This Easy Shrimp Stew is a great option when you want something a little different for dinner. It's spicy and comforting and will warm you up from head to toe. And what's more, it uses ingredients you can just pull out of your freezer and pantry - no tedious chopping or other prep!
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Tired of beef? Sick of chicken? Not in the mood for pork? Yep, it happens. So from time to time, I like to change it up from my go-to proteins and get some seafood on the menu. One of my go-to seafood recipes, especially during the winter, is this flavorful shrimp stew.
I personally enjoy just about all seafood, but from a kid perspective, it seems that shrimp is where it's at. My kids enjoyed shrimp long before they were open to any other seafood.
One of their favorites is my Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo, which is also one of my favorites because it cooks up in less than 30 minutes!
They also really love my Creamy Rice and Shrimp recipe, which is another super easy recipe that is ready quickly and will win over the whole family with it's creamy goodness.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention my Zingy Shrimp Grilled Cheese, which results in a cheesy yummy filling with a little kick of spice, stuffed between two pieces of multi-grain bread and grilled to gooey goodness!
I will admit, however, when it comes to this shrimp stew, I had to dial down the spiciness until they were a little older and started appreciating that kind of flavor. So make sure you start out conservative with the crushed red pepper flakes. You can always add more!
Shrimp also cooks up so quickly and easily, it's a great ingredient to have in your arsenal. I keep a bag of shrimp in my freezer to pull out at a moment's notice.
And a moment's notice is all you need for this recipe, because all the ingredients can be bought and kept on hand for that last minute dinner decision. The shrimp and veggies are frozen, the tomatoes are canned, and the rest of the ingredients come from the pantry.
Not only are the ingredients convenient, Shrimp Stew also cooks up in no time, all in one pot. So this is a great recipe to be your plan B for a night when you discover you are too tired to go ahead with whatever dinner you originally intended.
To make Shrimp Stew, all you have to do is...
Step 1. Start the base
Add the canned diced tomatoes and the frozen pepper and onion strips to a medium saucepan.
Step 2. Add the spices
Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 3. Add the shrimp
Toss in the shrimp, then stir and simmer until they are cooked through.
Super easy, right? The whole thing can be ready in 30 minutes or less!
Tips for cooking the shrimp
- If you buy peeled, deveined, tail-off shrimp, go ahead and toss it in right from the bag, without thawing it.
- I always buy at least peeled and deveined (I really don't have the patience to do those things), but I can't always find tail-off shrimp. In that case, I thaw the shrimp by placing them in a ziplock bag, squeezing out all the air, and then placing the bad under cool running water until they thaw. Once they are thawed, I can pretty easily pull off the tail prior to cooking.
- Don't overcook the shrimp! When the shrimp are pink and opaque, and curl (but not too tightly!) they are done.
Easy Shrimp Stew Recipe
Serve with warm crusty bread or a side salad, or both. Be sure to read the tips on cooking shrimp so they don't get overcooked.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! Enjoy!
Easy Shrimp Stew
Ingredients
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onions
- 12 ounces frozen bell pepper and onion strips (1 bag)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- .5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust up to 1 teaspoon if you like it spicy!)
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 12 ounces raw shrimp, cleaned
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the diced tomatoes and frozen pepper and onion strips.28 ounces diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onions, 12 ounces frozen bell pepper and onion strips
- Add the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano, and bring to a simmer.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, .5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon oregano
- Add the shrimp, and simmer about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are done.12 ounces raw shrimp, cleaned
Notes
- Watch the amount of crushed red pepper flakes that you add. It is better to be conservative if you aren't sure how spicy it will be. You can always add more later if you need to dial it up a bit!
- I usually buy shrimp that is at least peeled and deveined, but I can't always find tail-off shrimp. If you need to clean your shrimp prior to cooking, you can thaw the shrimp by placing them in a ziplock bag, squeezing out all the air, and then placing the bad under cool running water until they thaw.
- If you are able to buy peeled, deveined, tail-off shrimp, go ahead and toss them in the tomato mixture right from the bag. No need to thaw.
- Don't overcook the shrimp! When the shrimp are pink and opaque, and curl (but not too tightly!) they are done.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Looking for some other great seafood recipes?
This Lemon Garlic Penne with Crab looks delicious! Crab is another seafood that my kids starting eating pretty early on. Clams and mussels and the 'fishier' fish - like salmon and tuna - were not kid-approved in our house until they entered middle school!
And here's a recipe for Cheesy Crab Pasta that also looks amazing! What a great idea for a delicious, comforting pasta meal.
If you like really tasty shrimp dishes, you will also want to check out my Shrimp in Butter with Lime recipe. It's a mouthwatering dish with perfectly sautéed shrimp in a buttery cilantro lime sauce, and it's easy and family-friendly!
Does your family like shrimp? Crab? Other seafood? Comment below and let me know what other kinds of seafood recipes you would like to see me post!
Rick
This is an excellent recipe for shrimp stew. The only variation I use is I sauté fresh green pepper and onion before I add the tomatoes and the frozen green pepper strip and onions. This gives it a fuller profile and adds to the texture of the stew. Serving with rice seems the natural way to present the stew.
Kristin King
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Rick! 🙂
Gail
Made this just as written and had a small bowl to taste. Needed more spice so I added. Still lneeded something. So I added rice and a bit of red pepper or cayenne. Perfect for my family. Without your base I wouldn’t have such a good dish. So thank you!
Kristin
Those tweaks sound awesome! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
KW
This recipe taste like shrimp with canned tomatoes. I was hoping for a lot more. Very disappointed.
Kristin
I am sorry to hear that you were disappointed! It essentially is shrimp with canned tomatoes, and I layered some additional flavors with red pepper flakes and oregano, so my suggestion to you would be to increase those. The quantities I suggest are what worked for my family, and we really do love this dish! Remember too that it's possible that different brands of herbs and spices can have different intensity of flavor, so I always recommend using the recipe as a guideline and then adjusting as needed. I do appreciate you stopping by and providing feedback!
Miz Helen
This will be a great bowl of stew! Hope you are having a great week and staying warm. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Ai | Ai made it for you
Looks delicious Kristin! I haven't had shrimp in a while and your stew's making me crave some 🙂 Happy Fiesta Friday!
Kristin
Thank you! 🙂
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook
Oh yum! This looks so good!! I haven't had shrimps in while. I'd love to dig into this. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party.
T'onna | Sew Crafty Crochet
This looks so delicious! Those shrimp are calling my name!!!! I'm pinning this! Thanks for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make Link Party!
Greg King
This was very tasty!