This Oyster Stew recipe is easy to make and comes together quickly. It’s simply yet richly flavored, lightly creamy, and full of wonderful seafood flavor – perfect for a special holiday dinner but simple enough to enjoy anytime!
This easy Oyster Stew recipe has been gracing our Christmas Eve gatherings for as long as I can remember, thanks to my mom and grandma. But until I actually made it myself a few years ago, I really had no idea how easy it was to make. Besides the oysters, the recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients. From start to finish, it’s ready in about 35 minutes!
Why This is The Best Oyster Stew Recipe
For me, this recipe is Christmas Eve in a bowl. It’s a tradition that Mom has held onto, one passed down from her own mom. Here’s why I love it:
- Quick & easy. Our local seafood counters carry fresh shucked oysters during the holidays, which makes this recipe come together super quick and easy.
- Delicious. This recipe is the perfect example of how a few simple ingredients can come together with a really spectacular result. I love that this oyster stew is lightly creamy and buttery, with rich seafood flavor.
- Special. Fresh oysters absolutely make this a special stew. If I had access to fresh shucked oysters year-round (we live in Minnesota), I’d definitely make this for more than the holidays!
Our Oyster Stew Family Tradition
Even though I didn’t grow up in the South (unless SOUTH Dakota counts?!), where oyster stew is a Christmas Eve tradition, my grandma and mom have served it at our family’s Christmas Eve gatherings every year.
I wasn’t a fan of oysters as a child and would carefully ladle the rich, creamy broth into my bowl, leaving the oysters behind. But as the years ticked by, I grew to seek out the oysters – especially when Mom used fresh oysters!
If you’re not a big fan of oysters, yet you still like other shellfish, I beg you to give oyster stew a try. I think you’ll be surprised at the rich, wonderful flavor. And if it takes you a few tries to find yourself actually seeking out the oysters, I completely understand!😉
Recipe Ingredients
There are just 8 ingredients in this easy homemade oyster soup recipe – and besides the oysters, all of them are common ingredients.
- Fresh raw oysters, with their juice – You can also substitute fresh shucked oysters packed in water – or canned oysters. (I highly recommend fresh over canned!)
- Butter – Unsalted butter adds a warm, rich flavor to the simple milk-based broth.
- Garlic – One fresh garlic clove offers gorgeous flavor when sauteed in the butter.
- Flour – A little bit of flour gives a slight amount of thickening to the broth.
- Salt – This gives a simple flavor boost.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds a savory layer to the broth that goes really well with the oysters.
- Hot pepper sauce – I add just a few dashes. We like Frank’s Redhot for this stew.
- Milk – Whole milk provides the light creaminess to the broth. For a richer stew, substitute half of the whole milk for half & half.
How to Make Oyster Stew
This recipe is super easy to make – I promise!
- Prep the oysters: Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. If the reserved liquid is particularly gritty, strain it through a double layer of cheese cloth. See “Oyster Stew FAQ’s & Tips” below for more info on oysters.
- Start the broth: In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour: Sprinkle flour over the top and whisk to incorporate.
- Whisk in seasonings: Whisk in salt, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Cook for 1 minute, whisking gently all the while.
- Add broth liquids, then simmer: Add strained oyster juice, followed by the milk. Cook over low to medium-low heat until it’s steaming. Then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the oysters: Add the oysters and cook for 2 more minutes, or until oysters start to curl.
- Serve: Taste test and add a bit more salt if you like. Optionally, a little black pepper and fresh chopped parsley can be nice. Serve with oyster crackers and saltine crackers.
Oyster Stew FAQ’s and Tips
There are a few things I’ve learned over the years, to make this super simple stew as delicious as possible:
- Can I use canned oysters? You surely can. But just like most everything else in this world, the stew will only be as good as the ingredients you put into it. Here are my recommendations for oysters with the best flavor and texture:
- 1. Fresh oysters. My #1 choice, for best flavor and texture, would be to buy fresh oysters and shuck them yourself. But shucking oysters can be downright difficult, especially if you’ve never done it before. So, personally, we don’t do this very often.
- 2. Fresh shucked oysters packed in water. The next best option would be fresh already-shucked oysters (not smoked) that are packed in water – this is what we most often use. Many grocery stores and Costco carry fresh shucked oysters during the holidays. Online sellers also offer them.
