🐓 Portuguese · Main · Medium difficulty · Pescatarian
Shrimp Cataplana
A rustic Portuguese main built around shrimp, seasoned with onions and tomatoes.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 368 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Course
- Main
About this Portuguese stew
Shrimp Cataplana is a Portuguese main built around large shrimp. It takes about 50 min from start to finish, 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, and serves 6.
Cooking method: stew. Difficulty is rated medium. Pescatarian, and marked gluten-free in our data.
Good for: high protein, light & low calorie, meal prep, one-pot wonders, date night, comfort food.
Ingredients
Quantities are for 6 servings. Change the servings in the app to rescale them automatically.
- 500 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 onions
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 red pepper
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 garlic cloves
- Fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
Step 1. Pat the shrimp dry, season and brown in batches in a heavy pot; set aside.
- Heat
- Off, no heat yet
- Look for
- Pieces are roughly the same size, so they all finish cooking together.
- Why it matters
- Even pieces cook at the same speed. Prepping everything first (mise en place) stops you scrambling once the pan is hot.
- Avoid
- Cutting pieces of mixed sizes: small ones burn while big ones stay raw.
Step 2. Soften the aromatics in the same pot, scraping up the browned bits.
- Heat
- Medium to high, stir or flip now and then
- Look for
- Golden-brown edges, a steady sizzle and a toasty smell.
- Why it matters
- Browning (the Maillard reaction) creates deep savoury flavour that boiling cannot.
- Avoid
- Overcrowding the pan: the temperature drops and food steams. Cook in batches.
Step 3. Add the onions, tomatoes, red pepper and white wine and just enough water to cover.
- Heat
- Keep the heat steady
- Look for
- The new ingredient is coated and the mixture returns to a gentle bubble.
- Why it matters
- Adding things in order lets each ingredient cook for just the right time.
- Avoid
- Dumping everything in at once: delicate items turn mushy before tougher ones are done.
Step 4. Return the shrimp, cover and simmer gently for 26 minutes.
- Heat
- Keep the heat steady
- Look for
- The new ingredient is coated and the mixture returns to a gentle bubble.
- Why it matters
- Adding things in order lets each ingredient cook for just the right time.
- Avoid
- Dumping everything in at once: delicate items turn mushy before tougher ones are done.
Step 5. Uncover and reduce the sauce for 10 minutes until rich and glossy.
- Heat
- Low, with small lazy bubbles
- Look for
- Small bubbles break the surface gently; the sauce thickens and the food turns tender.
- Why it matters
- Gentle, steady heat softens tough fibres and lets flavours blend without drying things out.
- Avoid
- Letting it boil hard, which toughens meat and reduces the liquid too fast. Lifting the lid too often loses heat.
Step 6. Season, rest for 10 minutes and serve with fresh coriander.
- Heat
- Off, no heat
- Look for
- Everything is evenly coated or just combined, with no dry pockets.
- Why it matters
- Mixing spreads salt, fat and flavour through the food so every bite tastes the same.
- Avoid
- Overmixing batters and doughs makes them tough; stop once just combined.
Chef's tip
Low and slow is the whole secret.
Equipment you will need
- Heavy pot with lid
- Wooden spoon
- Plate for browned meat
Nutrition per serving
Estimated per serving: 368 kcal, 28 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate and 18 g fat. Roughly 30% of the energy comes from protein, 26% from carbohydrate and 44% from fat, using standard energy values.
Nutrition values are estimates from typical ingredient profiles. They are not medical data, and brands and portions vary. Consult a doctor or registered dietitian about your diet.
When to cook Shrimp Cataplana
Substitutions and variations
- Brown the meat in batches for deeper flavour before adding liquid.
- Use lentils or chickpeas for a meat-free version and shorten the simmer time.
- Stews taste better the next day; cool, refrigerate and reheat until piping hot.
Frequently asked questions about Shrimp Cataplana
How long does Shrimp Cataplana take to make?
It takes about 50 min in total: 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking. Times are estimates and depend on your stove, pan and how small you cut the ingredients.
How many calories are in one serving?
Each serving has about 368 kcal, with 28 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate and 18 g fat. These are estimates for the recipe's 6 servings.
Is Shrimp Cataplana gluten-free?
It is marked gluten-free in our data. Still check labels on stock, sauces and spice blends, which can contain gluten.
Is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
It is pescatarian: it contains fish or seafood but no meat or poultry.
How difficult is it to cook?
It is a medium-difficulty recipe: it needs some timing and several steps, so read through the method before you start.
Can I make Shrimp Cataplana ahead or freeze it?
Yes. Cool it quickly, refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot throughout.
How many servings does it make?
This recipe makes 6 servings. To change the amount, scale each ingredient in proportion. The interactive app's servings control does this automatically.