Hearty Seafood Soup

🥣 Hearty Seafood Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional for heat)

1 tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

4 cups seafood or chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine (optional, or sub with more broth)

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

Seafood Add-ins (adjust to your taste):

½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ lb white fish (cod, tilapia, or halibut), cut into chunks

½ lb mussels or clams, cleaned

½ lb scallops or calamari rings (optional)

Optional Garnish:

Fresh parsley, chopped

Lemon wedges

Crusty bread or garlic toast

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🧑‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Sauté the vegetables:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrot. Cook until softened, about 5–6 minutes.

2. Season and simmer:

Stir in paprika, red pepper flakes, thyme, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, broth, wine (if using), and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes.

3. Add seafood:

Start with firmer seafood like fish and scallops, then after 5 minutes add shrimp and mussels/clams. Cover and simmer for another 5–7 minutes, or until mussels open and shrimp are pink and cooked through. Discard any mussels that don’t open.

4. Finish and serve:

Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with lemon wedges and crusty bread.