Shrimp and Tomato stew is a rich, hearty mixture of succulent shrimp and juicy tomatoes with sweet and spicy flavors. It’s an easy, filling, nutritious dish that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Whole 30 Shrimp and Tomato Stew
Shrimp and tomato stew is so easy to make that you might want to make this every single day of the week. It may seem like a basic shrimp stew recipe. So what makes it Whole30?
In Caribbean cuisine, most stews caramelize brown sugar to a dark almost black caramel, then add seasoned shrimp, followed by tomatoes. But I am substituting the caramelized sugar (also known as burnt sugar or browning) with coconut aminos so this recipe is Whole30 compliant.
- Whole 30 Shrimp and Tomato Stew
- Why You’ll Love This Shrimp and Tomato Stew Recipe
- Ingredients for Shrimp and Tomato Stew
- How to Make Shrimp and Tomato Stew
- Searing the shrimp before making the stew
- Making the tomato stew for the dish
- Storage
- Tips for the Best Shrimp and Tomato Stew
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Shrimp and Tomato Stew (Whole30)
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp and Tomato Stew Recipe
- Perfect Anytime Meal: Add it to your eggs for a yummy breakfast. Toss it with mixed greens for the perfect salad. Or serve it over some compliant mashed potatoes for the perfect whole30 dinner.
- Easy to Make: If you want a simple 30-minute meal, this is perfect. Everything cooks in one pot for easy prep and clean up.
- Super Flavorful: Who said Whole30 recipes had to be bland? This recipe uses accessible pantry staples to make a spicy, mouthwatering dry rub seasoning. Paired with sweet tomatoes and shrimp, your taste buds are in for a treat!
Ingredients for Shrimp and Tomato Stew
It’s amazing how something that tastes so rich and decadent can come together with ingredients you already have stocked in your kitchen.
- Large shrimp: Frozen shrimp is my shrimp of choice. I live in a landlocked state and the fresh shrimp you see at the supermarket were previously frozen and then defrosted. This way I can defrost it when I am ready to cook and don’t have to worry about it staying fresh. There is also a wide variety of frozen shrimp available in the supermarket, from farm-raised to wild-caught. I defrost my shrimp ahead of time, then peel and devein. Then let it sit for about 5 minutes in some lemon juice, then rinse with cold water, dry the shrimp with some paper towels and it is ready for my homemade seafood seasoning blend.
- Plum tomatoes: I love to use plum tomatoes (also known as roma tomatoes) but really any tomato or combination of fresh tomatoes will work. Slice them in half.
- Lemon juice:
- Seasoning & Spices: I love making my own seasoning blends. This way I know exactly what goes into it and there is no sneaky sugar or gluten. This one is a staple when I am cooking seafood. I always have these dried herbs and spices in my pantry. It makes cooking so easy. Just grab a little bit of garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, ground ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, allspice, and parsley flakes.
- Coconut aminos: It adds a nice contrast of flavor to the tart and acidic tomatoes and balances out this dish. It also helps to give the dish its rich brown color.
- Olive oil: Use this for the sauté.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Shrimp and Tomato Stew
Season Shrimp
Add lemon juice to shrimp and let rest for 5 minutes then rinse thoroughly and dry with a few paper towels. Combine the salt and all of the dried herbs and spices into a large zip-top bag and mix them together well in order to form a seasoning blend.
Then add the shrimp to the zip top bag and shake well until all the shrimp are coated with the seasoning blend. Mix them together and you have a great seasoning blend, perfect for seafood. A zip-top bag is the perfect vessel for mixing spices. Shake, shake, shake and you are done.
Searing the shrimp before making the stew
I love to sear my shrimp in hot oil before adding it to the stewed tomatoes. This seals in the flavor of the dry seasoning. To achieve this, I let about 2 tablespoons of oil get really hot over medium heat (almost to smoking point) in a large cast iron skillet and then I add the shrimp. I cook the shrimp for less than a minute on each side and remove it immediately from the heat.
Making the tomato stew for the dish
In the same pan that I seared the shrimp, I add a ton of fresh, chopped tomatoes. I use a bit of coconut aminos to add a tiny bit of sweetness to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. The coconut aminos also adds a rich color to the stew. I let the tomatoes cook down to form a really thick sauce before adding back in the shrimp.
Once the tomato stew is just right, I add the shrimp. Then I toss the shrimp in the stewed tomatoes until they are fully coated in the delicious sauce. Then I remove the finished shrimp and tomato stew from the heat. This takes about a minute or two.
I don’t want the shrimp to overcook so I’m quick about this step. The heat of the cast iron skillet will continue to cook the shrimp to form a perfectly delicious shrimp and tomato stew.
Storage
Store cooled leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the stew for up to 3 months.
Tips for the Best Shrimp and Tomato Stew
- Keep the shrimp tails on. They add even more flavor to the dish.
- When initially sautéing the shrimp, do not fully cook the shrimp. Otherwise, it will overcook and become rubbery when added to the stewed tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key to juicy shrimp is to not overcook it. Quickly pan fry shrimp and remove it from the hot pan in order to retain moisture.
Classic tomato stew includes tomatoes, other vegetables, herbs, and spices. It may also contain a veggie broth or stock and a protein.
Yes, you can make stewed tomatoes from diced tomatoes. Stewed tomatoes are essentially tomatoes that have been cooked down and seasoned with various herbs and spices to create a flavorful tomato sauce.
Shrimp and Tomato Stew (Whole30)
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb medium to large sized peel and deveined shrimp tail on/off optional
- About 10 ounces of plum tomatoes sliced in halves
- Juice of a lemon
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of onion powder
- 1/4 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger or ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
- Add lemon juice to shrimp and let rest for 5 minutes then rinse thoroughly and dry with a few paper towels
- Next combine the salt and all of the dried herbs and spices into a large zip top bag and mix together well to form a seasoning blend
- Then add the shrimp to the zip top bag and shake well until all the shrimp are coated with the seasoning blend
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet on medium heat, then add shrimp in a single layer. Sear for one minute on each side, repeat as necessary until all the shrimp are cooked
- Then remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside
- Next add remaining oil to the skillet and when hot add the tomatoes, followed by the coconut aminos
- Sauté the tomatoes on medium heat, then cover and let cook for about 5 minutes.
- Cook down the tomatoes until they are tender and a thick sauce forms
- Then add the seared shrimp to the stewed tomatoes and toss until the shrimp is fully coated with the tomato stew, then remove from the heat
- Serve warm with your favorite side dish
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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