckily there is less chance of that in this recipe as the IP lid will be closed during the cooking process.

I used the 8 quart Instant Pot Pro Crisp which has similar functions to the Instant Pot Duo to make this delicious dish.

You can use any brand of electric pressure cooker, one such example being the Ninja Foodi.

Firstly, you will need to prepare your ingredients – this requires a little bit of chopping.

Select Sauté function on the display and add oil to the inner pot.

Add oil and tip in the onion and cook until translucent.

Add in the garlic, carrots, tomato and red pepper and sauté for a further few minutes.

Tip in the remaining veggies – the green peas, green beans, mushrooms, artichokes and cannellini beans and mix thoroughly.

Keep deglazing the bottom of the inner pot to ensure nothing is sticking.

Sprinkle over the paprika and crush in the saffron using your finger tips.

Add the rice and the stock. Give everything a thorough mix and again make sure to deglaze the pan fully.

Cancel the sauté mode and close the lid.

Ensure the lid is on the Sealed position.

I would recommend pressure cooking on High Pressure for 3 minutes and use the Quick Release method.

Once the remaining pressure has released, open the lid. You can either serve it here or go a step further to get the socarrat.

Select Sauté mode once again and time for 1 minute. Do not stir the paella but allow the bottom to crisp up.

If you hear popping and crackling before the minute is up, turn off the IP to prevent burning.

Serve with an extra squeeze of lemon juice.

Storage

As this is a rice dish, it needs to be stored safely for later and to prevent food waste.

I like to store mine in an airtight container in the fridge. If I am making it for later, I store it away as soon as it has cooled down.

The paella will keep well in the fridge for up-to 3-4 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze this paella in a freezer-proof container for up to 1 month as this is the ideal time to keep rice in the freezer.

Keep in mind that the vegetables may lose some of their texture on defrosting.

Paella rice is available in larger supermarkets but can also be found online. It is sold as Spanish Paella rice but also as Bomba rice.

This is because starch has released. This can be due to a number of reasons such as washing the rice before cooking, stirring the paella and therefore agitating the rice or adding too much water/stock.

Yes, you can make paella without onion. Use garlic and tomato only for the base.

Yes you can. Simply use water instead but you may need extra seasoning.

No, do not wash the paella rice as it will lead to the paella becoming sticky and starchy.

As paella contains moisture, the saffron does not need to be steeped beforehand. Lightly crush the saffron threads between your fingers before adding to the paella to unlock the flavour.

You will need a rice to water ratio of 1:1.5 for the pressure cooker.

Instead of an instant pot or electric pressure cooker, you can make this in a round paella shallow pan or use a large skillet

If you get a burn sign on your Instant Pot, do not panic. The burn sign immediately switches off further cooking. Release any steam straight away and open the lid. The burn sign appears when the water has reduced so there may not be any burning yet. Deglaze the pan to ensure any sticking is removed and add some more water/stock. Continue to cook the paella using the sauté function rather than the pressure cooker.

Other Instant Pot Rice Recipes

• Easy Instant Pot Chickpea Rice

• Instant Pot Coconut Milk Rice

• Cypriot Style Stuffed Peppers in Instant Pot

• Cilantro and Lime Rice (copycat chipotle)

• Instant Pot Cranberry and Saffron Rice

Save Instant Pot Paella Recipe to Pinterest

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Instant Pot Paella (Easy Vegan Recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup rice Spanish
• ¼ cup onion peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic chopped
• ½ cup tomatoes ripe chopped
• ½ cup carrots peeled and chopped
• ½ cup red pepper chopped
• ½ cup mushrooms chopped
• ½ cup white beans cooked
• ¼ cup green beans
• ¼ cup green peas frozen
• ¼ cup artichoke from the jar
• ½ teaspoon saffron
• 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 ½ cup water or vegetable stock
• salt

