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Ultimate Instant Pot Paella: Quick Spanish Rice & Seafood Recipe

Fully loaded paella made in the Instant Pot — with chicken, shrimp, mussels, and calamari. This Instant Pot paella is quick and easy, ready in about 15 minutes.

Close-up view of Instant Pot Paella on a large neutral round plate with a fork.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

  • This recipe takes a fraction of the time of traditional paella. The Instant Pot cooks the dish in about 10 minutes of pressure time, while stovetop paella usually takes much longer.
  • It’s a simple, balanced one-pot meal. Veggies, spices, rice, chicken, and seafood combine for a complete dinner with clean flavors and minimal fuss.
  • One-pot cooking means fast preparation and minimal cleanup. Everything cooks in the Instant Pot, so you save time on washing dishes.

Chef’s Tips

  • After adding the chicken broth, scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot to lift any browned bits. If too much residue remains stuck when you try to pressurize, the pot can display a “burn” warning and fail to come to pressure.
  • Customize the seafood to your taste. If you don’t like shellfish, omit the mussels or swap in other seafood — the recipe is forgiving and easy to adapt.
  • Prep all ingredients before you start. This recipe moves quickly once the Instant Pot is on, so having vegetables chopped and proteins ready makes the process smooth.
Overhead view of a plate of Instant Pot paella on a wooden tabletop.

More Instant Pot Recipes to Try

  • Instant Pot Black Rice
  • Instant Pot Italian Sausage
  • Beer-Infused Instant Pot Brats
  • Instant Pot Chicken Paprikash
  • Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Overhead view of a plate of Instant Pot paella on a wooden tabletop.
5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Paella

Prep: 5
Cook: 10
Total: 15
The Instant Pot delivers a flavorful paella that’s ready in about 15 minutes.

Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik

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6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 bell pepper chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of saffron threads
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 ½ cups short grain white rice see Notes
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ pound shrimp peeled, tail-on
  • ½ pound mussels
  • ½ pound calamari rings
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Instructions

  • Place olive oil in the Instant Pot and set to Sauté. When the oil is hot, add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook about 3 minutes until softened.
    Overhead view of paella ingredients in an Instant Pot.
  • Add diced tomatoes, paprika, salt, and saffron. Stir and cook 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 3–4 minutes until it starts to turn opaque.
    Overhead view of paella ingredients in an Instant Pot.
  • Stir in the rice, then pour in the chicken broth. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
    Overhead view of paella ingredients in an Instant Pot.
  • Layer the shrimp, mussels, calamari, and frozen peas on top in that order. Do not stir. Secure the lid and set to Manual/High pressure for 5 minutes.
    Overhead view of paella ingredients in an Instant Pot.
  • Quick-release the pressure manually. When the valve drops, remove the lid and serve the paella warm.
    Overhead view of paella ingredients in an Instant Pot.

Notes

  • Short grain rice: Traditional paella often uses Bomba rice, but any short-grain rice will work well in this Instant Pot version.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 405kcal | Protein: 34g | Fat: 7g | Total Carbs: 48g

Serving counts and nutrition values are approximate and depend on exact ingredients and portion sizes.

© Author: Cheryl Malik
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