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Fish, European

Portuguese seafood rice

Portuguese seafood rice, or arroz de marisco, is a one pot dish for 4 people, ready in 45 minutes, medium difficulty, around €4.60 per person. It's a loose, tomato based rice simmered in a shellfish broth, loaded with shrimp, mussels and clams, and finished with fresh cilantro. The key to getting it right is texture, the rice should stay soupy and never dry out.

Tonight, arroz de marisco, a Portuguese style soupy tomato rice with shrimp, mussels and clams, finished with fresh cilantro.

Portuguese seafood rice
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This isn't a dry, fluffy rice dish, it's the opposite. The short grain rice simmers slowly in a tomato and shellfish broth, swelling up with flavor while staying loose and almost soupy. The result is a rice that spreads a little across the plate, carried by the briny taste of mussels and clams and brightened with cilantro stirred in at the very end.

This is the kind of dish to make on a lazy Sunday, when you have time to clean the shellfish and let the tomato base simmer down slowly. Kids tend to love it as soon as they're into shrimp, and it impresses guests without much effort, served piping hot in shallow bowls with bread on the side for scooping up the sauce. Mon Chou puts it on the menu as soon as warmer days arrive, it works just as well on a terrace as it does at home.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • short grain or round riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • dry white wineoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • fish stockoften in the pantry 80 cl
  • olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fish counter

  • raw shrimp 300 g
  • mussels 600 g
  • clams 400 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • onion 1
  • garlic 3 cloves
  • fresh cilantro 1 bunch

Allergens Shellfish, Mollusks

The step by step recipe

  1. Scrub the mussels, rinse the clams and steam them open in a pot with the white wine, then strain and reserve the liquid. 8 min

    Discard any shellfish that don't open.

  2. Cook the sliced onion and garlic in the olive oil, add the tomatoes and let it reduce. 10 min

    The tomato base should turn almost jammy before you add any liquid.

  3. Add the rice, toast it for a minute, then pour in the shellfish liquid and the hot fish stock.

    A very hot broth keeps the cooking going without interruption.

  4. Cook over medium heat, then add the shrimp for the last few minutes. 15 min

    Shrimp only need three minutes, add them last.

  5. Add the shellfish, the chopped cilantro, and serve right away in shallow bowls.

    A drizzle of raw olive oil at the end adds a nice roundness.

Our tips to get it right

  • Sort through the shellfish before cooking, toss any mussels or clams that are already open and don't close when you tap them, that means they're no longer fresh.
  • Keep extra hot broth on hand near the pot, you can ladle in more if the rice soaks it up faster than expected.
  • Taste the tomato base before adding the rice, it should taste slightly sweet and almost jammy, that's what gives the dish its depth.

The variations

  • Swap the clams for cockles if they're easier to find, they open just as fast and keep the same tender bite.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the seafood and use a rich vegetable broth instead of fish stock, adding chunks of red bell pepper for color and sweetness.
  • For kids in a hurry to eat, stick with just peeled shrimp and skip the shellfish in shells, the rice stays just as tasty and much quicker to eat.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for scooping
  • A lemony green salad
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

This rice keeps for only 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, seafood doesn't hold up much longer than that. It doesn't freeze well, the rice and shellfish would lose their texture. Reheat it gently in a pan with a splash of broth or water to bring back the soupy texture.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different type of rice?

Regular short grain rice works just as well, it absorbs the broth without falling apart. Avoid long grain rice, it stays too dry and won't give you the soupy texture you want.

How do I know if the mussels and clams are still good before cooking?

They should be closed, or close up when you tap them. Toss any that stay open, that's the only reliable sign.

Can I make the tomato base ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the onion, garlic and tomatoes the day before and keep it in the fridge. Just reheat it before adding the rice and broth on the day you serve it.

What if I don't like cilantro?

Swap it for chopped flat leaf parsley, the dish takes on a slightly different character but stays balanced. Just don't leave it out entirely, it adds the fresh finish the dish needs.

How long does it take to make a Portuguese seafood rice?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Portuguese seafood rice?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Portuguese seafood rice cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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