Garnish and Serving

• 3 tablespoon parsley garnish
• 4 wedges lemon serving

Instructions

• Select Saute function and heat olive oil in the inner liner of the Instant Pot. 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Add chopped onion and cook for a couple of minutes. 1/4 cup onion, 1 teaspoon garlic
• Then add chopped garlic, red pepper, tomato and carrots. 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/2 cup red pepper, 1/2 cup carrots
• Saute this mixture for approximately 2 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, green beans, peas, white beans and artichoke pieces. 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1/2 cup white beans, 1/4 cup green beans, 1/4 cup green peas, 1/4 cup artichoke
• Mix and then add saffron and paprika. 1/2 teaspoon saffron, 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Now add rice (unwashed) and mix. 1 cup rice
• Pour water and add salt. 1 1/2 cup water, salt
• Stir and lock lid in place with vent sealed.
• Set the pressure cooker on HIGH 3 minutes.
• Once done, use quick release.
• Take off the lid, once again select saute mode for 1 minute and allow the bottom layer of rice to go crispy. Do not stir during this step.
• Sprinkle chopped parsley and serve it with lemon wedges. 3 tablespoon parsley, 4 wedges lemon
• Enjoy hot.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Instant Pot Paella (Easy Vegan Recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup rice Spanish
• ¼ cup onion peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic chopped
• ½ cup tomatoes ripe chopped
• ½ cup carrots peeled and chopped
• ½ cup red pepper chopped
• ½ cup mushrooms chopped
• ½ cup white beans cooked
• ¼ cup green beans
• ¼ cup green peas frozen
• ¼ cup artichoke from the jar
• ½ teaspoon saffron
• 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 ½ cup water or vegetable stock
• salt

Garnish and Serving

• 3 tablespoon parsley garnish
• 4 wedges lemon serving

Instructions

• Select Saute function and heat olive oil in the inner liner of the Instant Pot. 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Add chopped onion and cook for a couple of minutes. 1/4 cup onion, 1 teaspoon garlic
• Then add chopped garlic, red pepper, tomato and carrots. 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/2 cup red pepper, 1/2 cup carrots
• Saute this mixture for approximately 2 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, green beans, peas, white beans and artichoke pieces. 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1/2 cup white beans, 1/4 cup green beans, 1/4 cup green peas, 1/4 cup artichoke
• Mix and then add saffron and paprika. 1/2 teaspoon saffron, 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Now add rice (unwashed) and mix. 1 cup rice
• Pour water and add salt. 1 1/2 cup water, salt
• Stir and lock lid in place with vent sealed.
• Set the pressure cooker on HIGH 3 minutes.
• Once done, use quick release.
• Take off the lid, once again select saute mode for 1 minute and allow the bottom layer of rice to go crispy. Do not stir during this step.
• Sprinkle chopped parsley and serve it with lemon wedges. 3 tablespoon parsley, 4 wedges lemon
• Enjoy hot.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

This Gujarati Shakarpara recipe ( Gor Na Shakkarpara ) is made with jaggery. These Indian sweet diamond biscuits are perfect as Diwali snacks, for Holi but also make a great tea time snack throughout the year.

Follow this sweet shankarpali recipe which contains a certain special ingredient, to achieve a nice flaky texture that is a must for this delicious snack.

What is Shakarpara?

Shakarpara are a delicious Indian mithai or Indian sweet made from whole wheat flour, semolina, jaggery and milk.

They can be described as bite sized Indian cookies and have a distinctive diamond shape.

The texture can be described as crispy but they do not have a “snap” but rather a flaky crispiness that is known as khasta in Indian words!

There are many different names for this popular snack and you can find them in most Indian homes served with a cup of Masala Chai , Cardamom Tea or Karak Chai .

In Gujarat, they are known as shakarpara but are called Shankarpali in Maharastra. Some people call them sweet tukdi .

As this is a Gujarati shakarpara recipe, the sweet shakarpara are made with jaggery .

You can find variations of this sweet shakarpara recipe in different parts of India. For example, in parts of north India, they sweeten these shakarpara with a sugar syrup rather than jaggery.

The simplicity of these diamond biscuits explains why they are one of the most popular Indian snack recipes out there!

In India, these are often sent in a child’s lunch box as school snacks but can sometimes be made for festive occasions too like Satam, Diwali or Holi.

It is possible to find savory versions of shankarpali which are also made during special occasions or even just as a munching snack. These are salty and are known as namak para. My Mum would often make the two together at the same time!

Why you should make this recipe

Easy to transport – I have memories of taking sweet shakarpara on holiday!

