Low-Carb Seafood Cauliflower Paella

Martina SlajerovaUpdated 28 August 2022★★★★★4.9 (8 ratings)

Ready in 40m
9.5 g net carbs
361 kcal
Serves 6

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Low-Carb Seafood Cauliflower Paella (grain-free, gluten-free, keto)

Inspired by traditional Spanish Paella, this delicious one-pot meal is a must-try for all seafood lovers.

My version is made with four types of seafood plus tomato, saffron and herb-infused cauli-rice. It’s actually much easier to make than the original version, but it’s just as satisfying, and way healthier!

This recipe is adapted from the Seafood Cauli-Paella from my latest cookbook, The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook! The original recipe uses a combination of fish plus seafood while this version only used seafood. I also scaled it up and tweaked the ingredients to adjust for the slightly higher carb nature of some types of seafood.

Apart from being a tasty source of protein, seafood promotes healthy brain function. In fact, studies now show that omega-3s can even protect against sleep deprivation–induced memory impairments!

Recipe Tips

Classic paella can be prepared with any fish, seafood, or a combination of both. Some recipes include chorizo which adds great flavor. If you are not a fan of fish and/or seafood, use sliced chicken breasts instead.

If you're using cooked seafood, simply briefly heat up on a tablespoon or two of olive oil. If you're using raw fish and/or seafood, you will need to cook it for several minutes before adding to the cauliflower rice.

Remember to check is the mussels are still alive or you run the risk of food poisoning! Here are the general rules:

First, check if the mussels are alive The should be closed or react to touch.
Discard any mussels that are cracked.
If you find any mussels that are open, tap sharply on each of them with a spoon. If they don't close, discard them as they may be dead.
After cooking, discard any mussels that remained closed.

Step-by-step

First, soak the saffron in ¹/₄ cup (60 ml) of water.
To rice the cauliflower, run the cauliflower florets through a hand grater or food processor with the S or the grating blade. Process until the florets resemble grains of rice. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Prepare the seafood. (You can use pre-cooked seafood or raw seafood - I used a combination of both.) If anything is frozen, make sure it's defrosted first. If you're using peeled cooked mussels, you'll need just 90 g (3.2 oz). If you're using whole fresh mussels with shells, you'll need 300 g (10.6 oz). The raw seafood has to be cooked before adding to the cauliflower rice.
In a saucepan or a deep skillet, cook the mussels (check recipe tips for food safety recommendations). Add the mussels to the greased hot skillet and cover with a lid. Shake a couple of times and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Once cooked, set aside and keep warm.
To cook the shrimp (prawns) and any other raw seafood you may be using, squeeze lemon juice over the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Grease the skillet with half of the olive oil. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp and cook on high for 2 to 3 minutes, turning them half way.
Add any of the cooked seafood (in our case squid and octopus) and mix to heat through for just 30 to 60 seconds. Use a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl and cover with a lid. Set aside and keep warm.
Grease the same pan in which you cooked the shrimp with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cauliflower rice, soaked saffron with its liquid, tomato paste, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. If needed and the cauliflower is too dry, add a dash of water.
Return the cooked shrimp, squid, octopus and mussels to the skillet and cook to heat through for a minute or two.
Remove from the heat and add most of the parsley. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and garnish with more parsley and chile flakes. Serve warm, optionally with lemon wedges, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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