Today we have a real treat to share with you! This delicious Cioppino Seafood Stew Recipe was developed by Chef William Dissen one of the world's most sustainable chefs! Italian seafood stew, known as cioppino is a fisherman friendly dish which is sure to become a family favorite that you can cook in your one-pot dutch oven!
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Why This Recipe Works
- If you love the taste of fresh seafood then Cioppino is a dish you are going to want to try. This one-pot stew is loaded with flavor and nutrition. Italian seafood stew is absolutely delicious.
- Combine this seafood stew with crusty bread smothered in delicious saffron aioli and you're in for a real treat! It's simply good food!
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make Cioppino seafood stew.
Cioppino Ingredients:
- Olive Oil: Provides a smooth, rich base for sautéing the vegetables.
- Fennel Bulb/Yellow Onion/Celery: These vegetables contribute to a flavorful aromatic base.
- Garlic: Intensifies the savory flavors in the stew.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a hint of heat to the dish.
- San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes: Lends a sweet, tangy depth to the stew.
- Fish Fumet Broth: Enhances the seafood flavor in the stew.
- Pernod/Dry White Wine: Adds aromatic complexity and a slight sweetness.
- Bay Leaves/Kosher Salt/Black Pepper: Seasonings that enhance all the other flavors.
- Snapper/Shrimp/Littleneck Clams: The main proteins, they lend a variety of textures and seafood flavors.
- Basil/Parsley: Fresh herbs that add a bright, fresh note to the stew.
Saffron Aioli Sauce Ingredients:
Ingredients for making Saffron Aioli Sauce
- Dukes Prepared Mayo: Forms the creamy base of the sauce.
- Confit Garlic Puree: Adds a deep, sweet garlic flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the sauce with a citrusy note.
- Saffron: Gives the aioli a unique, earthy flavor.
- White Wine: Balances the richness of the aioli with a bit of acidity.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Whilst this fantastic West Coast dish is perfect as is, you may want to make a few alterations or add in some of your favorite ingredients. Here are a few suggestions:
- Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste for a little more sweetness.
- Add bell pepper and mushrooms for extra texture and flavor.
- Swap the white wine for red wine for your soup base.
- Add Mussels and clams and even a few tablespoons of clam juice.
- Be sure to strain seafood stock or broth if it's homemade.
- You can add sea bass or halibut in place of the snapper.
- Add crab legs for variation.
🔪How To Make Cioppino Seafood Stew?
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making Cioppino.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsps of olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the fennel, onion, and celery and cook until translucent and tender for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Next, stir the Pernod and white wine, bring to a simmer and reduce by half.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf and fish fumet (fish stock). Bring to a simmer and allow to cook uncovered for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use an immersion blender, and puree to a rustic consistency, then season the cioppino with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the snapper and shrimp and bring to a simmer again. Lower to medium heat. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through. Stir in the steamed clams. Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve immediately.
- Ladle the cioppino into large, shallow bowls, drizzle with some extra olive oil and garnish with the chopped basil and parsley. Serve with toasted sourdough smeared with saffron aioli.
🔪How To Make Saffron Aioli
Here are the instructions for making saffron Aioli.
- In a small pot, simmer the white wine until the wine is deeply colored and reduce to 2 oz.
- Strain your cooking wine into a mixing bowl. Add the mayo, garlic puree and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
- Your saffron aioli sauce is ready to be served on a crusty baguette.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Select Fresh Seafood: Use a mix of high-quality, fresh seafood like shrimp, mussels, clams, firm white fish, and even crab to create a layered texture and depth of flavor.
- Build a Flavorful Base: Start by sautéing aromatic vegetables—onions, garlic, fennel—and a pinch of red pepper flakes until soft and fragrant. This creates the perfect foundation for your tomato-based broth.
- Deglaze with White Wine: Pour in a generous splash of white wine to deglaze the pot, lifting the browned bits off the bottom. This adds a subtle acidity and complexity to the stew.
- Layer with Tomatoes and Stock: Add crushed tomatoes and seafood or fish stock to build a robust broth. Let the flavors meld together over a gentle simmer to enhance the stew's overall richness.
- Mind Your Timing: Introduce the seafood in stages—start with the heartier pieces like fish and crab, then add delicate shrimp, mussels, and clams towards the end to prevent overcooking and maintain their tender texture.
