Cioppino (Italian Seafood and Tomato Stew)
This classic cioppino is a rustic Italian-American seafood stew with tomatoes, fennel and loads of fresh seafood!
Servings: 6
Calories: 230kcal
Cost: $20
Ingredients
Cioppino Base
- Olive oil for sautéing
- 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups seafood stock
- Kosher salt & black pepper
Herb Bundle
- 4-5 stems fresh oregano
- 4-5 stems of parsley
- 4-5 stems fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Seafood
- 2 lobster tails 6 ounces each
- 8 ounces halibut cut into large chunks
- 8-10 head-on shell-on prawns
- 1 pound clams scrubbed
- 1 pound mussels scrubbed
For Garnish
- Chopped parsley
- Fennel fronds
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add fennel and shallot and cook until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add sliced garlic and cook for another minute
- Build the tomato base: Stir in red pepper flakes and tomato paste. Cook until the paste deepens in color, about 1 minute.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine and simmer until reduced by about half.
- Simmer the broth: Add the crushed tomatoes, seafood stock and herb bundle. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20–30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Layer the seafood:Add lobster tails first and simmer 2 minutes.Add clams and mussels, cover, and cook 3–4 minutes.Nestle halibut on top, lightly seasoned, and simmer 4–5 minutesAdd prawns and cook for the last 3–4 minutes, until pink and shellfish are open.
- Finish & serve: Remove herb bundle. Discard any shellfish that did not open. Garnish with parsley and fennel fronds. Serve with crusty bread.
Video
Notes
- Cleaning Shellfish: Scrub clams and mussels thoroughly before cooking. Here are helpful guides on cleaning them.
- Gentle Simmer: Keep the cioppino at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil, to prevent tough seafood.
- Lobster Timing: Lobster tails cook about 1 minute per ounce. Avoid overcooking.
- Frozen Seafood Tip: Fully thaw seafood in the refrigerator and pat dry before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1068mg | Potassium: 1163mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 5mg