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Spanish seafood stew is already a good idea. Adding romesco and Spanish chorizo is where it gets serious. The broth starts with a homemade romesco sauce that is smoky, peppery, and thick enough to cling to the seafood. Brown the chorizo, deglaze with white wine, and let it simmer into a rich base for shrimp, scallops, mussels, and cod.
The cod gets broiled separately at the end so it stays flaky instead of falling apart in the pot. Spoon everything into bowls, tuck the fish on top, and don’t skip the garlic bread, you’ll want something to drag through the bottom of the bowl.
Here’s Why This Spanish Seafood Stew Recipe Works
Romesco builds the broth: This is where the flavor comes from. Make it up to a week ahead, or grab a jar of romesco and take the shortcut. Either way, you get a bold, rich base.
Broiled cod stays flaky: Cooking the cod separately under the broiler keeps it from overcooking or breaking apart once it hits the stew.
Chorizo flavors the whole pot: Sear it first for deep color, then let that paprika-spiced fat do its thing in the broth.
Mixed seafood = better texture: Mussels, shrimp, scallops, and cod cook at different speeds and bring different flavors and textures.
If you like the romesco base in this stew, you’ll probably like my Seared Scallops with Romesco too.
Ingredient Notes
Romesco sauce: This seafood stew uses almond romesco sauce as the base for the broth, which is why it tastes so bold. Make it up to a week ahead, or use a good store-bought romesco to keep things simple.
Spanish chorizo: Use Spanish-style chorizo (not Mexican), ideally uncured/uncooked if you can find it (sometimes labeled “fresh Spanish chorizo”). Mexican chorizo is usually loose and seasoned differently, and it won’t give you the same flavor.
Seafood choices: I used shrimp, scallops, mussels, and cod. Any firm white fish works (Pacific cod, halibut, haddock). Salmon also works if you want a richer stew. Buy mussels the day you cook them, and discard any that are cracked or won’t close when tapped.
Broth and wine: Chicken broth is fine, but homemade fish broth will lean into the flavor. Use a dry white wine you’d actually drink (nothing sweet).
Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika belongs here. If you only have sweet paprika, it works, but the stew will lose some of that smoky edge.
If you’re here for the chorizo, Chorizo and Shrimp Pasta keeps that theme going without turning dinner into a production.
Recipe Tips
Use Spanish chorizo (not Mexican): You want Spanish-style chorizo in link form. Mexican chorizo is usually loose and the seasoning profile is totally different.
Don’t skip the chile step: The chile puree adds depth and a gentle heat.
Toast the almonds and bread: It only takes a minute, but it adds a deeper, nuttier flavor and helps the romesco taste less “raw.”
Broil the cod at the end: Let the stew simmer while you broil the fish, then add it right before serving so it stays flaky.
Serve with something for the broth: Homemade garlic bread is the obvious move, this isn’t a “leave broth behind” kind of stew.
Scrub mussels and toss the duds: Debeard and scrub them well. If any mussels are cracked or won’t close when you tap them, pitch them before cooking.
Don’t overcook the shrimp/scallops: Add them at the very end and pull the pan off heat as soon as the shrimp turn into a “C” and the scallops go opaque. Overcooked seafood turns rubbery fast.
Add seafood in stages: Mussels can take a bit longer than shrimp. If your mussels are large, give them a 1–2 minute head start before adding shrimp and scallops.
Keep the simmer gentle: Once the romesco is in, you want a low simmer, not a rolling boil. Hard boiling can make seafood tough and can cause the sauce to thicken too much.
Taste for salt after the chorizo simmers: Chorizo and broth can vary in saltiness. Hold back on extra salt until the stew has simmered and you’ve tasted it.
Use a wide pan or Dutch oven: More surface area = easier simmering and faster, more even cooking for the seafood.
Make romesco ahead: The sauce can be made a day in advance, which makes the stew come together fast and the flavor gets even better.
f you’re in the mood for cod but don’t feel like making a stew, my Baked Cod with Tomatoes and Beans is another solid dinner that keeps things simple
Spanish Seafood Soup
This Spanish seafood stew is what you make when you want something bold without turning dinner into a project. The romesco does the heavy lifting, the chorizo builds a rich base, and broiling the cod separately keeps it flaky instead of falling apart in the pot. Serve it hot with garlic bread and don’t expect leftovers.
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Spanish Seafood Stew
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Ingredients
For the stew:
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 pound Spanish chorizo sausage links
- 2 stalks celery, 8-inch stalks, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth, or seafood broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ cups Romesco sauce, homemade or storebought
Fish and Shellfish:
- 1 pound shrimp, medium or large, shelled and deveined
- ½ pound sea scallops, halved
- 24 mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
- 1 pound cod fillets, cut into 6 portions
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Brown the chorizo: Set a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil, then add the chorizo links. Sear until browned, 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, slice into 1-inch diagonal pieces and set aside.
- Build the base: Reduce heat to medium. Add the celery and onion and sauté until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer 1 minute.
- Add the broth, bay leaf, sliced chorizo, and romesco sauce. Stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10–15 minutes.
- Broil the cod: While the stew simmers, preheat the broiler for 5 minutes. Position the oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler. Set a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Pat the cod dry, place on the rack, and brush lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and dust lightly with smoked paprika. Broil 5–6 minutes, just until the fish begins to flake. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the shellfish in the stew: Bring the stew back to a gentle simmer. Add the mussels, shrimp, and scallops. Cover and cook 3–4 minutes, until the shrimp curl into a “C”, the scallops are opaque, and the mussels have opened. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and top each bowl with a portion of cod. Garnish with parsley if you like, and serve with garlic bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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