Quick and Easy Seafood Stew
Try this recipe for a Quick and Easy Seafood Stew that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Give this recipe 15 minutes of your time to do the prep work and serve up a hearty dinner full of delicious shrimp and cod in a tomato based broth.
Are you like me…a push-over for a food magazine? I never met one I didn’t like and rarely pass one on the shelf that I don’t pick up and glance through. More often than not, I end up bringing it home with me.
So, when I picked up a magazine and saw a seafood stew recipe, I knew I had to make my own version right away. And I’m so glad I did. It’s one of those perfect recipes – quick, easy and you probably have most of the ingredients right in your refrigerator and pantry. This was the perfect choice for a cool evening with a lovely fire going in the fireplace. I served it with some Bacon and Cheddar Biscuits.
- Flaky fish and fresh shrimp stewed in a flavorful broth – need I say more?
- Easy to make and perfect for the winter months
- It’s a one-pot meal that’s ready in 30 minutes!
About the Ingredients
- Canned stewed tomatoes (Stewed tomatoes are already partially cooked and seasoned with sugar, herbs, and other seasonings added.)
- Spicy V-8 juice (Boosts the tomato flavor even more and adds a subtle spiciness to the stew. If you don’t have access to V-8 juice, you can make a substitute and add 1/2 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco to make it spicy.)
- Shrimp (Use one pound of any size shrimp; medium shrimp are typically a more budget-friendly option.)
- Cod (Cod has a white firm flesh and a firm, flaky texture without an overly fishy taste. If you can’t find cod, you can substitute pollock, haddock, grouper, halibut, or tilapia.)
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Quick and Easy Seafood Stew
Let’s Go Step-by-Step
I always like to show you the photos and step-by-step instructions for my recipes to help you picture how to make them in your own kitchen. If you just want to print out a copy, you can skip to the bottom of the post where you’ll find the recipe card.
- Prep the bell pepper, celery, onion and garlic.
- Peel and devein the shrimp and cut the cod into one-inch pieces.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until hot.
- Add the pepper, celery, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
- Add in the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in stewed tomatoes, vegetable juice, water, and salt.
- Cover and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Gently stir in the cod and shrimp. Cover the saucepot and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until the fish and shrimp just turn opaque throughout.
Serving Suggestions
This stew is great served on its own with some crusty bread, but if you want to make it a soup and sandwich or salad combo, it’d be perfect for that as well. You can’t go wrong with serving it with biscuits either! For dessert, try a tasty lemon lime cake, strawberry icebox cake, or lemon bars.
Storage
If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You’ll need to be really gentle when reheating the stew — we all know what overcooked shrimp are like! Skip the microwave and reheat it over low heat on the stovetop until just hot and serve immediately.
FAQs
You can easily make Seafood Stew ahead of time. I suggest making it up to the point of adding the seafood. When ready to serve, reheat and then add the shrimp and fish to finish.
You can easily substitute the shrimp with scallops, lobster, or oysters to create your own version of the recipe. Try other fish such as mahi mahi, tilapia, and halibut.
Yes! To substitute frozen fish or shrimp in the recipe, allow them to thaw completely in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, and then proceed with the recipe.
Sure! If you can’t find the juice or don’t want to make a substitute, try using a spicy Bloody Mary Mix or Clamato. Taste the broth and adjust to your personal level of spiciness.
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Recipe
Quick and Easy Seafood Stew
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large green or yellow bell pepper coarsely chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 14.5 ounces canned stewed tomatoes
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup spicy V-8 juice
- 1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
- 10 ounces cod fillet cut into 1-inch chunks
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot.
- Add pepper, celery, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 6 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
- Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in stewed tomatoes, vegetable juice, water, salt, and pepper. Cover and heat to boiling over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Gently stir in cod and shrimp. Cover saucepot and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until cod and shrimp just turn opaque throughout.
Notes
- The spicy V-8 juice boosts the tomato flavor even more and adds a subtle spiciness to the stew. If you don’t have access to V-8 juice, you can make a substitute and add 1/2 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco to make it spicy.
- Use any size shrimp; medium shrimp are typically a more budget-friendly option.
- Cod has a white firm flesh and a firm, flaky texture without an overly fishy taste. If you can’t find cod, you can substitute pollock, haddock, grouper, halibut, or tilapia.
- To make ahead, cook up to the point of adding the seafood. When ready to serve, reheat and then add the shrimp and fish to finish.
- You can easily substitute the shrimp with scallops, lobster, or oysters to create your own version of the recipe. Try other fish such as mahi mahi, tilapia, and halibut.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on February 22, 2010. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
I added thyme and extra garlic but this was excellent. I will make it again.
I’m making this stew again tomorrow. We’ve had it twice now and my husband can’t get enough of it! I’ve made it with cod but am using salmon this time. I made a loaf of Irish Soda bread today that I think will go great with this hearty stew.
So delicious and easy to make.
I’m so glad to know that you like the recipe, Kathleen! I think it’s really delicious, too.
A very good and solid recipe. I had a bunch of seafood leftover from a shipment I put in several weeks ago, and I was looking for a recipe to use it all in one go. This is such a great meal! I will be using this again when I get to the end of my next seafood order.
I make something quite similar, and generally add okra & some smoked sausage for a Louisiana kick. Serve over rice, or as is. Easy, quick and makes for happy tummies.
Miss P
This stew is great with couscous as I cooked the stew I steamed couscous on stop to get the flavor of served it on the side it’s the most flavorful.
with some crusty bread, this looks awesome!
That certainly looks like a hearty good stew! Nice!
Looks wonderful!!! Reminds me of bouillabaisse’ (probably misspelled) without all of the other stuff like clams, oysters and other yucky things. This looks like it would be a great dish served over rice like shrimp creole’. Yum.
you got all the great ingredients in there so I know it was wonderful…just wish I could have slipped in at the table…
This is my kind of soup!
Just recently found your blog and I love it! I’m just like you when it comes to food magazines. I buy and subscribe to too many! I just can’t resist them. This recipe looks wonderful! I look forward to visiting back often! :)
Yes, I want some seafood stew!!! And a couple slice of bread to go along with it. Yum!!!