Cioppino Recipe

This Cioppino Recipe is a robust and savory recipe, which features an abundance of fresh seafood and aromatic fennel. It’s a San Francisco classic, ready in about 1 hour.

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Cioppino Recipe Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 large shallots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 5 cups fish stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound manila clams, scrubbed
• 1 pound mussels, scrubbed, debearded
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 pounds assorted firm-fleshed fish fillets such as halibut or salmon, cut into 2-inch chunks

How To Make Cioppino Recipe

1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a very large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel, chopped onion, chopped shallots, and salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the fennel has softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Bloom the spices: Add the finely chopped garlic and 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Sauté for another 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute to caramelize it slightly.
3. Simmer the broth: Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, dry white wine, fish stock, and the bay leaf. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend thoroughly.
4. Cook the shellfish: Increase the heat to medium. Add the scrubbed clams and mussels to the cooking liquid. Cover the pot and cook until the clams and mussels begin to open, about 5 minutes.
5. Finish the stew: Add the shrimp and the chunks of fish fillets. Simmer gently, stirring very carefully so as not to break the fish, for about 5 minutes longer. The fish and shrimp should be just cooked through, and the clams/mussels should be completely open.
6. Serve: Discard any clams or mussels that did not open (this indicates they were dead before cooking). Season the soup to taste with more salt and red pepper flakes. Ladle into large bowls and serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• Cleaning Shellfish: It is vital to scrub the clams and mussels under cold running water. For mussels, pull off the fibrous “beard” sticking out of the shell. If you don’t clean them well, your soup will be gritty.
• Fish Selection: Use firm-fleshed fish like halibut, cod, sea bass, or salmon. Avoid delicate fish like sole or flounder, as they will disintegrate in the stew.
• The Stock: Since the broth is the soul of this dish, use a high-quality fish stock or clam juice (bottled is fine). Avoid chicken broth as it changes the flavor profile too much.
• Don’t Overcook: Seafood cooks very fast. Once the shrimp turns pink and the fish is opaque, take the pot off the heat. The residual heat will finish the cooking without making the seafood rubbery.

What To Serve With Cioppino

This hearty stew needs crusty sides to soak up the tomato-wine broth.

• Sourdough Bread: The traditional San Francisco accompaniment.
• Garlic Bread: For extra flavor.
• Green Salad: A light vinaigrette salad cleanses the palate.
• White Wine: A glass of the same wine used in the broth (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc).

How To Store Cioppino Recipe

• Refrigerate: Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Seafood degrades quickly, so eat it as soon as possible.
• Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Do not boil vigorously or the fish will break apart and the rubbery texture will increase.
• Freeze: It is best to freeze the tomato base without the seafood. Freeze the base for up to 3 months. Thaw, bring to a simmer, and add fresh seafood when ready to eat. If freezing the full stew, the texture of the fish and shellfish will be compromised upon thawing.

Cioppino Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 450
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 180mg
• Sodium: 1400mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 25g
• Dietary Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 8g
• Protein: 50g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 6 servings.

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