Tis the season to be making and eating a lot of stew! I love love all kinds of stews and soups. They do take forever to cook though and you usually need a nice fancy Dutch oven to get the best results… yeah bummer.
Not this little Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew though! As far as stews go, this one is as low effort as it gets. It requires minimal prep and cook time is about 20 minutes. I mean, talk about quick weeknight dinners!
It’s very a light and fresh stew – a few slices of good crusty bread would be welcome. If you like it really lemony and garlicky, don’t be afraid to change the quantities and go for it. I also love topping with lot of fresh parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and extra lemon zest. I love seasoning shrimp with salt, pepper, and paprika. Paprika and salmon are an iconic duo, they just belong together – hey, I don’t make the rules.
You can substitute the shrimp with flaky white fish, but if you’re sticking with shrimp buy them in the shell, if you can. You can save the shells and make a quick shrimp stock. To remove the shell from fresh or defrosted shrimp, slide your thumb in where the legs are to loosen it, then peel it away, leaving the tail on, if you prefer, or gently pinching it off. To devein, make a shallow slit down the back of the shrimp with a paring knife and remove the dark tube inside.
When making this stew, I usually skip the vegetable broth – although that’s the quicker version – and instead I add the shrimp shells after sautéing the leeks for a few minutes. Then I add the wine and water, simmer for about 10 minutes, then add the beans and simmer for another 10. It takes just a few extra minutes, but it enhances the seafood flavor. Then I quickly remove the shells before adding back in the shrimp.
I love its simplicity and the fact that it’s so light and fresh, but it’s also packed with fiber and protein. Beans are super nutritious, filling and cheap, so this feels like an elegant meal despite being affordable.
on a different note…
Now that we’ve got dinner covered, let’s quickly discuss entertainment, because we need food for the body AND the soul. Perhaps you’re looking for something new to watch while eating your shrimp stew for dinner, and I’m here to help you with that. Except in this case the food for the soul is junk food because I’m starting with And Just Like That…
Have you been watching it? Am I the only one who sort of.. hate it? I really wanted to like it but it’s been really hard to enjoy it. I’ll always love Sex and The City, but this feels like an entirely different show and I’d rather think of the girls as they used to be back in the day. Personally, this one feels desperate and forced, and unnecessary. It’s cringey. What happened to Miranda? I used to love her! I understand people change but who has she turned into? I keep watching each episode hoping for something good, but it just keeps getting worse.
Thankfully, not all hope is lost. We still have Euphoria! I was hesitant to watch because of all the violence – I don’t do well with that stuff – but I’m so glad I did! The show is mesmerizing, a real cinematic experience – once you get past all the violence (I’ll usually just close my eyes and cover my ears until the scene is over). So well-written and phenomenal acting, truly brilliant. It does make me worry about having kids though, is that what’s like having kids nowadays? Because I could not handle being a parent in that scenario. Anways, if you haven’t watched it yet or have been hesitant to give it a go, if I can handle it, trust me so can you. It’s a great show, but maybe put it on after finishing your stew. You probably don’t want to be trying to enjoy your wonderful stew while watching kids being beat up at the same time. Just not the vibe.
Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 large leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 (15oz) can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup white wine
- salt and pepper
- fresh parsley, chopped
- toasted bread, for serving
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine half the lemon zest, paprika, 3/4 tsp salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter is hot and foaming, add shrimp and cook, flipping halfway through, until pink and starting to curl, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Add leeks and garlic to same pan and cook over medium until soft and starting to brown on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
- *Add beans, white wine, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp, remaining lemon zest, parsley and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with toasted bread.
Tips & Tricks: *If you buy shrimp in the shell, save them for an easy shrimp stock, it only takes a few extra minutes: add the shrimp shells when adding the beans, wine and water. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes and remove shells before adding shrimp and remaining ingredients.
If you make this Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos!
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