Nothing says comfort food like a warm, steamy bowl of stew on a cold winter night. And while you can choose from a wide range of delicious ingredients to be the base of a mouth-watering pot of stew, a fresh seafood stew is arguably the best.
Seafood is not only delicious, but it’s also packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and different vitamins, making it a great addition to your diet. If you’re looking for the perfect winter meals (but with a twist), you can’t go wrong with these 14 seafood stew recipes.
1. Calamari Stewed with Tomatoes
This scrumptious recipe will undoubtedly get you in the mood for seafood stews! Somewhere between a stew and a pasta sauce, this tomato and calamari dish is inspired by a traditional Italian recipe called calamari in umido (or stewed calamari). Pair it with your favorite pasta or white rice, or get the full Italian experience and prepare some cheesy polenta!
2. Frogmore Stew
Don’t worry; there’s no frog in the stew, and the dish is certainly more tempting than what its name may suggest. Simple yet delicious, this stew comes together quickly in 35 minutes. It’s a staple of South Carolina gastronomy and is packed with flavor and nutrients. Some corn, kielbasa, potatoes, onions, and shrimp make this dish a perfect option for your next dinner.
3. Easy Bouillabaisse (French Fish Stew)
Bouillabaisse is a classic in French cuisine. It is prepared by combining celery, carrots, garlic, onion, potatoes, tomatoes, saffron, white wine, and different types of seafood, making it a very healthy option. The best part is definitely the fish stock, which you can easily make from scratch using cod and other white fish bones.
4. Oyster Stew
As luxurious as it sounds, this oyster stew is the perfect addition to your next holiday dinner. This dish is a creamy and hearty option that comes together rather quickly and takes only a handful of ingredients — if you have some fresh oysters, butter, flour, milk, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, you’re good to go!
5. Brazilian Prawn and Coconut Stew
If you’re following a low-carb diet, this recipe will be a perfect addition to your weeknight dinners. Brazil’s traditional shrimp and coconut milk stew is called moqueca. It typically features different kinds of fish, but this version makes shrimp the star. It’s cooked with various zesty ingredients like chili and fresh lime juice and is traditionally served with white rice (but you can make some cauliflower rice to keep it keto).
6. Classic Cioppino Seafood Stew
The name sounds Italian, but this stew is a quintessential part of San Francisco’s gastronomy. Cioppino is the perfect dish for special occasions. You’ll spend some time in the kitchen, but the outcome is worth it. Clams, mussels, scallops, white fish, tomatoes, white wine, and a generous amount of herbs will make this dish your next favorite.
7. Portuguese Seafood Cataplana
This flavorful and hearty stew comes together in one pot (called cataplana), which will save you some cleaning time later. It’s packed with lots of fresh seafood and vegetables, and everything comes together with a delectable lobster and brandy sauce that adds the perfect final touch. Your kitchen will smell like the beach in the best way possible!
8. Shrimp, Barley and Lemon Stew
This recipe is the seafood variation of the traditional beef and barley stew. Barley is a great addition to these kinds of dishes that need something to make the broth creamier and richer. Giving it a zesty touch, lemon will be one of the main characters in this recipe, along with some surprising extras such as spinach and sweet potatoes. Hearty and filling, it’s a great option for a winter dinner.
9. New Orleans Shrimp Sausage Gumbo
There are a million ways to make gumbo, and this one is probably one of our favorites. The process is rather simple, but you’ll need some technique to master the roux. It’s the perfect recipe for the weekends when you have some extra time to experiment in the kitchen. The complex flavors of smoked sausages, shrimp, and okra make the perfect combo in this Creole classic.
10. Scallop Corn Chowder
This recipe has everything you want in a stew — it’s salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy, and tender, all at the same time. You’ll need some corn, crispy bacon and pork, fresh scallops, and yellow potatoes to cook up a big pot of this chowder in just half an hour! The heavy cream makes it wonderfully rich, but if you want an extra boost, you can also add some cheese before serving.
11. Tuscan Seafood Stew
Fresh octopus, squid, shrimp, and mussels are simmered in a rich white wine, tomato, and garlic sauce to create this spectacular Italian classic. The key to the flavor is hidden in the combination of fish stock, tomato paste, and musky sage. Pair it with some garlic-rubbed toasted bread and taste a piece of paradise.
12. Okra Stew with Prawns and Lobster Tails
This recipe is inspired by the classic Ghanaian okra stew, which is traditionally made with red palm oil, prawns, mackerel, hot peppers, and ginger. And although it may look challenging and complicated to work with, don’t be afraid of okra! Cooking with this ingredient is actually very simple, and it can be a great addition to your meals. For the full experience, pair this stew with polenta, semolina, or simply some white rice!
13. Pico Island Octopus Stew
This classic Portuguese dish features fresh chunks of octopus, spicy and hearty tomato and red wine sauce, and a touch of cinnamon to boost the recipe’s natural sweetness. Don’t forget to have some crunchy, warm bread by your plate to get every last drop of the mouth-watering sauce.
14. Mediterranean Seafood Stew
This traditional recipe infuses the soul of classic Spanish cuisine in every bite. This popular stew, called zarzuela de pescado, includes squid, shrimp, seabass, mussels, tomato, thyme, saffron, paprika, and the ingredient that makes everything come together — blanched almonds. Easy to make, healthy, and delicious, serve with fresh parsley and enjoy with a glass of red wine.
