Cioppino
intro
Hearty tomato-based seafood stew loaded with fresh shellfish and fish, a beloved San Francisco staple created by Italian immigrant fishing communities.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all seafood
First, inspect all seafood: discard any clams that are open and do not close when tapped firmly. Scrub clam shells to remove grit and remove any visible beards. Pat scallops and fish chunks dry with paper towels, then arrange all seafood on a lined tray, separated by type, and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook to keep food safe.
Sauté aromatic base
Heat 3 tablespoons (45ml) of extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat (175°C/350°F stovetop setting). Add diced onion and fennel, cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are soft and translucent. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, and thyme, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic which will turn bitter.
Build tomato broth
Stir 2 tablespoons (32g) of tomato paste into the cooked aromatics, cook for 2 minutes over medium heat until the paste darkens to a deep rust red and smells sweet. Pour in 240ml (1 cup) dry white wine, scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned fond bits, and simmer for 4 minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Add 800g crushed San Marzano tomatoes, 720ml seafood stock, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and black pepper, stir to combine. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low (130°C/265°F), cover, and cook for 15 minutes to let flavors meld.
Add firm long-cook seafood
After the broth has simmered 15 minutes, remove the lid, increase heat to medium to maintain a steady gentle bubble. Add the scrubbed clams first, stir gently to submerge them in broth, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Next, add the firm white fish chunks, stir very carefully to avoid breaking the delicate fish, cover, and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add quick-cook seafood
Remove the pot lid, add the shrimp and scallops, stir gently to distribute all seafood evenly in the broth. Cover the pot again, cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, until all clams are fully open, shrimp are bright pink and opaque, scallops are firm and opaque white, and fish flaks easily when pressed with a fork. Discard any clams that remain fully closed after cooking, and fish out the bay leaf to remove it.
Finish and serve hot
Stir in 2 tablespoons (28g) of unsalted butter and the remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, taste the broth and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Ladle the cioppino into wide, shallow serving bowls, making sure each portion gets an even mix of clams, shrimp, fish, and scallops, then top with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately with slices of crusty sourdough bread for dipping in the broth.
Tips
2.Never eat clams that are open and unresponsive to tapping before cooking, or that remain tightly closed after full cooking, as these are not safe to consume.
3.Skip labeled 'cooking wine' for this recipe—use a dry white wine you would enjoy drinking, as cooking wine contains high levels of added salt that will throw off the broth flavor.
OMG, this tastes exactly like the cioppino I had at Fisherman’s Wharf last summer! I was worried it’d be too fussy for a weeknight, but 50 minutes total is totally doable. My whole family went back for seconds, even my super picky 7 year old who hates fish normally. SO good, will be making this for our next dinner party for sure.
Made this for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were literally lining up to get the recipe! I added a little extra cayenne for a Texas-style kick and it was chef’s kiss. 10/10, no notes.
This was great! I will say, as someone who’s pretty new to cooking seafood, the part where you prep all the shellfish felt a little intimidating at first, but the steps were super clear once I slowed down. Ended up with a restaurant-worthy dinner for my partner’s birthday, he was obsessed.
Game changer alert! I’ve tried so many cioppino recipes over the years that come out too watery or too tomato-heavy, but this one has the perfect balance of briny seafood and rich, herby tomato broth. My kids sopped up every last drop with sourdough bread, it was adorable.
Made this on our annual beach trip last week and it was the perfect cozy dinner after a long day in the sun. We used fresh shrimp and mahi mahi we caught that morning, can’t beat that! 10/10 will be a trip staple from now on.
Wait, has anyone tried making this ahead for meal prep? I want to make a big batch on Sunday for lunches all week, but I’m worried the seafood will get weird reheated.
Took this recipe camping last weekend and cooked it over the camp stove in my big dutch oven. Absolute hit with my hiking group! We used clams, mussels, and cod we picked up from a little seafood stand on the drive up, and the smell drew people over from the next campsite asking for a taste lmao.
I’ve been making my version of cioppino for 40 years, and I have to say, this recipe gives mine a run for its money! I loved the addition of fennel in the broth, I’d never thought to add that before. Will be incorporating that into my regular recipe going forward.
Was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to find good quality seafood out here in the desert, but my local grocery store had a great frozen seafood mix that worked perfectly. The recipe was straightforward enough for a random Tuesday night dinner, will make again.
Okay, full transparency: I overcooked the mussels the first time I made this because I got distracted answering a work call, and they were a little chewy, but the BROTH. Oh my god the broth was so good I still ate two whole bowls. Tried again last night, timed everything right, and it was perfect.
Hosted a little SF-themed dinner party last month and served this as the main course, and my guests are still texting me asking for the recipe! I paired it with a crisp chilled white wine and a big green salad, it was the perfect fancy but low-fuss menu. Medium difficulty is spot on, not too hard but feels special.
Wait, I’m usually a strictly plant-based eater but my partner begged me to make this for our anniversary, and I even had a bowl myself! The broth is so flavorful, I might make a veggie version with artichoke hearts and hearts of palm sometime soon to have for myself.
Grew up in SF, moved to Chicago 10 years ago, and this is the first cioppino I’ve made that actually tastes like home. Served it with sourdough from the little fancy bakery down the street and I almost cried, it was so nostalgic. 10/10, no changes needed.
Made this for my grandson who’s going off to college next month, and he asked if I could write the recipe down for him to take to his dorm! I added a little extra old bay to the broth because that’s how my mom used to make it, and it was perfect.
The 50 minute cook time is no joke! I was expecting to be in the kitchen for 2+ hours like most seafood stews, but this came together so fast after work last Friday. I did use a little extra garlic because I’m a garlic fiend, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
First time ever making any kind of seafood stew, and I was so nervous, but the instructions were so easy to follow! I only messed up a little when I forgot to de-vein the shrimp first, but it still turned out edible, and my roommate said it was the best thing I’ve ever cooked. Win!
Made this for Sunday dinner with my extended family, and even my uncle who swears he “doesn’t eat anything that comes from the ocean” had two bowls. I think it was the broth that won him over, it’s just so cozy and flavorful. Will be making this on repeat this fall.
I was worried the medium difficulty rating meant it’d be too hard for me to pull off with a toddler hanging off my leg the whole time, but it was totally manageable! I prepped all the veggies during naptime, then threw it all together in 30 minutes once my partner got home. So easy!
My grandma used to make cioppino every Christmas Eve when I was a kid, and I’ve been chasing that flavor for years since she passed. This recipe is dead on. The smell hit me as soon as I started simmering the broth and I had to step back for a second, it was exactly like being in her kitchen again. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Made a double batch of the broth on Sunday and have been using it all week for quick dinners—one night I added seafood for classic cioppino, another night I tossed in tortellini and spinach for a quick pasta soup, it’s so versatile! 10/10, great base recipe to keep in the fridge.