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This lemony shrimp and bean stew is a dream for cold days and busy nights. It’s hearty, flavorful, and cozy, with tender shrimp and Cannellini beans simmered in a rich lemon and rosemary-infused broth. Best of all, it’s easy to make in just about 25 minutes.
We were in love with this dish from the first time I tried it. Although it immediately struck me as the perfect January dish—cozy, flavorful, protein-packed but not at all heavy—it’s so delicious that we enjoy it throughout the year.
Why You’ll Love a Shrimp and Bean Stew
- Quick and easy: takes about 25 minutes, maybe 30 if you need to defrost the shrimp
- Minimal prep or clean-up thanks to the one-pan method
- Real food all the way, with ingredients that are simple and minimally processed
- Just plain satisfying! The combination of shrimp, beans, and a rich lemony broth with hints of rosemary, garlic, and the subtle heat of paprika is warming to body and soul
What Others Say:
“Made this today…hands down, a FANTASTIC dish! … I sent this recipe to so many people and urged them to make it. It is quick, easy, and AWESOME! 😁” -Kirsten
“Great recipe. It’s simple and delicious, which is a great combination. The rosemary is a deft touch. Overall the stew had me wishing I had, as you suggested, made enough for leftovers.” -Phil
This is lightly adapted from a gorgeous New York Times recipe. All credit to them for the delicious spice combination that seasons the shrimp; you may not be sure about adding paprika together with these other flavors, but trust me, it’s perfect. My tweaks are mainly using a shallot and adding rosemary sprigs for more woodsy flavor in the broth.
Ingredient Notes
Cooking Shrimp: Tails On or Tails Off?
You typically can cook shrimp with the tails still on for a touch more flavor and to keep them less sensitive to overcooking, but in the case of this recipe I recommend pulling off the tails before cooking. It’s just a convenience thing: having the tails off makes it much easier to enjoy your finished stew with just a spoon. If you’re feeling especially industrious, simmer the tails in water to make a quick shrimp stock, which you can use as broth or freeze for another day.
Minor Variations
Many readers note they like to thicken the broth with a smidge of flour or cornstarch, add extra beans to stretch out the servings, or add red pepper flakes for a little kick!
This stew is also delicious with a glug of dry white wine—stir it in just prior to cooking the shallots and let the liquid simmer off to concentrate the flavor—or with pan-seared scallops in place of or in addition to the shrimp.
How To Make Shrimp and Rosemary Bean Stew
First, defrost the shrimp if necessary—just five minutes in a strainer under cool running water does the trick—and toss them in a medium bowl with the garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, olive oil, and lemon zest.
Equipment Tip
A microplane zester makes zesting citrus incredibly quick and easy. It’s also useful for finely grating small amounts of cheese, garlic, ginger, chocolate, and more. Definitely add one to your kitchen tool drawer if you don’t have one already, and be sure to buy one with an easy-to-grip handle!
Next, melt the butter. Be sure you choose a pretty large skillet; it will eventually hold the entire stew! Let the butter melt and start to foam, then stir in the shrimp together with any seasoning left in the bowl.
Shrimp cook very fast—usually in just five minutes or so! They’re done when curled into a tight “C” and opaque all the way through. Remove to a bowl or plate and set aside.
Sauté the shallot briefly in the same skillet, then stir in broth, beans, and whole sprigs of rosemary.
Bring to a simmer. Let this bubble away on low heat for roughly 8 minutes. The beans should become nice and tender, and the broth should reduce a bit and intensify in flavor.
Stir the shrimp back in, then add lemon juice, parsley, and more salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the rosemary sprigs; the flavor is already infused into the broth by this time, and the stems have an unpleasant texture.
Serving Suggestions
- My favorite situation is piping hot bowls filled with shrimp stew, garlic bread or garlic knots, and green beans or a peppery arugula salad for some roughage on the side.
- If you prefer to incorporate a grain right into the bowl, serve this over rice, orzo, or angel hair pasta.
Make It Family-Friendly
In my experience, kids can usually be persuaded at least to dunk some side bread in the broth, which can then be a stepping stone for the skeptical towards sampling a bean or a shrimp. Of course you also can deconstruct the stew and choose strategic side veggies that you know they will try.
More Cozy Soups and Stews
If you love this vibe and these flavors, try my Tuscan chickpea stew next, followed by our favorite Italian chickpea soup, lemon white bean and spinach soup, or a Tuscan white bean skillet. All super easy and delicious!
Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken, shrimp, or vegetable stock, low-sodium recommended
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, lemon zest, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp, toss to coat, and set aside.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 pound large shrimp
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the shrimp together with all of the seasonings. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the shrimp are opaque on both sides and curl gently. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add sliced shallot to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until starting to become tender and translucent.1 large shallot
- Stir in the beans, broth, and the whole sprigs of rosemary. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the beans are tender and the liquid is reduced a bit. Remove the sprigs of rosemary.1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini beans, 2 cups chicken, shrimp, or vegetable stock, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Stir the shrimp and any juices back into the pan, followed by lemon juice and parsley. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away with crusty bread, pasta, rice, or veggies as desired.2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
Notes
- Variations: Many readers note they like to thicken the broth with a smidge of flour or cornstarch, add extra beans to stretch out the servings, or add red pepper flakes for a little kick!
- Storage: Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer into any airtight container or heavy-duty zip-top bags. Refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: Warm portions in the microwave at 50% power (to avoid overcooking the shrimp) or in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently to ensure even heating, and if the broth thickens more than you like, whisk in a splash of broth or water.
- Recipe: Lightly adapted from the New York Times.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is so amazingly delicious. I use coconut oil instead of butter so it is gluten and dairy free. I thicken with cornstarch and use two cans of beans and we just eat with crusty bread. I also usually just use some vidalia onion because I don’t keep shallots on hand. It’s easy to adapt the flavors to your liking or perfect as it is!
Perfect dish!
I served over egg noodles
I would add a little flour to broth to thicken it up a bit.
So good