Arroz de Marisco – Portuguese Seafood Rice

Arroz de Marisco is a traditional Portuguese dish that combines a variety of shellfish, peppers, tomatoes, and short-grain rice all cooked in a flavourful seafood broth. It’s a delicious dish that’s equally appreciated by both the locals and those just visiting. In 2011 it was chosen as One of the 7 Wonders of Portuguese Gastronomy. Continue to read to learn how to make an authentic Portuguese Seafood Rice!

Where to Eat Authentic Portuguese Seafood Rice

During one of our first trips to Portugal, a couple of friends took us to Olhão, a traditional fishing town in the East Algarve. According to them, the location of some of the best seafood restaurants in the Algarve. After some sightseeing, and a visit to the iconic market, we headed to the main avenue just across the street, an avenue packed with small restaurants specialized in frutos-do-mar. We ordered Arroz de Marisco, and though I can’t recall the name of the restaurant we chose, the memory of the pot of steaming seafood rice we were served is still vivid in our minds!

A good Arroz de Marisco should be malandrinho, that is served on the wetter side. It shouldn’t be creamy and cohesive like a risotto, instead it should have plenty of liquid, almost like a stew.

An Authentic Arroz de Marisco Recipe

The recipe can be divided in three parts, the first one is where you prep your seafood. The method will vary depending on what seafood you use. If you are using clams or mussels for example, that would be purging them in salty water. If you are using shrimp, that would be peeling and deveining it. Once prepped they are ready to be steamed and or fried.

The second step is to make a seafood stock. Think a basic veg stock made with onions, garlic, carrots, and fresh herbs. With the addition of the shells and head of the shrimp, and the liquids the shellfish released when you steamed them.

The final part is to cook the short grain rice in the seafood stock until al dente. You then combine the cooked seafood with the rice and let it steam for a couple of minutes. To finish of, the rice is topped with lots of chopped fresh cilantro!

What Seafood to Use in Arroz de Marisco?

For this recipe we are using three types of shellfish: shrimp, clams and mussels. However, like many Portuguese recipes, the ingredients list can vary substantially. Some recipes we came across include lobster and crab meat. However, what shellfish to use will depend on the availability of ingredients, your personal preferences, and budget. We find it very important to use fresh shrimp, as their skin is the base ingredient for the broth used to cook the rice. Keep in mind that any extra shellfish added will add extra flavours to the broth and complexity to your dish.

What Rice to Use in Arroz de Marisco?

Arroz de Marisco is traditionally made with Arroz Carolino which is a locally grown variety of short grain rice. The Carolino rice has a high starch content and it’s great at absorbing flavour. It’s simply a staple in Portuguese cooking. If you haven’t access to Carolino rice, you can replace it with the Italian Arborio rice which is easier to find outside of Portugal.

This might not be one of the fastest recipes to prepare, but we can guarantee it is worth every minute of the time spent in the kitchen. Top up your glass of white and get ready to prepare this delicious Arroz de Marisco!

Arroz de Marisco – Portuguese Seafood Rice

Recipe by Ana Veiga

4.5 from 8 votes

Course: RecipesCuisine: Portuguese, MediterraneanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

450

kcal

Arroz de Marisco is a traditional Portuguese dish that combines a variety of shellfish, peppers, tomatoes, and short-grain rice all cooked in a flavourful seafood broth.

Ingredients

• 500 g Medium size fresh shrimp

• 250 g Fresh clams

• 400 g Fresh mussels

• 400 g Short grain rice

• 1 Medium size red pepper – diced

• 2 Large onions

• 5 Garlic cloves

• 1 Large carrot – chopped

• 3 tomatoes – deseeded and diced

• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp Cold butter

• Dry white wine

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Fresh cilantro

Directions

• To purge the clams, place them in a bowl, then cover with a solution of 1 liter of cold water with 30g of salt. Do the same with the fresh mussels. Let it sit for at least one hour while you prep the other ingredients.
• Remove the peel, the head, and tail of the shrimp. Remove the back vein too. Thoroughly rinse the shrimp shells. Set aside.
• To make the stock, place a stock pan over medium heat. Roughly chop one of the onions, and 2 garlic cloves. Once the pan is hot enough, add 1tbsp of olive oil, then fry the onion, the garlic and the clean shrimp peel and head until golden. Add in the chopped carrot, cover with water, bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for about 40 minutes.
• In the meantime, drain and rinse the clams and mussels, use a soft brush to scrub any dirt from the shells. Discard any shells that might be broken, or open (tap the open ones to see if they close, if they remain open, discard them too). Remove the beard of the mussel by pulling it towards the wider side of the shell.
• Place a large frying pan over medium heat, once hot add 1 tbsp of olive oil, and one whole garlic clove. Fry for a minute, then add the clean clams. Let them cook for another minute, then add a splash of white wine. Cover with the lid, let it steam for another minute or until they open. Transfer the clams to a bowl, discard any shells that remained shut. Use the same pan to steam the mussels. Add another splash of white wine if needed. Pour the liquid release by the shellfish into the shrimp stock.
• Remove half of the shellfish from their shells, leave the other half intact. Place in the fridge.
• Strain the broth through a sieve, set aside.
• Place a large pan over medium heat. While it heats, dice the remaining onion, the 2 garlic cloves, the tomatoes, and the red pepper. Once hot, add in the remaining 2tbsp of olive oil, then fry your diced veg until soft.
• Add in the rice, cook for a minute or two. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of white wine. Add in about 1,5 liters of the stock. Season with some salt and black pepper. Give it a good stir, cook it on low to medium heat until al dente (about 30 minutes).
• Sautée the shrimp in a little olive oil until lightly golden. Chop it into smaller pieces.
• Combine the shrimp, the cooked clams and mussels with the cooked rice. Top it up with chopped fresh cilantro. Season with more salt and pepper if needed!! Enjoy!

Notes

• The seafood you use will depend on your personal preference and budget.
• If you are using fresh clams or mussels, keep in mind they need to be purged in salty water to remove grit. Plan in advance.

As always, we love hearing from you! Let us know your review in the comments! For some other delicious seafood recipes, take a look at our recipe for Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato, the traditional method of serving clams. Or for something a little different Carne de Porco à Alentejana, and dish from the Algarve that combines clams and pork.

More Portuguese Rice Dishes You Will Love!

• Octopus Rice – Arroz de Polvo
• Bean Rice – Arroz de Feijão
• Tomato Rice – Arroz de Tomate
• Bacalhau Rice – Arroz de Bacalhau
• Monkfish Rice – Arroz de Tamboril
• Razor Clam Rice – Arroz de Lingueirão
• Duck Rice – Arroz de Pato
• Rice Pudding – Arroz Doce