If you’re craving a comforting and hearty dish with minimal cleanup, this fisherman’s stew is the answer. This slow-cooker masterpiece is packed with bold flavors, tender seafood, and rich broth, making it a showstopper for dinner.
Best of all, it’s a one pot recipe that streamlines your cooking process without sacrificing taste or complexity.
Why One-Pot Recipes Are Perfect for Busy Days
One-pot recipes are ideal when you want to minimize cooking effort and cleanup. With everything cooked in a single pot or slow cooker, you save time while ensuring all the flavors meld beautifully.
This fisherman’s stew is no exception—it brings together cod, shrimp, and chorizo into a harmonious blend that’s simple to prepare yet feels like an indulgent treat.
Tips for Making the Perfect Fisherman’s Stew
- Prepping Ingredients Ahead: Chop onions and garlic, slice chorizo, and prep the seafood ahead of time to make assembly seamless.
- Adjusting Seasonings: Salt and pepper are added to taste toward the end. This allows you to account for the saltiness of the broth and seafood.
- Layering Flavors: Start by softening the onions and chorizo to release their aromatic oils, then add the liquid and slow cook for several hours.
- Finishing Touches: Sprinkle fresh parsley just before serving to enhance the presentation and add a fresh, herbal note.
Substitutions & Modifications to Suit Your Needs
This fisherman’s stew can be tailored to fit different preferences or dietary requirements:
- Gluten-Free: The recipe is naturally gluten-free, but double-check any packaged chorizo or clam juice for hidden gluten.
- Vegan Alternative: Swap the seafood and chorizo for hearty vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and mushrooms, and use vegetable broth instead.
- Low-Carb: Replace potatoes with cauliflower florets for a lighter version that still offers a hearty texture.
- Dairy-Free: The recipe is naturally dairy-free, making it a great choice for those with lactose sensitivities.
Serving Suggestions for the Best Experience
Pair your fisherman’s stew with these simple sides:
- Crusty Bread: Perfect for soaking up the rich broth. Garlic toast or sourdough are great options.
- Side Salad: A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette complements the stew’s richness.
- Wine Pairing: A glass of chilled white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, enhances the flavors of the seafood and broth.
Creative Variations to Make This Stew Your Own
Fisherman’s stew is highly versatile, allowing you to tweak the recipe to suit your taste or use what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to make this dish uniquely yours:
- Switch Up the Seafood: Try adding scallops, mussels, or even crab meat for a luxurious twist. Firm fish like haddock or striped bass work wonderfully as substitutes for cod.
- Add Vegetables: Incorporate extra veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, or fennel to make the dish more nutrient-dense and colorful.
- Spice It Up: For a kick of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce. Adjust the spice level to your liking.
- Make It Creamy: Stir in a splash of coconut milk or heavy cream at the end of cooking for a richer, velvety broth.
- Herb Variations: Swap parsley for fresh dill, thyme, or basil for a different herbal profile.
These creative variations ensure you’ll never get bored with this one-pot recipe, and they allow you to adapt it based on seasonal ingredients or personal preferences.
Homemade Fisherman’s Stew One-Pot Recipe
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Microwave-safe bowl
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 8 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound red potatoes unpeeled, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 8-ounce bottles clam juice
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless cod fillets 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
- 8 ounces large shrimp 26 to 30 per pound, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Microwave onion, chorizo, and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened (approximately 5 minutes). Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add potatoes, clam juice, tomatoes, and wine to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 5 hours, until the potatoes are tender and the broth is richly flavored.
- Season cod and shrimp with salt and pepper, then carefully nestle them into the stew. Cover and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the cod flakes easily when prodded with a knife.
- Adjust the consistency with hot water as needed. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.