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Slow Cooker Seafood Stew Recipe

A delicious seafood recipe cooked in a tomato-based broth with potatoes. This slow cooker seafood stew is comforting and is an easy-to-make dinner idea!

Seafood stew in a black slow cooker.
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Easy Seafood Soup Recipe

When it comes to comfort food, a hearty soup or stew always does the trick. You just can’t beat a warm bowl of flavorful soup. We love this seafood stew, as well as my hearty vegetable soup, corn chowder and crockpot jambalaya.

Don’t you just love how easy and delicious slow cooker meals can be? They are great for busy weeknights and long weekends. This slow cooker seafood stew is a delicate, rich stew that is easy to prep and is a healthy dinner option.

The great thing about this slow cooker seafood stew recipe is that you can use fresh or frozen shellfish, just like in my recipe for shrimp scampi. That way no matter where you live you can enjoy a delicious seafood recipe. Also, I like to use fresh vegetables whenever I can and they are perfect in this slow cooker stew. Easy, healthy and super tasty!

Why This Recipe Works

  • Easy slow cooker dinner. This seafood soup recipe will convert you to a slow cooker lover if you aren’t already. All of the ingredients cook in just one pot, giving this dish the true meaning of an easy dump-and-go meal!
  • Healthy. All of the ingredients are fresh, low in fat and pack a punch of nutrients and protein. This is a healthy soup recipe you can feel great about eating!
  • Hearty and comforting. Each bite is filled to the brim with chunky potatoes, shrimp, scallops and a flavorful and savory broth. This stew is the epitome of comfort food!

Stew Ingredients

The great thing about stew recipes is that you can modify the ingredients to your likes and needs. This seafood soup is hearty and healthy with all the great fresh vegetables and seafood. A good loaf of crusty French bread is what you need for soaking up all that amazing broth!

Seafood stew ingredients on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Seafood: I recommended using any two pounds of seafood you would like for this seafood stew recipe. I used large deveined shrimp and large scallops You could also use lobster, crab, crawfish, mussels, clams or white fish like cod or halibut.
  • Broth and tomatoes: The base of this stew is made with a savory vegetable broth mixed with crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
  • Vegetables: Diced yellow potatoes, a few cloves of minced garlic and chopped onion add aromatics and texture.
  • Seasonings: Lots of dried seasonings are the key for giving this seafood stew the perfect flavor! I like to use a mix of dried thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne and salt and pepper.
  • Fresh parsley: Right before serving, sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley on top for the perfect finishing touch!

Substitutions and Variations

As mentioned above, feel free to use your favorite type of fish when making this seafood soup. You can also add in other veggies such as carrots or peppers, or even mix in some fresh spinach or kale to wilt at the very end of cooking.

Make it a bit spicier with a little more red pepper flakes, cayenne, a dash of hot sauce or some cajun seasoning like my gumbo recipe. Or add in a bay leaf for more flavor or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a small punch of citrus for brightness.

How to Make Seafood Stew

Only 15 minutes needed to prepare this recipe for seafood stew! Then the soup will cook low and slow all day until you’re ready to enjoy dinner. An easy dump-and-go meal at it’s finest!

Showing how to make seafood stew in a 2 step collage.
  1. Add tomatoes, broth and spices to slow cooker. Add all the ingredients (minus the fish) in the bottom of your crockpot.
  2. Cook the soup. Cover with lid and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 2-3 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.
  3. Add seafood. Mix in the thawed seafood and cook on high for an additional 30-60 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked.
  4. Serve and enjoy! Add fresh parsley on top if desired and serve with hot French bread!
Ladle full of seafood stew.

5 star review

What a delicious way to use seafood!! It’s packed with so much flavor and the shrimp goes so well with the tomato flavor. Definitely making again!

Kristyn

Expert Tips

  • Shrimp shells. I leave the shells on the shrimp during the cooking process because that’s where a lot of the flavor comes from. Just make sure to remove the shells and tails before eating.
  • Broth. Using veggie broth will make the seafood flavor more subtle, however you can also use seafood stock for a bolder taste.
  • Low and slow. Although you can cook the stew on high heat in your crockpot, I recommend using the low setting if you have the time. The longer the soup simmers, the more flavor it will have. The fish will also stay super tender this way.
  • Serving suggestion. A side of Red Lobster cheddar biscuits goes perfect with this stew!

Recipe FAQs

Can you cook this on the stovetop?

Yes, you can make this seafood soup recipe on the stove. I like to sauté the onions and garlic in a little bit of olive oil or butter first and then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

What’s another word for seafood stew?

A few others names it goes by is fish soup, shellfish stew, Cioppino, bourride, brodetto, cacciucco, zarzuela and gumbo.

What goes well with seafood stew?

We love to serve this stew with a loaf of artisan bread, a French baguette or homemade dinner rolls. You can also serve the soup over cooked white rice to make it even heartier.

How long does fish stew keep in the fridge?

Although it does taste best the day of preparing, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just make sure not to overheat the stew when warming back up so the fish doesn’t get too chewy!

Seafood stew in a white bowl.

Love seafood? You’ll also love my sheet pan salmon, shrimp skewers and lemon baked fish. My ceviche and recipe for bang bang shrimp are some our favorite recipes with shrimp!

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Ladle full of seafood stew.

Slow Cooker Seafood Stew

4.97 from 59 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
A delicious seafood recipe cooked in a tomato-based broth with potatoes. This slow cooker seafood stew is comforting and is an easy-to-make dinner idea!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 3 clove garlic , minced
  • 1 pound yellow potatoes , cut into bitesized pieces
  • ½ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon celery salt
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt , to taste
  • Ground black pepper , to taste
  • 2 pounds seafood (I used 1 pound large shrimp and 1 pound scallops), defrosted if frozen
  • Chopped fresh parsley , for topping

Instructions

  • In a crockpot, stir together tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, garlic, potatoes, onion, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
  • Cover and cook on high 2 to 3 hours or low 4 to 6 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
  • Add seafood to crockpot and return to high heat.  Cook 30 to 60 minutes, or until seafood is fully cooked.
  • Top with parsley.  Serve hot with crusty bread.

Notes

Broth: To kick up the seafood flavor, use seafood stock in place of the broth.
Seafood: You can mix up the seafood with your favorite white fish, crab meat, or crawfish. 
Storage: This soup is best eaten the first day, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 2379mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Fat

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

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