Easy Seafood Stew is packed with wholesome ingredients like vegetables, stock, and seafood. Quick cooking but tastes like its been simmering all day!
One of my goals for the year is to continue to focus on the quality of food I’m purchasing and serving my family. As a first step, last year I signed up for two services that deliver grass-fed/finished beef and organic chicken, and wild caught seafood right to our house.
Diver scallops delivered to my doorstep — what a time to be alive!
Anyway, a few weekends ago we got hit with snomageddon round 4 (or was it 5? I’ve lost track) and I was craving something really, really warm and hearty. With a freezer full of seafood, I decided to thaw a few portions then let them star in a delicious Seafood Stew.
Types of Seafood Used
This simple, hearty stew tastes slow-cooked but doesn’t take all day to make, plus its full of kitchen staples like stock, garlic, dried herbs, potatoes, and canned tomatoes, so I didn’t have to go out into said snomageddon for the ingredients.
For the seafood portion I highlighted jumbo gulf shrimp, scallops, and cubed halibut, though you could use whatever fish/shellfish your family likes — you’ll need 1-1/4lbs total.
Squid rings, branzino, mussels or clams could all work really well, though I especially love the scallops in here and highly recommend.
Try this Comforting Soup
How to Make Seafood Stew
Step 1: Saute the aromatics.
Start by melting butter with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Add sliced and cleaned leeks plus a chopped shallot then season with salt and pepper and saute until the leeks are tender, 15 minutes. Add minced garlic then saute until very fragrant, 2-3 more minutes.
Step 2: Add pantry staples then simmer.
Next add Italian-style diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, seafood stock (I like Kitchen Basics or Imagine brand), chicken stock, dried thyme, plus a dried bay leaf then stir to combine. Bring to a boil then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add diced and peeled russet potatoes then partially cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Add the seafood.
Next, add the fresh seafood. You’ll need 1-1/4lbs seafood so use whatever your family likes best.
I like a combination of scallops sliced in half widthwise, halibut cut into 1” cubes, and peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp.
As I mentioned, branzino, salmon, squid, mussels and/or clams would work too.
Once the potatoes are tender, turn the heat up to high to bring the soup to a boil then add the seafood plus a small handful of finely chopped parsley and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
The heat of the pot and broth will continue to cook the seafood after the heat’s been turned off so don’t cook overcook the seafood at this point.
Step 4: Season with lemon juice.
The final step is to add a drizzle of fresh lemon juice then scoop into bowls and serve with fresh salads and/or Gluten Free Focaccia or Gluten Free Biscuits to soak up that rich and decadent broth – I’ll include an easy crostini recipe in the notes section below, too.
However you serve it, I hope you love this simple, scrumptious stew recipe — enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small or 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 14.5 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2-1/2 cups seafood stock
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium-sized Russet potato, peeled and chopped, ~2 cups
- 1-1/4 lb mixed seafood: halibut, scallops, shrimp, salmon, branzino, squid, mussels and/or clams, see notes
- 1 small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Melt butter and extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add leeks and shallot, season with salt and pepper, then saute until leeks are tender and beginning to turn golden brown, 15 minutes. Add garlic then saute until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes, seafood stock, chicken stock, dried thyme, and bay leaf then turn heat up to bring to a simmer. Turn heat back down to medium-low then simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes then place a lid partially on top and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Turn heat to medium-high then add the seafood and parsley and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the seafood is barely cooked through — the seafood will continue to cook from the heat of the soup/pot, so don’t overcook!
- Remove pot from heat then add a drizzle of fresh lemon juice (start with a little as you can always add more.) Scoop into bowls then serve immediately.
Notes
- If you prefer petite diced versus regular diced tomatoes, use a pair of kitchen shears to snip the tomatoes in the can after opening.
- I like a combination of scallops sliced in half widthwise, halibut cut into 1” cubes, and peeled/deveined jumbo shrimp.
- For crostini: Slice a gluten-free baguette (or regular baguette if you don’t need to eat GF) into 1/4″ slices then brush both sides with extra virgin olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange on a sheet pan then bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping slices halfway through. Let cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
First attempt! Cooks faster than the preparation. The ingredients pair well with each other. It’s very tasty! I used frozen Whiting which is very fishy. Next time I will use Halibut or tuna. This is an excellent recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Donald! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
More of a question – our house is not good with tomatoes, what could I use to replace them. Possibly Coconut Milk Full Fat?
Hi Melissa! This is a tomato-based stew so I wouldn’t advise swapping out the tomato products with anything else. I’m sorry this recipe might not be a good fit for your family!
Great recipe for my family and it’s always a hit. I add an extra shallot and some extra garlic and use an umami seasoning and crushed red pepper in place of regular salt and pepper.
That sounds delicious, Tee! So glad your family enjoys this recipe!!
super easy and really tasty for the cold weather right now. A fancy but simple lunch for working from home.
This my second time making it I didn’t have all the ingredients. I substituted 4 to 5 shakes of Thai fish sauce instead of fish stock, an onion for the shallot, and didn’t add parsley. it still came out fantastic. Cook this right now!
So glad you were able to make this work with what you had on hand, Gavin! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
It was delicious! Will make again!
I’m thrilled to hear that, Pam! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Made it. They ate it. It’s gone. Licked the plate gone. Used miso boullion in place of seafood stock and it worked. Super recipe, thank you!!
Ahh, that’s fantastic, and that miso boullion sounds *divine!* Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Having never made this before, how do i get the seafood stock. is that something I buy?
Exactly! It will be by the chicken and beef stock. :)
I can rarely find seafood stock where I live, so I have been using 1/2 bottled clam juice (like people buy for bloody Mary’s) and 1/2 veggie stock in place of the seafood stock. Works great!
Great idea, Christina!!
This is a GREAT recipe. I used 1/2# shrimp, 1/2# scallops, and 1/3# orange roughy. Easy & delicious not to mention nutritious!
I’m SO glad you loved it, Sue! Thank you so much for your feedback!
very easy and delicious soup. I added some celery and yellow bell pepper at the beginning. For stock, I used Minor’s lobster base. I had some frozen shrimp, crawfish and cod in the house. Will definitely repeat.
Love those additions, Steve! So glad you were able to make this recipe your own. :)
This is a great recipe! Lots of flavor and done in a little over an hour.
I’m so glad you loved it, Rebecca! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I veganized your recipe and it turned out great! Vegan butter, and for the seafood stock I marinated a nori sheet and added 2 kelp capsules as well as I used canned oysters with the brine. I substituted mushrooms and hearts of palm for the seafood but honestly the soup base is so good I wouldn’t even need to do that! Thank you!
Fabulous, Beth!! This sounds so delicious – I’m so glad you loved it!!
What an amazing recipe. Likely one of the best dishes I’ve made.
Used Cod, scallop, shrimp and calamari.
The depth of flavor is divine. Will absolutely make again.
Perfection! So glad you loved the recipe, Lia!
I absolutely recommend this recipe. It is easy and takes so little time and my kitchen smelled like heaven. I did exactly what the recipe said except for no shallots or leeks. Instead I used one and a half medium yellow onion and used a different good brand of petite chopped and Contadina Roma crushed tomatoes. I cut back on the butter because I used cod, salmon, shrimp a pound of ready to serve clams in butter sauce. It was the best recipe! I am a big fan of Cioppino but I loved this even more. Thank you for sharing.