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Cioppino Seafood Stew

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot Essential for building flavor and ensuring even heat distribution.
  • Chef’s Knife For prepping vegetables and seafood.
  • Cutting board Preferably one for seafood and another for vegetables to avoid cross-contamination.
  • Ladle For serving the stew.
  • Tongs Helpful for placing and removing seafood without breaking it apart.
  • Fine mesh sieve (optional) For straining the broth if you want a cleaner presentation.

Ingredients
  

Seafood

  • 1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 lb firm white fish such as halibut, cod, or sea bass, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 lb mussels cleaned and debearded
  • 1/2 lb scallops bay or sea scallops both work
  • 1/2 lb calamari rings and tentacles, cleaned

Base and Broth

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for a little kick
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 3 cups seafood stock or fish broth can substitute with chicken stock in a pinch
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Finishing Touches

  • Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
  • Crusty sourdough or baguette for serving

Instructions
 

Prep the seafood

  1. Clean the mussels thoroughly, discarding any that don’t close when tapped. Peel and devein the shrimp, and chop the fish into large chunks. Set everything on ice or in the fridge while you start the base.

Sauté the aromatics

  1. In your large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and fennel and cook for about 7 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

Deglaze with wine

  1. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This adds complexity and depth to your stew.

Build the broth

  1. Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, seafood stock, bay leaf, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Let this simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to marry and deepen. The result should be a rich, savory broth that smells like comfort and the sea.

Add seafood in stages

  1. Start with the firmest seafood — add the fish chunks and scallops first, letting them cook for 3–4 minutes. Then add the shrimp and calamari, cooking for another 3 minutes. Finally, toss in the mussels, cover the pot, and cook for about 5–7 minutes more, or until the mussels have opened (discard any that remain closed).

Taste and adjust

  1. Taste your broth and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, or a splash of white wine if needed. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving can also brighten things up.

Serve immediately

  1. Ladle the stew into bowls, making sure to distribute the seafood evenly. Sprinkle generously with fresh parsley and serve with slices of toasted sourdough or baguette to mop up the flavorful broth.