Spanish Seafood Stew
Smoky Spanish seafood stew with romesco and chorizo. A rich romesco-based broth simmers with white wine and broth, then shrimp, scallops, and mussels cook right in the sauce. Finish with broiled cod on top and serve with garlic bread for soaking up every last bit of that bold, red broth.
Servings: 6 Servings
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
Make-ahead romesco: Romesco keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze it in portions for up to 2 months.
Use Spanish chorizo: Choose Spanish-style chorizo links (preferably uncooked). Don’t use Mexican chorizo, it’s a different texture and seasoning profile.
No Spanish chorizo? Portuguese linguica is the closest substitute, but it tends to be spicier.
Shellfish swaps: Clams can be used instead of mussels.
Fish options: I used Pacific cod, but any firm white fish works. Salmon is also a good option if you want a richer stew.
Check the mussels before cooking: Discard any with cracked shells, and toss any that don’t close when tapped. After cooking, discard any that never open.
Don’t boil the stew hard: A rolling boil can toughen seafood and reduce the sauce too quickly. Gentle simmer is the move.
Salt at the end: Chorizo and broth vary a lot. Taste after the chorizo simmers in the broth before adding extra salt.
Prep tip: Have the seafood cleaned and ready before you start the final simmer. The last part goes fast.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 1284mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4752IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 5mg
