Rich and robust this Shrimp Stew Recipe gets a blast of flavor from it’s brick red broth flavored with bell peppers, tomato paste and white wine. Red chile powder brings a kick of spice, and that’s just the beginning of a very memorable meal.
When it comes to shrimp comfort food, I usually go for Easy Gumbo Recipes, but I wanted to find a shrimp stew recipe with a different flavor profile. One that reflected the flavors of the Rocky Mountain West to share with my readers.
I was browsing my Denver Junior League Colorado Colore Cookbook and ran across this recipe for Shrimp Stew. At the top of the page I had written “VERY good” with the “very” double underlined. I knew I had to make it again and share the recipe with you.
Besides being delicious, look at that vivid brick red color from the tomato paste and chile powder. Looks beautiful sitting on that bed of fluffy white rice doesn’t it?
This is one of those dishes that smells so good while it’s cooking, that it drives you wild.
And the flavor? It’s loaded! Sweet onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic and a great lineup of spices.
The shrimp is flavored in a short marinade of lime, garlic, Mexican oregano and cumin.
The combination of the marinated shrimp and the lively broth all comes together for one delicious Shrimp Stew dinner.
Let’s take a look:
Table of contents
Shrimp Stew, The Ingredients
For The Shrimp Marinade
- ¾ pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed. For Shrimp that tastes like shrimp, please seek out Wild American Shrimp.
- Lime: for juice
- Garlic
- Spices: Cumin, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper.
For The Shrimp Stew
- Chopped Garlic
- Red and Green Bell Pepper
- Celery
- White Wine: Choose a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. I like to keep little bottles on hand for cooking. Your local liquor store will have several brands available. Use chicken broth is you don’t want to use wine.
- Cilantro
- Tomato Paste
- Sweet Onion
- Neutral Oil: Canola or Vegetable oil work well here.
- Bay Leaf
- Worcestershire Sauce: Just as fish sauce is to Asian cuisine, Worcestershire sauce amplifies the flavor and character of any Western style stew recipe.
- Spices: Cumin powder, Mexican oregano, red chile powder (New Mexico is preferred), salt, pepper. A good pinch of red pepper flakes are a good substitute for the red chile powder.
Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It’s peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don’t have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.
Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy!
Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you away. Once you’re done dicing and slicing, this shrimp stew recipe comes together in flash.
- Step 1: Combine the lime juice, garlic, oregano and cumin in a bowl and mix well. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, peppers and celery for about 5 minutes, stirring often or until vegetables are starting to soften. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Step 3: Add cilantro, chile powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and bay leaf and stir until well blended. Cook for 1 minute.
- Step 4: Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Chef’s Secret: Tomato paste is an MVP in the kitchen. The long cooking time used to make tomato paste gives it a concentrated sweet rich flavor. Just a dollop can add a subtle burst of robust flavor and body into just about any soup or tomato based pasta sauce. Add tomato paste at the beginning of the cooking process to add another layer of flavor. It’s a brilliant little trick.
- Step 5: Add the wine and water to the vegetable mixture and mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
- Step 6: Stir in the undrained marinated shrimp. Simmer for 5 – 6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring occasionally.
- Step 7: Discard the bay leaves. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Ladle the stew into a serving bowl over cooked white rice. Garnish with slices of jalapeno pepper or more chopped cilantro.
Yes. Every ingredient in this recipe is clean eating and naturally gluten free.
Tips for Success
- Thaw The Shrimp Properly: Here in land-locked Colorado, I exclusively purchase frozen shrimp. If you buy it “fresh” from the seafood counter, odds are it was previously frozen anyway. Thaw shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. If you forgot to do that, place shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them until they’re thawed.
- How Do You Know When Shrimp Is Cooked? Shrimp cooks quite quickly. The shrimp should turn from a gray color to opaque pink. Eye the thickest part of the shrimp to make your decision.
What To Serve With Shrimp Stew
Hearty with vegetables, this is a meal in itself, but a simple tossed salad with Red Wine Vinegar Dressing is a good match. It’s sweet and tart flavor pairs well with robust flavors in this stew. And my Cornbread Recipe With Creamed Corn is always a good choice for any soup or stew.
More Popular Soup Recipes
Here are some stew recipes more stick to your ribs recipes to take a look at:
And don’t miss one of our favorites, a classic Jacques Pepin Red Wine Beef Stew. A recipe everyone should learn how to make. It’s a classic.
I consider soups and stews to be my specialty, so don’t miss my category for Soup Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Chili.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Shrimp Stew With Rice
Ingredients
- For The Shrimp:
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ pounds shrimp large, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- For The Shrimp Stew:
- 1 ½ Tablespoons neutral oil canola or vegetable oil work well here
- 1 medium sweet onion chopped, about 1 cup
- 1 green bell pepper thin sliced
- 1 red bell pepper thin sliced
- 2 stalks celery thick sliced
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro minced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder or cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 leaves bay
- ⅓ Cup tomato paste
- ¾ Cups dry white wine
- ½ Cup water
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons cilantro chopped, for topping
Instructions
- For the shrimp: Combine the lime juice, garlic, oregano and cumin in a bowl and mix well. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- For the stew: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, peppers and celery for about 5 minutes, stirring often or until vegetables are starting to soften. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add cilantro, chile powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and bay leaf and stir until well blended. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the wine and water to the vegetable mixture and mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
- Cover and let simmer on low for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the undrained marinated shrimp. Simmer for 5 – 6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring occasionally.
- Discard the bay leaves. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Ladle the stew into a serving bowl over cooked white rice. Garnish with slices of jalapeno pepper or more chopped cilantro.
Notes
-
- Thaw The Shrimp Properly: Here in land-locked Colorado, I exclusively purchase frozen shrimp. If you buy it “fresh” from the seafood counter, odds are it was previously frozen anyway. Thaw shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. If you forgot to do that, place shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them until they’re thawed. And for shrimp that tastes like shrimp, please seek out Wild American Shrimp.
-
- How Do You Know When Shrimp Is Cooked? Shrimp cooks quite quickly. The shrimp should turn from a gray color to opaque pink. Eye the thickest part of the shrimp to make your decision.
- White Wine: Choose a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. I like to keep little bottles on hand for cooking. Your local liquor store will have several brands available. Use chicken broth is you don’t want to use wine.
Nutrition
Shrimp Stew with Rice …It’s What’s for Dinner.
