You can make this simple shrimp stew with either a homemade or an instant roux. It has lots of shrimp, trinity, and flavor. Either way, youll love how delicious this stew is!.
Serve over cooked rice, or add some hard-boiled eggs after the stew has cooked. Youll love this old-fashioned, Cajun comfort food!.
Shrimp stew is a classic Cajun comfort food that’s packed with flavor. This seafood dish features tender shrimp simmered in a tomato-based broth with potatoes, bell peppers onions and plenty of zesty seasoning. It’s easy to make budget-friendly and totally satisfying.
As a lover of all things shrimp, I’ve perfected my technique for cooking up the best shrimp stew over the years. This tomatoey stew is my go-to way to use up extra shrimp I have on hand But you can also make it with fresh or frozen shrimp
In this guide, I’ll walk through my steps for making foolproof shrimp stew, from the key ingredients and equipment you’ll need to expert tips for maximum flavor. Let’s get cooking!
Picking the Right Shrimp
Obviously, you want plump, fresh-tasting shrimp for the best stew. Here are some buying tips:
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Opt for wild-caught shrimp if you can, for better texture and taste over farm-raised.
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Choose raw, peeled shrimp with the tails removed to save time prepping. Frozen is fine too.
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Go for medium or large shrimp in the 16/20 to 26/30 per pound range. Smaller shrimp overcook too quickly.
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Make sure shrimp smell fresh with no “off” odor. Cloudy eyes or black spots mean they’re past prime.
Necessary Equipment
To make shrimp stew, you’ll need:
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A heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot
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Wooden spoons for stirring
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Measuring cups and spoons
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A sharp knife for chopping
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Cutting board
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Slotted spoon for serving
Key Aromatic Vegetables
The classic “holy trinity” of onions, celery and bell peppers forms the base of shrimp stew.
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1 yellow onion, diced
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1 green bell pepper, chopped
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2-3 celery stalks, chopped
I also like to add garlic and fennel bulb for extra flavor. The anise notes from the fennel complement the sweet shrimp beautifully.
Must-Have Seasonings
To really make the flavors pop, be generous with these herbs and spices:
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3-4 cloves garlic, minced
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1-2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
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1 tsp dried oregano
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1 tsp dried thyme
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1-2 bay leaves
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Salt and black pepper to taste
The Cajun seasoning blend gives shrimp stew its signature spicy, robust flavor. Feel free to tweak the quantity to your desired level of heat.
Flavor Boosters
A few more ingredients take this stew to the next level:
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Diced potatoes add heartiness and thicken the broth. Go with red potatoes, Yukon gold or new potatoes.
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Tomato paste lent deep color and umami. Just 2-3 Tbsp is enough.
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Crushed tomatoes contribute fresh tomato flavor. One 28 oz can is perfect.
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Chicken or shrimp stock rather than water makes it richer.
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Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce provide depth.
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Lemon juice right before serving gives it brightness.
Step-by-Step Cooking Process
Here is my easy method for putting together an incredible shrimp stew:
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Sauté the aromatics: Heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, fennel and garlic. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper.
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Bloom the spices: Add the Cajun seasoning, oregano, thyme and bay leaves. Cook for 1-2 minutes to release their oils.
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Add tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. This concentrates the flavor.
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Simmer the potatoes: Add the potatoes and chicken/shrimp stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
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Stir in tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Return to a simmer.
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Cook the shrimp: Add the raw peeled shrimp and continue simmering just until they turn opaque and pink, 3-5 minutes.
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Finish with lemon juice: Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
That’s all there is to it! For the best flavor, make the stew at least an hour or two before serving so the spices can mingle. The recipe doubles easily for a crowd.
Serving Suggestions
Shrimp stew is delicious on its own, but here are some tasty ways to serve it:
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Ladled over steamed white rice
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With a side of cornbread or buttery biscuits
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With a green salad or coleslaw on the side
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With crusty bread for dipping in the sauce
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Garnished with chopped parsley or scallions
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With hot sauce on the table for adding heat
Storage and Reheating
Have leftovers? Here are some storage tips:
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Let cool completely before refrigerating. Store in an airtight container.
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Keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. The flavors improve over time.
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Can also be frozen for 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave just until hot. Avoid boiling.
Tips for the Best Shrimp Stew
Follow these tricks of the trade for flawless shrimp stew every time:
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Use the freshest shrimp possible for optimal flavor and texture.
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Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
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Season aggressively with Cajun spices – don’t be shy!
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Add potato starch or cornstarch if you want an even thicker broth.
