Shrimp Stew Recipe

You'll love this Shrimp Stew with tomatoes, bacon and zucchini! It features warm, chili spices and is delicious over rice! It's made without flour, so it's gluten-free.

I have to share one of my go-to shrimp recipes I've been making for years!

My tomato-based Shrimp Stew is like shrimp chili, but with zucchini, smoky bacon and no beans. With warm spices and a hint of sweet heat, it's one of the most flavorful dishes to ever come out of my kitchen.

After one spoonful, you'll know it's a keeper!

Shrimp stew ingredients

Here are my notes on some items and substitutions. See the recipe card at the end of this post for complete information.

Shrimp: Buy two pounds of frozen, raw, peeled, deveined shrimp with tails on. Shrimp is sold by the count, which refers to the number of shrimp per pound.

I usually buy 26/30-count for medium-sized or 13/15-count for larger-sized shrimp. I don't like to use small shrimp, because they'll cook too quickly and can become tough.

I always buy the Icy Ocean brand (unsponsored) because I find it to be the cleanest shrimp. (Some brands market the shrimp as deveined, but you'll still find stringy black veins to remove. If so, you can use a fork or a shrimp tool to pick them out.)

Bacon: Bacon brings delicious, smoky flavor to this stew! You can cook the bacon in the microwave on a paper-towel-lined plate, then when it's cooled off, snip it into little pieces with kitchen scissors before adding it to the stew.

Zucchini: Zucchini works well with the bacon and shrimp and tastes so delicious in the tomato-based stew. You'll need three medium ones.

If you need to substitute another vegetable, try summer squash, carrots or even eggplant.

BBQ Sauce: A few tablespoons bring sweet, smoky flavor and thickens the shrimp stew. This is the same secret ingredient I use in my turkey chili!

Shallot: Shallots are like a cross between onion and garlic and almost melt when cooked. They provide delicious, savory flavor without being too strong. If you need a substitute, use two or three tablespoons of chopped red or white onion.

Cayenne Pepper: This adds spicy heat, so feel free to omit it or adjust the amount to your liking.

Thawing frozen shrimp

• Place the bag of shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure to have a dish or bowl underneath the bag, so it won't leak onto your shelves.
• To thaw shrimp at the last minute, remove it from the package and place it in a colander in the sink. Run cold water over it for five minutes, using the spray nozzle if you have one. Let the shrimp sit for another 10 minutes or so and rinse again quickly if needed.
• Defrosted shrimp can stay in the refrigerator for just one or two days before it needs to be cooked, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA.

How to make it

See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.

1. Sauté shallots with oil in a pot. 
2. Once softened, add the zucchini. 
3. Add in the tomatoes and smash them up a bit. 
4. Stir in cooked bacon. 
5. Add the barbecue sauce and spices and let the stew simmer. 
6. Stir in raw shrimp and simmer on high heat until cooked through.

Tips for stewed shrimp

• Don't overcook the shrimp, or it will become tough and rubbery.
• Cook the shrimp for just five minutes or so in the stew, until the shrimp turns white with reddish accents and is not translucent. You can taste one to see if it's fully cooked inside.

What to serve with it

We love this Shrimp Stew with rice, and it makes a complete meal. But if you're watching carbs, you could enjoy a bowl of this on its own.

Of course, shrimp with zucchini and tomatoes begs for a nice chunk of No-Knead Italian Bread for dipping. You also could add a tossed green salad.

How to store and reheat it

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3-4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, covered loosely with wax paper.

Can you freeze it?

I don't recommend freezing this Shrimp Stew. The shrimp might become rubbery and the zucchini would be soggy.

More seafood recipes

• Garlic Parmesan Shrimp
• Jumbo Fried Shrimp
• Easy Cilantro-Lime Shrimp
• Broiled Scallops with Parmesan Bread Crumbs
• Italian Fried Squid

And if you love zucchini, don't miss this zucchini pasta!

If you try this Shrimp Stew Recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!

Shrimp Stew Recipe

You'll love this Shrimp Stew with tomatoes, bacon and zucchini! There's no flour, so it's gluten-free. Serve it over rice for a complete meal.

4.60 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 313kcal

Author: Mamma C

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 pounds raw shrimp, 26/30 count or 13/15 count, thawed (Buy it frozen with tails on, peeled and deveined. Preferably Icy Ocean brand.)
• ▢ 6 strips bacon (plus extra for garnish, if desired)
• ▢ 3 medium zucchini (can use up to 4)
• ▢ 1 shallot (can substitute 2 or 3 tablespoons of chopped red or white onion)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 28-oz can whole, peeled tomatoes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ red pepper flakes for serving (if desired)
• ▢ 6-8 cups cooked, long-grain rice (Optional. See notes)

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Instructions

• To thaw the shrimp, place the package in a plate or bowl and refrigerate it overnight (ideally) or on the morning of the day you're making the stew. Then, place the shrimp in a colander in your sink and run cold water over it to thaw any remaining ice. If you see any black veins, remove them with a fork or shrimp tool and rinse the shrimp clean.
• Note, if you want to serve this over rice, you'll need to start cooking it first if you don't have any made. See notes.
• Let the shrimp sit in the colander while you prepare the stew. (If you need the same colander for the rice, transfer the shrimp to a bowl and rinse the colander before draining the rice.)
• Cook six strips of bacon in the microwave. (It helps to line a dinner plate with paper towels, place the bacon on them, and cover the strips with another paper towel. I cook mine for four minutes, but it will depend on your microwave.)
• While the bacon is cooking, rinse the zucchini and pat them dry. On a cutting board, cut off the stem and root ends. Cut the zucchini into one-inch pieces. (Cut each zucchini in half the short way, then cut those pieces in half the long way, (and again, if they're thick.) Then slice the planks into smaller pieces. Set the zucchini aside in a bowl.
• Peel the shallot and chop all of it.
• Make the stew in a large pot. Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallots and stir them a bit. When they're starting to soften, add the zucchini to the pan, along with the salt. Stir to combine.
• Let the zucchini cook until they're crisp-tender, at least 10 minutes.
• Add the canned tomatoes with their juice. Use a potato masher to gently smash the tomatoes and break them up.
• Pat the grease off of the bacon with a paper towel and cut the bacon into small pieces (use kitchen scissors if you have them.) Stir the bacon into the pot.
• Stir in the barbecue sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Let the mixture cook for 15 minutes, lowering the heat a bit if needed, but keep it simmering.
• While the stew is cooking, remove the tails from the shrimp by pinching them and pulling them off. Discard the tails.
• After the stew has been cooking for 15 minutes, add the shrimp to the pan and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and let the shrimp cook for five minutes, or until fully cooked. Stir and flip over the shrimp as needed, making sure each one is no longer translucent. (When fully cooked, the shrimp will curl, and turn white. Cut one open to check if it's done.)
• When the shrimp is done, turn off the heat. Serve the stew over rice, if desired, with optional extra bacon. You can add red pepper flakes for spicy heat, if you'd like.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator (keep the rice separate) for 3-4 days. Do not freeze it.

Notes

RICE: Two cups of raw rice will yield 8 cups of cooked rice, which will allow for generous servings. You can follow the method described in How to Cook Long-Grain Rice Like Pasta, using 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt and two tablespoons of butter.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 1414mg | Potassium: 668mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1009IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg

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(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on October 6, 2017 and updated now with new photos and additional information.)