- 3. Canned oysters. And lastly, it’s just fine to used canned oysters if that’s all you can find…can you tell that canned oysters do not excite me?! Just know that the texture and flavor of canned oysters absolutely do NOT compare to fresh oysters.
- How do you shuck oysters at home? After staying with my sister’s family in Florida a few years ago, with easy access to fresh seafood counters, Blake became pretty good at shucking oysters. But even when you know how to do it, it’s still not a fun gig – especially if you’re needing a larger quantity. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to shuck oysters, if you want to try your hand at it.
- Can I freeze fresh oysters? Yes, this is a great option when you can find them fresh and at a good price – then you can enjoy a fresh pot of oyster stew at a later date. Fresh shucked oysters keep well in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
- Adjust flavor to your liking. I like an oyster stew with just a hint of spicy kick. That’s why you’ll find hot pepper sauce in the ingredients list – this is an ingredient that Blake and I added a few years back, not part of my grandma’s original recipe. Just know that this is not required. Feel free to eliminate the hot sauce or really amp it up. Or just offer hot sauce on the side, for individuals to add as they like.
Serving Suggestions
Oyster stew is typically served with oyster crackers. Seems only natural, right?! Here’s how we like to eat it:
- Crackers: Like I said, oyster crackers are traditional. But saltine crackers are great, too.
- Bread: For a heartier option, serve the stew with soft homemade Rhodes rolls, tender biscuits, or some warm crusty bread.
- Added flavorings: Feel free to offer freshly cracked black pepper, minced fresh herbs like parsley or thyme, and a variety of hot sauces.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- How to store leftovers. Leftover oyster stew keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, in an airtight container.
- How to reheat leftovers. Gently reheat leftover stew on the stovetop or in the microwave, using low heat.
- Can I freeze oyster stew? Yes, you can freeze this oyster stew. Allow it to cool completely then transfer to freezer containers for up to 2 months.
A few more favorite seafood recipes:
- Shrimp Dip is an appetizer favorite, another Christmas Eve tradition for our family!
- Grilled Margarita Shrimp. One of my favorite meals. EVER.
- Seared Scallops. So easy to make at home, with just a few ingredients.
- Blackened Shrimp Tacos. So much flavor!
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops. Topped with a delicious garlic butter, these scallops are SO GOOD!
- Crab Bisque. Another yummy seafood soup recipe for you.
- Honey Walnut Shrimp. A takeout favorite that’s easy (and fun!) to make at home.
Oyster Stew
Yield: 6 servings
Rich, creamy, and full of wonderful seafood flavor, Oyster Stew is easy to make and comes together quickly. It's perfect for a special holiday dinner (it's our Christmas Eve tradition!) but simple enough to whip up anytime.
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Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh raw oysters (shucked), with their juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- a few dashes hot pepper sauce (We like Frank's Redhot)
- 1 quart whole milk
- freshly ground black pepper, optional
- minced fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Drain oysters and reserve their liquid. If the reserved liquid is gritty, strain it through a double layer of cheese cloth.
- In a large saucepan over medium to medium-low heat, melt the butter. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the top and whisk to incorporate. Then whisk in salt, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Cook for 1 minute, whisking gently all the while.
- Whisk in reserved oyster juice. Then slowly add milk, whisking constantly to incorporate. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until mixture is steaming and bubbles just start to appear around the edge of the saucepan. Do not let mixture come to a boil. Turn heat down to low, and let cook for 10 minutes.
- Add oysters and cook for 2 more minutes, or until oysters start to curl. Taste test and add a bit more salt if you like. Black pepper and fresh chopped parsley are optional.
- We like to eat oyster stew with oyster crackers. Saltines are also good.
Notes
Note: Fresh shucked oysters are always the preferred choice for oyster stew. Otherwise look for shucked oysters (not smoked) packed in water. The third best choice would be canned or jarred oysters – just know that their flavor and texture is not nearly as good as fresh oysters.
From Mom's recipe box, originally from her mom.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 324kcal Carbohydrates: 23g Protein: 20g Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 112mg Sodium: 478mg Sugar: 13g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
This post was first published in 2018, and then updated in 2021.
I remember when I was very young visiting grandma and grandpa on the farm in PA. She made this soup and I ate it very carefully hoping to find a pearl Such fond memories!
