Catalan Fideuà (Pasta Paella)

Overhead shot of fideua in paella pan topped with lemon wedges and aioli with serving spoon.

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Spanish

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: people

Calories: 309kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

This Fideuà recipe (also known as broken pasta paella) is a Catalan seafood specialty and is perfect for your next party!

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Equipment

Paella pan or large skillet

Ingredients

1/2 pound shrimp extra large, peeled (I like to leave the tails on) and deveined
1/4 pound mussels or clams
3 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
4 cloves garlic divided (two minced + two sliced)
8 ounces angel hair pasta or fideua noodles
1 small onion finely diced
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2/3 cup white wine or dry vermouth
1-3 cups seafood stock or chicken broth, as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish
Lemon wedges for garnish

Quick Aioli

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic grated or minced
1-2 TBSP lemon juice to taste
1 pinch saffron optional
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Place the 1/2 pound shrimp in a medium bowl, and toss with 1 TBSP oil, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and place in fridge.
Break the 8 ounces angel hair pasta into small pieces. You can either place it in a large Ziploc bag, or place it between two towels, and break with your hands. The pieces should be about 1-2 inches.
Add 1 TBSP olive oil to a large skillet or paella pan and heat over medium heat. Add the broken spaghetti and toast until it’s dark in color, being sure to toss constantly. It should take about 5-8 minutes for the pieces to turn deep golden brown.
Remove the spaghetti from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 TBSP olive oil to the pan and heat over medium-high. Add the 1 small onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until they start to soften.
Drain the 1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes well, using a mesh strainer to push the juices out.
Add the tomatoes to the onions and sauté another 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and sliced 4 cloves garlic.
Add the toasted spaghetti back to the pan, along with the 2/3 cup white wine, 1-3 cups seafood stock (and water if needed) to just cover the pasta. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and bring to a simmer.
Nestle the marinated shrimp and 1/4 pound mussels into the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, the shrimp are cooked though and the mussels have opened.
Meanwhile, make the aioli by combining 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 clove garlic 1-2 TBSP lemon juice, 1 pinch saffron and 1 pinch salt in a small bowl and stirring to combine.
Serve the fideuà garnished with ¼ cup chopped parsley, provide aioli and lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips and variations

To break the spaghetti noodles, crush them gently in a resealable bag or between two towels. You want 1 to 2-inch pieces.
A 15-inch paella pan is the pan of choice in this recipe. If you don’t have one, a large oven-safe skillet works just as well.
Did some of your mussels not open? Toss ‘em. This means they aren’t safe to eat.
If you’re not into seafood, you can cook seasoned chicken or chorizo separately and stir them in with the broken noodle pasta at the end.
Want a vegetarian version? Or want to add more veggies? Towards the end of the cook time, just before the noodles are finished cooking, add in some frozen peas, fava beans, and/or artichoke hearts. And swap out the seafood stock for vegetable stock.

Nutrition