Mediterranean Seafood Stew with Shrimp, Mussels & Squid

Servings: 3–4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

Seafood

• 300 g (10–12 oz) large shrimp, peeled & deveined (tails on optional)

• 300 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded

• 200 g squid (tubes + tentacles), sliced into rings

Base & Aromatics

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp red chili flakes (adjust to taste)

Broth & Sauce

• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (or finely chopped fresh tomatoes)

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup seafood stock (or chicken stock)

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 1 tsp paprika

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• 1 bay leaf

Finishing

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

To Serve

• Crusty bread or toasted sourdough

• Extra olive oil for drizzling

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Instructions

1. Build the flavor base

Heat olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium heat.
Add onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Stir in garlic and chili flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t burn).

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2. Create the stew sauce

Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
Pour in white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock, paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, and bay leaf.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10–12 minutes until slightly thickened.

Season lightly with salt and pepper (seafood will add salinity later).

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3. Cook the seafood (order matters)

• Add squid first → simmer 2–3 minutes

• Add shrimp → cook 2 minutes, just turning pink

• Add mussels, cover the pan → cook 3–5 minutes until shells open

👉 Discard any mussels that don’t open.

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4. Finish

Turn off heat.
Add lemon zest and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Drizzle with a little extra olive oil for that glossy, restaurant finish.

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How to Serve

Ladle into warm bowls with plenty of broth.
Serve immediately with thick slices of crusty bread to soak everything up.

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Pro Tips (Chef-style)

• Don’t overcook seafood — tender > rubbery

• Want it richer? Add 1 tbsp butter at the end

• Want spicy vibes? Finish with chili oil

• Broth too thin? Simmer 5 minutes longer before adding seafood