Cioppino, (pronounced choh-PEE-no) is the classic seafood stew hailing from San Francisco. With a rich, tomato-infused broth and lots of fresh fish and shellfish, it’s a dish that embodies the essence of coastal dining. Be sure to use fresh, high-quality seafood, as it’s the star of the show! My personal preference is a mix of halibut, mussels, clams, and shrimp.
I’ll also show you how to make a quick shellfish broth from the shrimp shells. This, along with lots of aromatics, fresh herbs, and a splash of white wine, creates the most wonderful, fragrant seafood stock for the stew.
And of course, as with any cioppino recipe, it must be enjoyed with crusty sourdough bread! If you love seafood, be sure to give this a try.
Check out more of my easy seafood recipes like my Crab Bisque, Mussels in White Wine, or this Pasta with Clam Sauce next!
What’s In Cioppino?
- Shrimp stock or seafood stock: If making your own stock, you’ll need olive oil, shrimp shells, clam juice, and water. I like to add vegetables for extra flavor, such as carrots, garlic, celery, and fresh herbs, but you don’t have to.
- Aromatics: onion, fennel, shallot, and garlic
- Spices: fennel seeds and crushed red pepper flakes
- For the sauce: tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and white wine
- Herbs: dried bay leaves and either fresh tarragon or fresh oregano — plus fresh parsley to garnish!
- Seafood: shrimp, halibut, mussels, and clams (see additional suggestions below!)
- High-quality extra virgin olive oil for serving!
- Sourdough bread!
Ingredient Substitutions
First, let’s talk seafood! You may see cioppino on restaurant menus with a variety of fresh fish or shellfish. Use anything you like. Scallops, squid, salmon, cod, or any fresh fish filets.
Other substitutions:
- If you can’t find fennel, you can use celery for a similar flavor profile.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
How To Make A Classic Cioppino
- Make shrimp stock. You can use store-bough seafood stock, but I like to make my own. It’s a great use for leftover shrimp shells if you’re adding fresh shrimp to the seafood stew.
- Sauté the aromatics. This is where the onion, fennel, shallot, garlic, and spices really open up and release their flavors.
- Make the sauce. After stirring in a little tomato paste, add white wine and be sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan! Add canned tomatoes and fresh herbs.
- Add seafood. Once the soup has simmered and developed some flavor, add the seafood. Truly just the last 5 minutes of cooking. Be careful not to over cook!
- Serve! Divide the homemade cioppino into bowls, drizzle with a high quality extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, and fennel fronds. Serve with sourdough!
Hints of fennel and garlic add depth, while a touch of white wine brings acidity that cuts through the richness. It’s a truly unforgettable dish. I cannot wait for you to make this!
FAQs
Place clams in a large bowl filled with cold water and a generous amount of salt. Let them soak for 30 minutes. The saltwater encourages them to expel any sand. Rinse thoroughly before using.
Absolutely! Thaw frozen seafood completely before adding it to the pot. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly, depending on the size of the pieces.
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Don’t overcrowd the pot when adding seafood. Cook in batches, if necessary!
- Don’t worry about the specific seafood listed. Use whichever fish or shellfish you like (and that is fresh and looks best!). But I absolutely recommend using a variety of seafood for best flavor (and different textures!).
- Be careful not to overcook the seafood. It’s best to add them towards the end of cooking and simmer just until they are cooked through to maintain their delicate texture.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
Cioppino can be made ahead of time! Prepare the stew up to the point of adding the seafood. Cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over medium heat until warmed through, then add the seafood and cook according to the recipe instructions.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat as described above, being careful not to overheat the seafood (which can alter its texture).
Freezing: While you can technically freeze cioppino, the texture of the seafood will not be as good when you thaw or defrost. I do not recommend freezing.
Serving Suggestions
Crusty bread — specifically San Francisco sourdough! — is a must for soaking up the flavorful broth. I also like to serve this with a simple green salad to start. Something light with a vinaigrette. Consider trying my Shallot Vinaigrette or this Basil Vinaigrette!
If you really want to take this cioppino recipe over the top, dollop a spoonful of creamy garlic aioli right on top!
This is one of those dishes that truly just tastes better when made fresh at home. It never lives up to the hype at restaurants, and while it’s more hands on than many recipes on Well Seasoned, I wouldn’t share it if it wasn’t worth the effort. Trust me on this one.
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Classic San Francisco Cioppino Recipe
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or pot with deep sides (and lid)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
- 8 oz clam juice
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ sweet onion, diced, about 1 cup
- 1 fennel, diced, about 1 cup, reserve fennel fronds for garnish
- 1 large shallot, diced, about 2 Tbsp
- Kosher salt
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (28oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs tarragon or oregano
- 1 lb halibut, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb mussels, cleaned
- 1 lb clams, cleaned
- High-quality extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for serving
- Sourdough, for serving (I like to toast it!)
Instructions
- Make the shrimp stock. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. When they turn red, add 8oz of clam juice and 2 cups of water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, then strain and reserve the stock. (You can add carrots, celery, garlic, herbs to this while simmering, if wanted!)
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large Dutch oven or deep pot, heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Add 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced fennel, and 2 Tbsp diced shallot. Season with ½ tsp Kosher salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Add 4 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp fennel seeds, and ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, then stir and cook for 1 minute more. Add 2 Tbsp tomato paste, then use a spatula to break it up until dissolved.
- Deglaze with wine. Pour in 1 cup of white wine, then scrape the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to simmer and reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Add shrimp stock (or 3 cups of seafood stock), then pour in 1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes. Add 2 bay leaves, 2-3 sprigs of tarragon (or oregano), stir well, then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add seafood. Pat the halibut and shrimp dry with paper towels, then season with a little Kosher salt. Add the seasoned halibut, shrimp, mussels, and clams, then cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, or until the shells open up. Discard any mussels and clams that remain closed. Remove and discard bay leaves. Taste the broth, adjust seasoning as needed, then transfer to serving bowls.
- Garnish, then serve. Top each with a drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil, some chopped parsley, and reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately with toasted sourdough!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include sourdough bread.
- You can of course use homemade seafood stock or store-bought stock. This is just a quick way to get lots of flavor out of the shrimp shells without simmering for hours.
- Be sure to purge the mussels and clams before cooking. To clean them: Place clams and mussels in a large bowl of cold water and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Carefully lift out clams, then replace water and repeat once more, or until there is no sand and grit left on the bottom of the bowl. The mussels will need their beard removed. To do this, simply pinch the beard between your thumb and forefinger and then firmly tug to remove.
- Make ahead: Prepare the stew up to the point of adding the seafood. Cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over medium heat until warmed through, then add the seafood and cook according to the recipe instructions. Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat in the same way.
- I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
Nutrition
Photography by: Jo Harding.
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