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–+ servings

Homemade Spanish Shellfish Stew One-Pot Recipe

This one pot Spanish Shellfish Stew is brimming with vibrant flavors from shrimp, clams, mussels, and scallops, simmered with saffron, paprika, and a picada.
Cooked in a Dutch oven, this dish is perfect for serving with crusty bread or garlic toasts to soak up its savory, aromatic broth.
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Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 4 to 6 people

Equipment

  • 6-quart or larger Dutch oven
  • Fine mesh strainer

Ingredients
  

Stew Base:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 8 ounces medium-large shrimp 31 to 40 per pound, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
  • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine or dry vermouth
  • 1 onion chopped fine
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads crumbled
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons brandy optional

Shellfish:

  • 1 1/2 pounds littleneck clams scrubbed
  • 8 ounces mussels scrubbed and debearded
  • 12 ounces large sea scallops tendons removed

Final Touches:

  • 1 recipe picada ground almond, bread crumb, and olive oil mixture
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • Lemon wedges

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring often, until browned (2 to 4 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in wine, and scrape up browned bits. Cover and let steep.
  • Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, cooking until softened and browned (5 to 7 minutes). Stir in garlic, paprika, saffron, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves, cooking until fragrant (30 seconds). Add tomatoes (with juice) and brandy, scraping any browned bits. Cook until slightly thickened (5 to 7 minutes).
  • Strain the shrimp shell mixture into the Dutch oven, pressing to extract liquid. Discard solids. Simmer the broth gently.
  • Add clams to the pot, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Add mussels and scallops, cover, and cook until the shellfish begin to open (about 3 minutes). Add shrimp on top, cover, and cook until shrimp are opaque and scallops are firm (2 minutes).
  • Discard any unopened clams or mussels. Stir in picada and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately in shallow bowls with lemon wedges and crusty bread.
Keyword Dutch oven recipes, easy shellfish stew, one pot seafood stew, saffron seafood stew, Spanish seafood recipe
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