Food

Seafood Soups and Stews

February 21, 2014

Nothing's better on a cold winter day than a steaming bowl of creamy New England seafood chowder, hearty Brazilian fish stew, or lemongrass-scented hot and sour shrimp soup. Here are our favorite seafood soup and stew recipes from around the globe.

Water-Prince Corner Shop Chowder — The Water-Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island is known for their seafood-laden chowder.Gemma and Andrew Ingalls

Crab and Fennel Stew — Meaty crab legs are cooked in their shells in a fragrant tomato-based broth in this robust, flavorful stew.Penny de Los Santos

Southern Vietnamese cooks often simmer catfish steaks with caramel sauce, and use the fish's head and tail for a refreshing soup brightened with tamarind and pineapple. See the recipe for Canh Chua Ca (Sour Fish Soup) »Penny De Los Santos

Jumbo lump crabmeat stars in an impossibly rich, creamy soup from associate test kitchen director Farideh Sadeghin. See the recipe for Cream of Crab Soup »Helen Rosner

The classic, perfectly creamy clam chowder is a real crowd pleaser. Add bacon for crunch and a pleasant smokiness. See the recipe for New England Clam Chowder »Todd Coleman

Cioppino--San Francisco's signature seafood soup--combines a tomato and fish stock broth with loads of fresh seafood for a hearty bowlful. See the recipe for Cioppino »Barbara Ries

Shrimp pairs perfectly with fragrant lime juice and lemongrass in tom yum goong, a classic hot and sour soup from Thailand. See the recipe for Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup) »Todd Coleman

A smooth, milky broth with a generous helping of root vegetables and fish makes for a satisfying cup of soup. See the recipe for Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder) »Penny De Los Santos

A mediterranean-inspired mussel soup gets additional aroma and texture from chickpeas and fennel. See the recipe for Mediterranean Mussel and Chickpea Soup with Fennel and Lemon »Geoffrey Smith

Salt cod is softened in water overnight before it's incorporated into a light tomato- and coconut-based broth. See the recipe for Brazilian Salt Cod Stew »André Baranowski

Creamy seafood chowder is studded with haddock, bay scallops, lobster meat, and whole baby clams for a show-stopping dish with big flavor. See the recipe for Seafood Chowder »André Baranowski

Fresh basil, oregano, and sage lend their fragrance to this hearty Garifuna soup, loaded with five different types of seafood. See the recipe for Irau Lau Juyeirugu (Seafood Soup) »Penny De Los Santos

Flavorful and hearty, moqueca features white fish, shrimp, peppers, tomatoes, and coconut milk, and is best served over rice. See the recipe for Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew) »James Oseland

Salt cod and shrimp add meaty texture to a classic Brazilian dish, which is made from a base of bread and coconut milk puree. See the recipe for Vatapa (Brazilian Shrimp Stew) »Todd Coleman

Undoubtedly a predecessor of Louisiana-style gumbo, this luscious Senegalese stew of shrimp and mussels is made from a slow-simmered vegetable stock thickened with okra and flavored with palm oil, fish sauce, and fresh seafood. See the recipe for Soupoukandia (Okra and Seafood Stew) »Penny De Los Santos

A dark brown roux is the flavor base for this Cajun stew, which works just as well with shrimp. See the recipe for Crawfish &Eacutetouff;&eacutee; »André Baranowski

Eel lends body and flavor to the broth in kakavia, a warming Greek fish and vegetable soup. See the recipe for Kakavia (Fish and Vegetable Soup) »Penny De Los Santos

Hudutu--a basil- and culantro-laced, coconut milk-based soup--is topped with meaty skin-on kingfish filets and served with mashed plantains. See the recipe for Hudutu (Fish and Coconut Stew with Mashed Plantains) »Penny De Los Santos

Tender root vegetables and fried whole fish pair beautifully in a fragrant, garlicky broth. See the recipe for Tapou (Fish, Green Banana, and Root Vegetable Soup) »Penny De Los Santos

Mussels and cod are simmered in a tomato broth with chunks of potato, onion and bell pepper, for an aromatic stew. See the recipe for Portuguese Seafood Stew »Todd Coleman

Raw shrimp shells are simmered with vegetables and brandy to yield a creamy, rich bisque. See the recipe for Shrimp Bisque »André Baranowski

A generous helping of mixed seafood is cooked with tomatoes, herbs and white wine for a delectable and hearty seafood stew. See the recipe for Cacciucco (Tuscan Seafood Stew) »Todd Coleman

Maine chowder with delicate shrimp is a lighter alternative to the traditional flour-thickened New England chowder. See the recipe for Maine Shrimp Chowder »James Oseland

Simple and earthy ingredients such as potato, dill and the Russian staple of salmon make a comforting and filling soup. See the recipe for Russian Salmon Soup (Ukha) »André Baranowski

For the recipe for this silky soup, store-bought stock can be used, but nothing matches the intense flavor of homemade crab stock. See the recipe for Roasted Garlic and Dungeness Crab Soup »Andrew Ingalls

In this Croatian seafood stew, the ingredients are layered but not stirred to keep the delicate fillets intact. See the recipe for Brodet »Penny De Los Santos

Sardine Miso Ball Soup — "Sardines" and "miso soup" probably don't go in the same sentence very often, but here they make a great pair. Get the recipe for Sardine Miso Ball Soup »André Baranowski

feature-pride-of-st-augustine-minorcan-clam-chowder-500x750-i164 — Datil chiles add heat and tang to this tomato-based clam chowder, but habaneros, which have a similar aromatic flavor, are a good alternative. **See the recipe for Minorcan Clam Chowder »**Helen Rosner

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