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Stir in extra broth or water if the stew gets too thick.
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Simmer shrimp gently to prevent rubbery overcooked texture.
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Let the stew rest before serving so the flavors meld.
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Garnish with chopped scallions, parsley or bay leaves.
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Serve with hot sauce for folks who like extra heat.
Common Shrimp Stew FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about making shrimp stew:
What if I can’t find Cajun seasoning? You can make your own by combining paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Or use a spicy all-purpose blend like chili powder.
Can I use frozen shrimp? Yes, frozen cooked shrimp works fine. Just thaw first and use towards the end of cooking so they don’t overcook.
What if the stew is too thin? Mix a teaspoon or two of cornstarch with cold water to form a slurry. Gradually stir it into the simmering stew to thicken.
Can I prep the recipe in advance? Yes! You can chop the veggies and potatoes in advance. Then just cook the stew when ready to eat.
What sides go well with it? Rice, cornbread, buttery biscuits, roasted veggies and green salads all pair wonderfully.
How to Make It
I have provided 2 sets of instructions: one for homemade roux and one with instant roux mix. Please follow the instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!.
(1) Make the roux by adding the oil and flour to your pot. Slow simmer, constantly stirring, until the color of the roux is medium to dark brown. This will take about 30 minutes.
(2) Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Simmer 10 minutes.
(3) Add the garlic, shrimp, chicken broth (or water), and all the spices (look at the recipe card for ideas!). Simmer 5 minutes. Test for flavor and add additional seasonings, if desired. Add green onions, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
(4) Serve over hot, cooked rice. Yummy!
There’s a lot of food in the stew, but everyone loves buttery French bread! You can serve it with potato salad or a green salad.
As long as its stored in an airtight container, it will stay fresh for up to 2 days. When ready to eat, just warm it in the microwave. Be careful not to heat it too much (don’t boil the stew in the microwave, lol), or the shrimp might get tough.
Can substitute cayenne pepper for the Cajun-creole seasoning. You can also use red pepper flakes (add them when youre sauteing the onion, bell pepper, and celery.
If you have any fresh parsley, you can add it to the cooked stew.
Add a can of diced or stewed tomatoes — add to the pot when you add the shrimp.
Add a can of drained peas and carrots for a more traditional stew.
When you add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, make sure the potato is cut up small and added to the pot. Potatoes are thickeners, and this stew is plenty thick, so dont add any more than 1 large potato.
Add some peeled, whole hard-boiled eggs at the end of the recipe, right before serving time. This is a traditional Louisiana add-in. Adding hard-boiled eggs to a recipe was probably a way to make it last longer or give it more protein, especially during Lent.
To make it taste even better, add ½ pound of sliced sausage, like Andouille or your favorite kind. Do this while the trinity is cooking.
Why You’ll Love This
This recipe is very similar to shrimp etouffee. However, this shrimp stew is much thicker than an etouffee. While etouffee also has a roux, it “generally” is made with a lighter roux.
There is a medium-dark roux in this recipe. It takes about 30 minutes to make (a dark, rich roux takes time!) After making the roux, it should be about the color of peanut butter.
You can buy a roux if you don’t have time to make one. There’s no shame in that! Ill talk about using a store-bought roux later in the post.
This basic shrimp stew recipe contains no vegetables other than onion, bell pepper, and celery. But dont fret – you can always add some peas and carrots at the very end.
After the stew is done cooking, some people add whole, peeled hard-boiled eggs. Others put a scoop of potato salad in the same bowl and put it on top of the stew!
If you like shrimp, you should try my Shrimp and Rice Casserole and Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Creole Sauce. These shrimp dishes are fantastic!.
Shrimp stew ingredients should be fairly easy to find at any grocery store.
Shrimp – use raw, large shrimp. The shrimp should be peeled, deveined, and tails removed. If using frozen shrimp, let them thaw first.
Trinity – chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. This is commonly referred to as the trinity because its always these same 3 ingredients.
Flour and Oil – use all-purpose flour and canola oil to make the roux. You wont need the flour and oil if you use a store-bought roux.
Instant Roux Mix: If you don’t want to make your own roux, use this instead of flour and oil!
Minced Garlic – use fresh or use the minced garlic that comes in a jar – so handy!
Green Onions—the green onions added flavor and find their way into all of our Cajun recipes.
Worcestershire Sauce—adding a little “wooster” sauce can make it taste better, but it’s not necessary.
Seasonings – salt, Cajun or creole seasoning mix, and black pepper.
Chicken Broth – I highly recommend using chicken broth over water since it adds a flavor boost!