Can be made ahead – due to their shelf-life, shakarpara can be made ahead of time and stored. Perfect if you are planning on making a trip or are going to be making loads of snacks for Diwali!

Keep well – shakarpara keep for around 2 weeks if stored well

Easy to find ingredients – the recipe is made from easy to find ingredients

Made within 1 hour – you can make a batch of shakapara in under an hour. The longest part of the recipe is allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Eggless biscuits recipe – shakarpara are made without egg making them safe to eat for pure vegetarian Indian diets or lacto-vegetarians.

Easy shakarpare recipe – this recipe is easy to follow. You just need to make a dough, make diamond cuts and either deep fry/bake/airfry.

The secret ingredient: milk!

The secret ingredient is milk! Shakarpara with milk have the most incredible flaky texture. They retain their crispiness but are moist at the same time and are not dry.

Milk rather than water gives deep colour to the biscuits and as the milk deep fries in the dough it tastes caramelised and sweet.

Ingredients

The dry ingredients:

Whole wheat flour – whole wheat atta or chapati atta is the flour usually used to make gujarati rotli. I recommend using either chakki or medium but wholemeal atta will do as well.

You can use all purpose flour / plain flour instead to make sweet maida biscuits but I think they taste fabulous using whole wheat flour! Simply make a direct switch if using plain flour.

Traditional or authentic gujarati shakarpara are made from either plain flour or whole wheat flour.

Semolina – aka semolina flour, either coarse or fine semolina will work and you can use either white or yellow semolina – basically whichever semolina you have to hand!

Sesame seeds – these add extra crunchiness and a nutty flavour. Also, they make the sakarpara look good. Avoid sesame seeds for allergy reasons or if you do not have it to hand.

The wet ingredients:

Milk – this is the special ingredient! Milk is the perfect wet ingredient in comparison to water to add extra crumbly texture and flavour.

Jaggery – jaggery or gor/gur/gud is an unrefined natural sugar and has more vitamins and minerals than white sugar. Jaggery is used often in making Indian sweets. You can find jaggery online or by visiting supermarkets or South Asian grocery stores. We will be adding grated jaggery to the milk to create a milky jaggery syrup.

Ghee – I use homemade desi ghee or all butter ghee. A few tablespoons of ghee provides a richness to the recipe and helps provide a “khasta” or layered flaky texture also.

Oil – the oil is required for deep frying but make sure to use a flavourless oil such as sunflower or vegetable oil. Canola oil is another option.

Pinch of salt – salt plays important part in sweet dishes, it enhances the flavour of other ingredients. Salt also provides a balance to the sweetness of sweets.

Optional:

Add a pinch of cardamom powder for extra flavour

Gluten-free Shakarpara

If you are following a wheat free or gluten-free diet because of coeliac or other dietary needs, you can still enjoy the delicious taste of shakar para.

The easiest way to do this is to buy ready made gluten-free flour mix or visit an Indian grocery store and buy farali flour. Farali food is eaten by Hindus during fasts where wheat is not consumed.

This flour comes in handy and can be a direct substitution.

You would also have to omit the semolina in this recipe as semolina contains gluten.

The shakarpara will have a fairly similar texture to the whole wheat version but may be more crumbly due to the lack of gluten.

How to make gujarati shakarpara with jaggery

Follow these step by step instructions for the best gujarati shakarpara:

Firstly, we need to prepare the milk .

Warm milk either in the microwave or in a sauce pan and then allow it to cool to room temperature.

Add in grated gor and mix until dissolved to make sweet milk. Alternatively, you can use water to make a jaggery syrup but I find that the milk makes the shakar para extra flaky yet keeps them just the right amount of crispy.

In a different bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, semolina and sesame seeds with a pinch of salt and melted ghee. Optionally, add in a pinch of cardamom powder.

As you mix the ingredients together, the flour will clump together in your fist.

Next, you want to pour the sweet milk slowly and knead to make a stiff or tight dough – the dough should neither be too hard or a soft dough but like a poori dough.

Let this smooth dough rest for 30 mins by covering with a lightly damp cloth or lid.

I rest the dough after kneading to allow the gluten relax, which makes easier to roll the dough out.

If after resting, the dough appears to have hardened too much, add a tablespoon of milk and knead gently again.

