I absolutely love this recipe because it’s a vibrant, flavor-packed celebration of fresh, colorful veggies and aromatic spices that transports me straight to a sunny Spanish coastline. Plus, the process of toasting the fideuà noodles and letting them soak up all those delicious flavors makes this meal feel like a cozy, culinary adventure right from my kitchen!
I love to assemble colorful meals, and this vegan “Fideuà” is one of my favorites. With 8 ounces of fideuà noodles, augmented by the intense flavors of smoked paprika and saffron threads, and with a stunning combination of onions, garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes, this dish is cute and perfectly nutritious.
Nutritious and delightful, and perfectly paired with fresh lemon juice, this is a plant-based dish.
Ingredients
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Ingredient Quantities
- 8 oz (about 225g) fideuà noodles or broken thin spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 4 cups (1 liter) vegetable broth
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
1. Place the olive oil in a large skillet or a paella pan and heat it to medium. When the oil is hot, add the fideuà noodles and toast them, stirring quite often, until they are golden brown. Remove the noodles and set them aside. They’re toasted and ready to finish cooking in the paella.
2. In the same skillet, toss in the diced onion and cook until it is tender and see-through.
3. Add the onion to the garlic and bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
4. Fold in the cherry tomatoes, smoked paprika, and saffron threads, crumbled. Give them 2 minutes to get friendly with the other flavors. Then, it’s time to move on.
5. Add the vegetable broth and bring it to a simmer. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. To the pan, return the toasted fideuà noodles, spreading them evenly across the pan.
7. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and allow the noodles to simmer, without a lid, for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until they have taken in most of the broth.
8. From time to time, give the pan a gentle shake to avoid any sticking but resist the urge to stir the noodles. This aids in creating a beautiful crust on the bottom.
9. When the noodles have softened and the liquid has been mostly soaked up, take the pan off the heat and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
10. Sprinkle the fideuà with finely chopped fresh parsley, and serve it with wedges of lemon for squeezing on. This is your Vegan Fideuà.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or paella pan
2. Wooden spoon or spatula
3. Knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring spoons
6. Measuring cups
7. Tongs (optional, for tossing ingredients)
8. Citrus juicer or hand juicer (optional, for lemon wedges)
FAQ
- What is fideuà?Fideuà is a dish from Spain, originally from the Valencia region, that is like a paella but uses noodles instead of rice.
- Can I use spaghetti instead of fideuà noodles?Absolutely, you can use thin spaghetti that is broken as a stand-in for fideuà noodles.
- How do I make this dish gluten-free?To make it gluten-free, simply substitute gluten-free pasta for the fideuà noodles.
- What is the purpose of saffron in the recipe?A distinct aroma and a hint of earthy flavor characterize saffron, which also gives the dish a golden hue.
- Can I add other vegetables?Certainly! Modify the vegetables according to your tastes or what’s in season.
- How long does it take to cook this dish?The whole procedure, comprising both prep and cooking, ought to consume 30 to 40 minutes.
- What’s the best way to serve it?Hot and well garnished with parsley, served alongside lemon wedges (for the extra burst of freshness that it requires), would seem an adequate description of a sensible serving of this somewhat forgotten fish stew.
Substitutions and Variations
You can use whole wheat spaghetti or rice noodles instead of fideuà noodles or broken thin spaghetti.
Replace olive oil with avocado oil or coconut oil.
Substitute the red or yellow bell pepper for green bell pepper or poblano pepper to alter the flavor.
Change it up to make it your own!
Substitute any summer squash for zucchini.
If you’re not a fan of the flavorful, slightly nutty zucchini, never fear! You can still whip up that fabulous Southwest Zucchini Scramble. Just use any kind of summer squash, or another alternative from the list below.
A pinch of turmeric can be used for color instead of saffron threads, but it will have a different flavor.
Pro Tips
1. Maximize Flavor with Saffron: To fully extract the flavor and color from the saffron threads, lightly toast them in a dry pan for a few seconds before crumbling them into the dish. Soaking them in a tablespoon of warm water for a few minutes before adding them to the dish can also enhance their aroma and color.
2. Enhance the Crust with a Paella Pan: If you have a paella pan, use it to cook this dish. The wide surface encourages even cooking and helps develop the sought-after crust (socarrat) at the bottom. Avoid stirring the noodles too much to allow this crust to form.
3. Broth Temperature: Use warm or hot vegetable broth when adding it to the pan. This prevents the cooking process from slowing down and helps the noodles cook evenly and absorb the broth better.
4. Customize with Seasonal Vegetables: Feel free to include other vegetables you enjoy or are in season, such as artichokes, spinach, or mushrooms. These can add depth and variety to the flavors.
5. Lemon as a Finishing Touch: Just before serving, a generous squeeze of lemon juice over the dish can enhance its flavors, adding a fresh and tangy note that complements the smoky paprika and saffron beautifully.
Vegan Fideua Recipe Spanish Noodle Paella
My favorite Vegan Fideua Recipe Spanish Noodle Paella
Equipment Needed:
1. Large skillet or paella pan
2. Wooden spoon or spatula
3. Knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring spoons
6. Measuring cups
7. Tongs (optional, for tossing ingredients)
8. Citrus juicer or hand juicer (optional, for lemon wedges)
Ingredients:
- 8 oz (about 225g) fideuà noodles or broken thin spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 4 cups (1 liter) vegetable broth
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions:
1. Place the olive oil in a large skillet or a paella pan and heat it to medium. When the oil is hot, add the fideuà noodles and toast them, stirring quite often, until they are golden brown. Remove the noodles and set them aside. They’re toasted and ready to finish cooking in the paella.
2. In the same skillet, toss in the diced onion and cook until it is tender and see-through.
3. Add the onion to the garlic and bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
4. Fold in the cherry tomatoes, smoked paprika, and saffron threads, crumbled. Give them 2 minutes to get friendly with the other flavors. Then, it’s time to move on.
5. Add the vegetable broth and bring it to a simmer. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. To the pan, return the toasted fideuà noodles, spreading them evenly across the pan.
7. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and allow the noodles to simmer, without a lid, for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until they have taken in most of the broth.
8. From time to time, give the pan a gentle shake to avoid any sticking but resist the urge to stir the noodles. This aids in creating a beautiful crust on the bottom.
9. When the noodles have softened and the liquid has been mostly soaked up, take the pan off the heat and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
10. Sprinkle the fideuà with finely chopped fresh parsley, and serve it with wedges of lemon for squeezing on. This is your Vegan Fideuà.