Maybe it was a Scottish tradition, as it was a tradition in our family as well, growing up near the Great Lakes in western New York.
Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is awesome! I used it on my thanksgiving turkey and it came out delicious! Thank you!
I enjoyed oyster soup (as we called it where I’m from in North Carolina) as a kid. My mother made it with the small select oysters from the seafood section of our local grocery store, milk, butter, salt and pepper only. I loved the broth but no oysters for me; I added ketchup to my milk broth and sprinkled oyster crackers in it. Delicious. Haven’t had it in years. Might have to go by the market for those expensive little gems. I didn’t start to enjoy oysters until I became an adult. Now I love them any way you fix them, even raw. Thanks for the good memories of a great dish I’d forgotten about.
I, too, grew up with Oyster Stew. I don’t remember the garlic and spices but think that’s a great addition. The History Channel has a nice article about the history of the stew. I suspect the Irish side of my family passed it down from the mid 1800s. https://www.history.com/news/oyster-stew-on-christmas-eve-an-american-tradition
My mother-in-law’s side of the family is Norwegian, and she grew up in Wisconsin where they served oyster stew every Christmas eve. She married a Hispanic gentleman, so when I met my husband, who calls himself a Mexiweeg, their Christmas eve tradition had become oyster stew and tacos
This isn’t traditional oyster stew. This is oyster soup. Traditional stew doesn’t have a rue or added sauces. As a German, who also resides in South Dakota, this bothers me. It’s like people calling beef tips chislic. No one polishes a turd and calls it a diamond…..this is oyster soup.
Christmas eve oyster stew was tradition for me as a child. I have returned to those roots nowadays…
Every Christmas Eve in NW Iowa we had oyster stew, chili soup, little sandwiches, and a relish tray at my grandparents’ farmhouse. I have always loved it… my grandpa, my dad, and myself. So good! My mom doesn’t (and my grandma didn’t) make it with the onion, flour, and hot sauce, but it sounds fantastic! I’m going to try your recipe tomorrow night (Christmas Eve 2020). Thank you!
I’m From southwest Iowa I grew up along the southwest side of Iowa and our Christmas eves were the same but my family also served a couple of jello-type salads and pies. I really do miss those times with my grandparents and great aunts and uncle and a whole slew of cousins. We never used hot sauce or flour or onions but sometimes we used cream and milk to make it a little richer. I’m going to have to try it with the flour and onions and hot sauce, way too.
My parents were from South Dakota and we had oyster stew like this every Christmas Eve! Sometimes New Years Eve too. I also just ate broth and crackers as a kid. I decided that I need to make it this year and was delighted to find your recipe.
I grew up in Minnesota and your recipe is so similar to the one my mom made every Christmas Eve. It doesn’t feel like Christmas without it. My mom’s family has deep German roots so I have always wondered if oyster stew was a German Christmas tradition.
I made this last night with the rest of the big jar of oysters I got from Costco to put in our Thanksgiving stuffing. I was looking for a use for them and came across your recipe. It was sooooooo good. My husband and I loved it, My kids were a harder sell but they liked the broth. I told them the story about you just eating the broth when you were younger and that encouraged them. Seriously delicious. I didn’t have whole milk so I used 2% and a bit of half and half and it turned out great!
Hi Kari – I’m so glad you liked this recipe. And I LOVE how you got your kids to eat the broth!! Hoping they eventually come around, just like I did. :)
Well I made the stew . I used a little less milk 31/2 cups I seasoned it more I doubled the Worcester sauce and the franks hots sauce . I used a small onion and some parsley . And my oysters were big the container said x small . So I used scissors and cut the oysters smaller but I loved your recipes
Is 2 t of flour tablespoons or teaspoons also the oysters I bought said canal bout they were big cag I cut them smaller I flowed your recipe . I used 2 tablespoons of flour and I added a small onion and some parsley I hope it’s good
I think this is a common tradition amongst those who also know who Captain 11 was.
We make this too all the time and I’m from Minnesota…I order my Oysters in so they are really fresh and I also throw in a little bit of onions and mushrooms…started throwing in the mushrooms cause people like mushrooms and think they are getting those instead if oysters…:a trick but it works…lol…thanks for sharing your recipe – it’s a lot like mine!!! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I LOVE how you add mushrooms!!!