Paella Casserole

This easy Paella Casserole is a riff on classic paella. Making it in casserole form brings it to the dinner table any night of the week.

Ingredients to Make Paella Casserole Recipe

Paella is a traditional Spanish rice dish prepared in a large pan outside over an open fire.  The ingredients usually include tender chicken, spicy sausage, vegetables, and seafood.  Or, any combination of those ingredients.  The flavors are as intense and vibrant as the colors. Through travel, I was fortunate to taste authentic paella, and fell in love with this sassy dish. To make it family friendly, I needed to “remake” it a bit to turn it into a doable weeknight meal. Dishes like this chicken, sausage shrimp rice casserole and chicken and wild rice casserole are always a welcome sight on the dinner table. Ingredients to make Paella Casserole: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Rice – One package of saffron rice.
• Chicken –  Chopped roasted chicken.
• Sausage – One smoked beef, pork or turkey sausage.
• Vegetables – Sweet onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and garlic cloves.
• Oil – Olive oil for cooking the vegetables.
• Seasonings – Salt and black pepper.
• Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes seasoned for chili.
• Soup – One can cream of celery soup and sour cream for moisture.
• Olives and Peas – Stuffed green olives and frozen peas.
• Cheese – Two cups shredded monterey jack or manchego cheese.
• Herbs – 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.
• Shrimp – 10-12 medium-large raw shrimp peeled deveined, tails removed. Shrimp is optional.

How to Make the BEST Paella Casserole Recipe

I’m taking some liberty with this dish because I’m preparing it in the oven as a casserole. However, if you enjoy Spanish inspired cuisine it’s a great way to enjoy those flavors with little fuss.  My friend, who is originally from Spain, gave my version her stamp of approval.

• Prepare Dish and Heat Oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Vegetables – In a medium size pot cook the diced pepper and onion in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften and brown. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.
• Rice – Add the dry saffron rice and the amount of water called for on the package to the cooked veggies. Cook for the suggested time being careful not to overcook. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Combine – In a large mixing bowl stir together the cooked rice, chopped chicken, sausage, shrimp, tomatoes, soup, sour cream, olives, cilantro, 1 cup cheese and peas. Mix well. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper to your taste.
• Transfer to Dish – Pour into the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese.
• Melt the Cheese – Return rice casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes longer until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Serve garnished with cilantro pesto, if desired.

Tips for Making Paella Casserole Recipe

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Large skillet, 13×9-inch baking dish, saucepan, large skillet, large bowl, sharp knife and chopping board, cheese grater, measuring cups and spoons.
• Make-Ahead Tip: This dish can be assembled one day in advance, covered with plastic wrap and chilled until baking.
• Bring to Room Temperature: When assembling this seafood casserole in advance, give it 15 minutes on the counter to come to room temperature before baking.
• Shortcut: Paella is often served with a parsley or cilantro pesto that includes toasted almonds or pine nuts. For a shortcut you can garnish with toasted almonds instead. The crunchy nutty flavor really complements the spicy flavors in this dish.
• Make Your Own Pesto: If you’d like to whip-up pesto, I highly recommend trying my homemade Cilantro Pesto as a topping.

Recipe Variations

• Rice Substitution: This recipe uses saffron rice is in keeping with spanish paella. You can use long grain white rice seasoned with saffron, if you happen to have it on hand. You can also cook the rice in chicken stock or chicken broth for added flavor.
• Omit the Seafood: Authentic paella would usually include seafood, and I include shrimp in mine. However, this is optional and up to you, if you’re in the mood for a shrimp rice casserole southern living style.
• Cheese: You may opt to use sharp cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese in this seafood casserole.
• Soup: You can use cream of shrimp soup in place of cream of celery soup to amp up the seafood flavor or cream of mushroom soup.
• Optional Topping: You can sprinkle the top with panko breadcrumbs tossed in butter for added texture.
• Seasonings: You could easily transform this dish into into a Cajun shrimp casserole with chicken adding 1-2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store Paella Casserole covered with foil or in an airtight container chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat in single servings in the microwave.
• Freezer Storage: You can store chicken, sauce shrimp rice casserole for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

More Easy Casseroles to Make

• Easy Broccoli Casserole remains an all time favorite.
• A holiday staple, this sweet and salty Pineapple Casserole goes perfectly with ham and turkey.
• Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with a pecan streusel topping.
• Barbecue Beef Tater Tot Casserole is a one dish meal.
• Make ahead Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole can be baked when you’re ready to eat.
• Southern Grits and Greens Casserole can be enjoyed at any meal from breakfast to supper.
• Easy Broccoli Casserole is a staple on our table year-round.
• Brussels Sprouts Casserole from The Pioneer Woman.

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Disclosure ~ If  a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Baking Dish
• Cheese Grater
• Kitchen Utensils
• Chopping Board and Knives