This Portuguese seafood stew combines clams, shrimp, scallops and chorizo in a bright, garlicky broth. It cooks quickly and makes a comforting, impressive dinner — perfect with crusty bread to soak up the juices and a simple green salad on the side.

Portuguese Seafood Stew

This easy Portuguese seafood stew is built on a base of garlic, onion and white wine, finished with fresh parsley and a bay leaf for depth. The recipe is flexible — swap or add seafood such as mussels, lobster, crab or firm white fish. The combination below yields a rich, savory broth that highlights the natural sweetness of the shellfish and scallops while the chorizo adds smoky, spicy notes.

How to Make the Stew

This stew comes together fast. In short: soften aromatics, simmer with chorizo and tomatoes, steam the clams, then finish with shrimp and scallops.

Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 3–5 minutes.
Add sliced chorizo, diced tomato, white wine, a splash of water, a bay leaf and a handful of chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes to marry the flavors.
Add the clams, cover the pot and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes. Discard any clams that remain closed.
Stir in the shrimp and scallops and cook 2–3 minutes more, until the shrimp are opaque and the scallops are cooked through. Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.

Ingredients

3 dozen little neck clams, scrubbed and clean
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb bay scallops
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 link chorizo (about 1.75 oz), sliced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
3/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio recommended)
1/4 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Detailed Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 3–5 minutes.
Add the sliced chorizo, diced tomato, white wine, water, bay leaf and 1/4 cup of the chopped parsley. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors develop.
Stir in the clams, cover the pot and raise the heat slightly. Let the clams steam for about 5 minutes, shaking or stirring the pot once so the shells open evenly. Discard any clams that remain tightly closed.
Add the shrimp and scallops and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and the scallops are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spoon the stew into bowls, sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley, and serve with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this stew directly from the pot with thick slices of crusty bread to soak up the broth. A crisp green salad or a simple orange-and-avocado salad balances the richness. Offer lemon wedges for those who like an extra bright touch.

Variations & Tips

Swap or add seafood: mussels, crab, lobster, firm white fish (cod or halibut) or extra shrimp all work well.
If clams aren’t available, use mussels or increase the shrimp amount.
Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking for safety.
If you avoid pork, replace the chorizo with cooked chicken, turkey sausage or a plant-based chorizo alternative.
For more seafood flavor, use clam juice in place of water or add a few anchovy fillets when sautéing the aromatics.
When cooking with wine, use a bottle you would drink; otherwise substitute with low-sodium clam juice for depth.
Swap parsley for cilantro to change the herb profile.

Nutrition & Yield

Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: approximately one quarter of the recipe. Per serving (approximate): 447 calories, 59.5 g protein, 16.5 g carbohydrates, 10.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 242 mg cholesterol, and about 1,554 mg sodium. These values will vary depending on ingredient brands and portion sizes.

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