- Finish with Fresh Herbs: Brighten the stew with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like basil or parsley just before serving, ensuring a burst of freshness with every bite.
- Serve with Crusty Bread: Accompany your cioppino with crusty sourdough or garlic bread to soak up the delicious, flavorful broth.
💭 FAQs
Cioppino is a traditional Italian seafood stew that is loaded with flavor and rich in nutrients. This hearty dish is typically made with a variety of fresh seafood, such as fresh fish, shrimp, scallops, Dungeness crab, clams, and mussels. In addition to the seafood, cioppino also contains flavorful vegetables like tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs like basil and oregano.
Cioppino is a popular dish in many regions around the world, but it originated in San Francisco. Over time, this hearty stew has become a staple of Italian-American cuisine, and its popularity continues to grow as more people discover its savory flavors. Cioppino has become more popular as Italian restaurants proliferate in the United States. As a result, it is now widely available in most regions of the country and has become somewhat of a regional specialty in areas like San Francisco and New England.
Wondering how to say cioppino correctly? Like many Italian dishes, cioppino is quite easy to pronounce! Simply follow the same hard sound that you would use in words like cat or cent and add a sound at the end. This will result in a pronunciation of roughly ch-oh-pee-nou.
Cioppino can be served over a bed of pasta. The best pasta to use with this seafood stew recipe would be fettuccine or linguine. Simply cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then toss it with a little olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together. Serve cioppino over the pasta and enjoy!
As a hearty, seafood-based stew, cioppino pairs best with dry white wines like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. These wines are light and refreshing, which help to balance the rich flavors and spice in your Italian dish.
Littleneck clams, also known as Little Neck Clams, are a species of hard-shell clam that is often served in seafood dishes like cioppino. They have a mild flavor and tender texture, and they can be cooked in numerous ways.
Allow the seafood Cioppino to cool to room temperature before storing any leftovers. Transfer it into an airtight container or divide it into smaller portions for easier storage. Refrigerate promptly, and consume within 1-2 days to maintain freshness. If possible, store the broth and seafood separately. This prevents the seafood from becoming overcooked during reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cioppino Seafood Stew:
- Garlic Bread: Warm, crusty garlic bread complements the rich flavors of Cioppino. Perfect for soaking up the savory broth.
- Grilled Asparagus: Delicate grilled asparagus adds a delightful crunch and earthy flavor, enhancing the overall meal.
- Fennel and Orange Salad: A crisp fennel and orange salad bring a burst of citrusy sweetness, complementing the robust Cioppino.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Best Cioppino Seafood Stew Recipe
Ingredients
Cioppino stew Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Diced Fennel Bulb
- 1 ½ Cups Onion Diced
- ½ Cup Celery Diced
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic minced
- ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 4 Cups Fish Fumet Broth You can also use Fish Stock or Seafood stock
- ½ Cup Pernod
- 1 Cup Dry White Wine
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Snapper cut into large pieces
- 1 Large Shrimp
- 2 dozen Littleneck Clams steamed
- 4 Tablespoons Basil roughly chopped
- 4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley roughly chopped
Aioli Sauce Ingredients
- 1 qt Dukes Prepared Mayo
- ¼ Cup Confit Garlic Puree
- Juice of One Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Saffron
- 1 Cup White Wine
Instructions
To Make Cioppino Stew
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsps of olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the fennel, onion, and celery and cook until translucent and tender for 5 minutes.Stir in the garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Next, stir the Pernod and white wine, bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf and fish fumet (fish stock).
- Bring to a simmer and allow to cook uncovered for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.Use an immersion blender, and puree to a rustic consistency, then season the cioppino with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the snapper and shrimp and bring to a simmer again. Lower to medium heat. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through.
- Stir in the steamed clams. Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve immediately.
- Ladle the cioppino into large, shallow bowls, drizzle with some extra olive oil and garnish with the chopped basil and parsley.
- Serve with toasted sourdough smeared with saffron aioli.
To Make Aioli
- In a small pot, simmer the white wine until the wine is deeply colored and reduce to 2 oz.
- Strain your cooking wine into a mixing bowl. Add the mayo, garlic puree and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
Notes
Nutrition
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