Arroz Caldoso recipe came from sunny Spain. I hear you whispering with a wrinkled nose and furrowed brows: What is Arroz Caldoso? Well, in Spanish Arroz Caldoso mean brothy rice. Arroz is rice and Caldoso is broth. In short it is creamy, brothy rice made with veggies, meat or seafood.

Arroz Caldoso is prepared using lots of broth to keep the whole thing moist. So today I’m bringing a true taste of Spain into your home. It is an exquisite rice recipe.

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What is the difference between Paella and Arroz Caldoso recipe?

Arroz Caldoso rice is like thick soup. It has more broth than Paella rice. Paella rice is dry, while Arroz Caldoso is soaked in broth.

Traditionally, Paella is cooked over an open flame and served in a “paellera”. There is a flame-crusted layer at the bottom with crusty toasted grains. You won’t get this effect when cooking in the oven.

Meanwhile Arroz Caldoso is cooked in a deep pan and is moist, creamy, soupy rice. Rice is served on a soup plate.

This Arroz Caldoso recipe will make you happy

You’ll love it, because it’s a flavorful and healthy recipe for any rice lover.
If rice comes with shrimp, lobster or meat it makes rice much better. It’s a great, filling recipe with healthy vegetables and spices.

The dish is healthy, and tasty. You’ll love the flavor combination. It is cheap if you make a veggie version.

So, today I’m excited to share my classy Spanish Arroz Caldoso recipe with seafood. Let’s start with the ingredients.

Ingredients and substitutions

Rice. Make sure you use round rice (short-grain rice Bomba or Arborio). It has extra starch that gives nice creamy texture.
Broth. Seafood or fish broth.
Veggies. Garlic, onion and bell pepper.
Sauce. Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes.
Seafood. Use raw jumbo or large shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari tubes. Crab meat, lobster, scallops or even fish work well here. You can use seafood mix as cheaper option or just shrimp.
Olive oil. The best choice is organic extra virgin olive oil.
Seasoning. I use saffron. It is extremely subtle and fragrant and has a slightly sweet, luxurious taste. You’ll never forget it once you’ve tried it. Also add sea salt and black pepper.

How to make Arroz Caldoso de Marisco

Step 1

Soak the clams in salty water. Leave them to hang out for about 3-4 hours.

Step 2

Add 2 cups of water to a large pot. Place the mussels, cover and bring it to boil. When the water boils, wait until the shells open. The mussels will be ready in 3 minutes.

Step 3

Turn off the heat. Drain the mussel broth, pour into a separate bowl and set aside. We will use this broth to cook rice. Once the mussels are ready, remove the edible part with a spoon and set aside.
You can leave a couple of mussels with the shells, then place them on top before serving.

Step 4

Shrimp cleaning. Remove the head. Rip off the legs along the inner curve of the shrimp. Then pry apart the shell by getting your thumb underneath and cracking it away from the shrimp. Wash and set aside the cleaned shrimp. Don’t throw away the shells.

Step 5

This step is for maximum flavor. Pour the olive oil into the skillet. Add all the shrimp heads and shells. Let them cook for a couple minutes to get all the juices out. Pour 2-3 cups of water and cook for another 20 minutes. Strain the broth and set aside. Now you can throw away the shells.

Step 6

Dice the bell pepper, onion, and garlic cloves. Add olive oil and place all veggies to the skillet. When the vegetables soften, add the tomato puree and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Step 7

Cut the squid into wide strips. Add olive oil and sauté for 3 or 4 minutes in a pan. Add all the veggies (bell pepper, onion, garlic and tomato puree) that you’ve set aside.

Step 8

Add the rice to the same skillet. Mix it with the veggies and toast for two minutes. Pour in the mussel and shrimp broth. About 4 cups or 1 liter of broth. I added 2 cups (500 ml) of shrimp broth and 2 cups (500 ml) of mussel broth. Mix everything. Add saffron and salt.

Cook the rice on medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 9

When the rice is ready taste and add salt if needed. Add clams and shrimp on top. Cook until shrimp turns pink in color (2-3 minutes). Add the mussels at the very end. Turn off the heat and serve.

Recipe variations

Brothy rice with veggies and mushrooms. You can add peas, asparagus, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, greens and mushrooms. You can make it the way you like.
Brothy rice with meat. Add chicken, beef, crispy bacon or pork. It’s for meat lovers.
Vegan brothie rice with beans, lentils or chickpeas.
Rice with your favorite fish, crab meat, lobster or scallops.
Simple butter-garlic rice with greens you like (parsley, cilantro, scallions, basil, mint).
Spicy rice with chili oil and ginger.

Pro tips

The secret ingredient for good Spanish soupy rice is quality broth. Cook rice in broth instead of water. This has a huge effect on the flavor! Use it ready or make it yourself.
You can use vegetable broth and add seafood. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes to get all the flavor while preparing the onions, garlic and bell peppers! Tastes just perfect!
Fry veggies (onions, bell peppers and garlic) in olive oil. Fried veggies taste better.
You’ve got to find good rice. Picking the right type of rice can help you make more than just soupy rice. You can make it perfect. Choose round (short-grain) rice (Calasparra rice, Bomba rice or Arborio) for a creamy Arroz caldoso recipe.
If you are looking for an affordable option, you can use only shrimp, veggies and saffron.

Frequently asked questions:

How much rice does 1 cup make?

One cup of uncooked rice makes three cups of cooked rice.

What is the ratio of water to rice?

Add 3-4 parts water and 1 part rice for a short-grain, soupy rice dish. If you are making paella add 2 cups of water for every 1 cup.

arroz caldoso recipe on a plate

In closing

I love this recipe so much. It’s really awesome. Find the reason to make it. This recipe is gluten-free and suitable for people who cannot tolerate gluten. More healthy and gluten-free recipes here. Thanks for spending time with me. If you find Arroz Caldoso recipe good enough, please consider sharing it with your friends. Enjoy!