The next part of the recipe is to shape the shakarpara . Make smaller round balls of the dough and roll onto a lightly floured surface until 1 cm or approx 0.5 inch thick.

Cut into small pieces like a diamond shape or a square shape using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Ensure the shapes are all roughly equal.

The next step is to deep fry the shakarpara .

Heat oil on a medium flame in a kadai or frying pan.

To check the oil is hot, drop in a small ball of dough. If the dough rapidly rises to the surface, the oil is sufficiently hot.

You can now turn the down the heat to a low heat .

Drop the shapes in slowly once the oil is hot.

Deep fry in the hot oil on low flame until medium brown or golden brown . Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon to drain off the excess oil and place on absorbent paper or a baking tray.

As you let the shakarpara cool and they come to room temperature, they will turn into crispy biscuits.

How to bake or air fry shakarpara/shankarpali

To reduce the fat content of these shakarpara, you can also bake or air fry them. The texture and flavour will not be exactly the same however.

To bake: Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4. Layer each piece onto a baking tray that is lined with parchment. Brush over oil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn over at the half way point, brush more oil if needed.

Air Fry: Layer in the air fryer basket in a single layer and either spray or brush oil generously. Air fry at 180C or 350F for 12-15 minutes but keep checking in between as they may need shaking.

Tips

The milk must be at room temperature before adding the jaggery because the milk can split if it is too hot.

The temperature of oil should be kept on low as the low heat will ensure the shakkar para cook on the inside.

Resist the urge to turn up the heat onto a high flame as this will cause the shakarpara to burn.

Storage

Shakkar pare keep well for many days as long as they are stored correctly. I like to use an airtight container or an old biscuit tin.

Allow to cool thoroughly before storing or at least placing the lid on top of the container as they can loose their crispiness due to condensation.

I personally have never tried freezing them.

Other Indian Sweets with Jaggery

• Gor Churma Ladoo

• Sukhdi Recipe

• Crushed Peanut Chikki

• Gulgule (Indian style doughnuts)

• Mixed Nuts and Sesame Seeds Chikki

• Almond Sukhdi

• Gundar Pak

• Katlu Recipe

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Gujarati Shakarpara Recipe: How to make Shankarpali

Equipment

• 1 Bowl
• 1 Rolling Pin
• 1 Wooden rolling board
• 1 Wide frying pan kadai
• 1 Slotted spoon jaro
• Paper towels to absorb excess oil

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk boiled first then cooled
• 1 cup jaggery grated/powder
• 4 cup whole wheat flour roti/chapati flour
• 4 tablespoon semolina sooji/rava
• 8 tablespoon ghee slightly melted
• 2 tablespoon sesame seeds use white sesame seeds
• sunflower oil or vegetable oil to deep fry

Instructions

Jaggery Milk

• First heat milk in a pan, bring it to boil then cool to room temperature. 1 cup whole milk
• Add jaggery and dissolve into the milk using a spoon. 1 cup jaggery
• Strain the milk using a fine tea strainer to remove any impurities from the jaggery.

Shakarpara Dough

• In a wide plate, place flour, semolina and sesame seeds. 4 cup whole wheat flour, 4 tablespoon semolina, 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
• Mix it, then add melted ghee. Crumble the ghee into the flour. 8 tablespoon ghee
• Add jaggery milk.
• Combine everything and make a stiff pliable dough (like a puri dough)
• Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or lid, rest the dough for 20 minutes.

Roll and Cut Shakarpara Dough

• Knead the dough for a minute.
• Divide dough into 5 equal balls.
• Make a ball from each part of the dough and roll into a circle on a flat surface with rolling pin about 1/2 ” thick.
• Cut each of the rolled dough into square or diamond shape with pizza cutter or knife.
• Heat oil in a wide mouth pan or kadai on medium heat. Make sure the base of the pan is stable. sunflower oil
• Turn the heat on low, then add carefully add a few shakarpara in hot oil.
• Do not overcrowd the pan by filling all the shakarpara at one time.
• Fry the para on low heat until brown. This will take roughly 7-8 minutes for one batch.
• Remove it from the hot oil. Let them cool at room temperature, once they are cool, they will turn crispy outside.
• Serve with hot cup of Indian masala tea.

Video

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in February 25th, 2012.