Smoky tomato-and-aji rice studded with shrimp, squid and mussels, Peru's answer to paella.
Arroz con mariscos is Peru's coastal answer to Spanish paella, brought by Spanish colonization and reshaped with local ingredients like aji amarillo and a heavier hand with cilantro. Rice is cooked directly in a seafood-and-tomato base built from sofrito — onion, garlic and aji amarillo paste fried down until deeply fragrant — so every grain turns a warm golden-orange and carries the base's flavor. The seafood, typically a mix of shrimp, squid and mussels or clams, is added in stages, since each cooks at a different speed; adding everything at once means some pieces turn rubbery while others are underdone. A generous handful of cilantro blended into part of the sofrito is what gives the dish its distinct green-gold color and herbal depth, separate from the smokier tomato base. This is a one-pot coastal Peruvian classic, traditionally served on Sundays and at family gatherings, that turns humble rice into a centerpiece dish through the seafood stock built into every stage of cooking.
Serves 4
Simmer shrimp shells in water for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock; discard the shells.
Blend cilantro with 1/2 cup of the shrimp stock until smooth. Set aside.
Heat oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 6-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and aji amarillo paste, cooking 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in grated tomato and cook 3-4 minutes until it darkens slightly. Add rice and stir to coat every grain in the sofrito.
Pour in the cilantro-stock blend and remaining shrimp stock, plus salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 12 minutes.
Nestle mussels into the rice and cover for 5 minutes until they open. Discard any that stay closed. Scatter shrimp, squid and peas over the top, cover, and cook 5 more minutes until the seafood is just cooked through.
Add the more delicate shrimp and squid last — they only need a few minutes and turn rubbery if simmered as long as the mussels.
Let the pot sit off heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently, garnish with extra cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
Make a quick shrimp shell stock rather than using plain water — it adds real depth to the rice that water alone can't provide.
Discard any mussels that don't open after steaming; they were dead before cooking and aren't safe to eat.
Keep the pot covered and resist stirring once the rice starts simmering — stirring releases starch and can make the rice gummy instead of separate-grained.
Add cubed firm white fish along with the shrimp for an even more varied seafood mix.
Use clams instead of or alongside mussels depending on availability.
For extra richness, stir in a splash of coconut milk at the end, a variation found in some northern Peruvian coastal towns.
Best eaten fresh, as the rice softens over time. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water or stock, being careful not to overcook the seafood further.
Arroz con mariscos developed along Peru's coast as an adaptation of Spanish paella after colonization, evolving with the addition of aji amarillo and cilantro to become one of the signature dishes of Peruvian coastal (criolla) cuisine, commonly served at Sunday family lunches.
A mix of a small amount of turmeric for color and a mild yellow chile or habanero for heat gets closer than a red chile, though the fruity aji flavor itself is hard to fully replicate.
Yes, thaw completely and pat dry first; add it in the same staggered order so nothing overcooks.
This usually means too much liquid was used or the pot was stirred too much during simmering — keep the lid on and resist stirring until the final resting step.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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