The 120-Year-Old Iconic San Francisco Recipe I Make Every Winter
Cioppino is a seafood stew of vibrant, briny abundance. It’s a wide assortment of seafood served in a large bowl with steaming tomato-based broth, so it’s a dish best shared with those who also love seafood. I’m glad my seafood-loving family adores cioppino, and my favorite part is the hands-on nature of eating it. There’s nothing like picking up clams and mussels to pry the tender meat out and dunking hunks of crusty garlic bread or sourdough bread into the broth.
While this San Francisco-style cioppino may sound fancy, it’s a stew that comes together fairly quickly — faster, in fact, than many meat-based stews. The broth just needs a 30-minute simmer before you toss in the seafood to quickly finish up the cooking. It’s completely doable for a dinner party (you can make it ahead up to the point where the seafood goes in) or for a cozy night in.
Why You’ll Love It
All the cooking happens in a single pot. The aromatics get sautéed in a large pot, then the broth ingredients are added in. After some simmering, cook the seafood in the broth in two waves right before serving.
It’s a seafood lover’s dream. With a combination of mussels, clams, shrimp, and fish, each bite has a different texture and flavor, so you’ll never get bored. The combination of seafood also makes the flavor of the broth incredibly complex.
This History of Cioppino
Cioppino is a dish that was created in the late 1800s or early 1900s by Italian immigrant fishermen in San Francisco. These fishermen would contribute leftovers from the day’s Pacific Ocean catch and turn it into a hearty stew. The makeup of the seafood would vary depending on what was available. Today, it’s one of San Francisco’s most beloved dishes. You’ll find it everywhere in the city, from the touristy areas of Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 and beyond.
What’s the Difference Between Cioppino and Bouillabaisse?
Bouillabaisse is a French seafood stew originating from fishermen in Marseille, made of a combination of local Mediterranean fish and other seafood. Both stews call for tomatoes, but you’ll find less in the saffron broth of bouillabaisse. Bouillabaisse also includes leeks and potatoes. Italian American-based cioppino contains seafood local to the San Francisco Bay Area cooked in a white wine and tomato broth. Cioppino is often served with sourdough bread; bouillabaisse is served with bread spread with rouille, a garlicky mayonnaise.
Key Ingredients in Cioppino
Aromatics: Fennel, onion, and lots of garlic all form the base of the broth.
Tomatoes: Both a big can of diced tomatoes and some tomato paste give the broth depth, richness, and a little acidity.
White wine: A full cup of white wine cooks down and gives a rounded flavor to the broth.
Fish or seafood stock: You can use boxed broth or check with your local fishmonger. Many times they make their own fish or seafood stock and have it available frozen.
A combination of seafood: Cioppino has a combination of mollusks (mussels and clams), shellfish (shrimp), and white fish fillets. It’s all about a variety of flavors and textures.
How to Make Cioppino
Sauté the aromatics. Cook fennel, onion or shallot, and garlic until tender and aromatic. A little tomato paste adds a deeper flavor to the broth.
Deglaze with white wine. Add white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost all evaporated.
Simmer the broth. Add fish or seafood stock (check your local fishmonger to see if they make their own) and a big can of diced tomatoes. Let simmer to reduce slightly and let the flavors meld.
Cook the clams and mussels. Add the clams and mussels in first (remember to clean them first), and cook until they start to open.
Cook the shrimp and fish. Add the shrimp and big chunks of fish, and cook gently in the broth until almost cooked through. Turn off the heat and let them finish cooking in the residual heat to prevent overcooking. Top with parsley and serve with crusty bread for dipping in the rich broth.
Helpful Swaps
Cioppino tastes best with the freshest seafood. Use the seafood listed here as a guideline, but buy what looks (or smells) best at the market. Feel free to swap in crab, squid, or scallops; just change up the cooking time as needed so they don’t overcook.
For a slightly thicker broth, use 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in place of the diced.
If you can’t find seafood or fish stock, substitute with 4 cups bottled clam juice. Since clam juice can be quite salty, skip the salt in Step 4. Taste the broth and add more salt as needed at the end before serving.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
The base of the cioppino (up through Step 4 in the instructions) can be made up to 2 days ahead. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to finish, bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer before adding the seafood.
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Remove the mussels and clams from the shells and discard the shells before storing. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Leftover cioppino makes a great pasta sauce, especially if you finish cooking the pasta directly in the cioppino for a minute or two so it has a chance to soak up the flavor.
What to Serve with Cioppino
Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew)
It’s a seafood extravaganza.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 5 to 6
Ingredients
1 medium fennel bulb, preferably with fronds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots or 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart fish or seafood stock (4 cups)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound littleneck, manila clams, or cockles, rinsed and scrubbed
1 pound mussels, rinsed and scrubbed, beards removed
1 1/2 pounds firm, skinless white fish fillets, such as cod, halibut, or red snapper, cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces
1 pound extra-large or jumbo raw shrimp (21 to 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from 5 sprigs)
Toasted or grilled sliced sourdough bread, for serving
Instructions
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Pick any fronds from 1 medium fennel bulb and reserve for garnish. Core and finely chop the bulb (about 1 1/2 cups).
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 5 1/2-quart or larger Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the fennel and cook until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 finely chopped shallots and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Stir in 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the paste darkens in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup dry white wine and simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 quart fish or seafood stock, 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices, and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a very lively simmer and cook for 30 minutes to reduce slightly and let the flavors meld. (This is a good time to prepare the seafood.)
Stir in 1 pound mussels and 1 pound clams. Cover and cook until most of the mussels and clams begin to open, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently stir in 1 1/2 pounds cut white fish fillets and 1 pound raw shrimp, making sure they are mostly submerged in liquid. Return to a simmer.
Gently stir again to move the fish and shrimp at the top closer to the bottom. Remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes to let the residual heat gently finish cooking the seafood (the fish and shrimp should be opaque).
Taste the broth and season with kosher salt as needed. Garnish with 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves and the fennel fronds. Ladle into serving bowls, discarding any clams or mussels that have not opened. Serve with toasted or grilled sourdough on the side.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The cioppino can be made up to Step 4. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to finish, bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer before proceeding with Step 5.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Remove the mussels and clams from the shells and discard the shells before storing. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Further Reading
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