Easy Cioppino (Seafood Stew)

The BEST ever seafood stew, loaded with clams, mussels, cod, shrimp and scallops. So cozy, so hearty, so easy.

Cioppino tends to be one of those underrated stews that’s actually really easy to make, making it on your dinner table in less than an hour. And it’s filled with all the seafood goodness – little neck clams, mussels, cod (or halibut), shrimp and scallops which gets cooked right in that garlicky, tomato-wine-based broth.

All you need to round out this meal is some freshly toasted baguette (or sourdough or french bread) slices to sop up this goodness, leaving zero leftovers behind. This recipe can also be easily doubled or tripled (if you have a large enough pot, of course), making it perfect for when company stops by for dinner.

what is the difference between cioppino and bouillabaisse?

Cioppino and bouillabaisse are both seafood stews, but cioppino is purely a tomato-based broth while bouillabaisse is made with fish broth, saffron and tomatoes.

tips and tricks for success

• Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
• Use a blend of seafood and shellfish. A mixture of clams, mussels, white fish, shrimp, scallops, squid and dungeness crab are all great options.
• Soak the clams. We want to get rid of all the sand and grit from your clams.
• Check over the mussels. Rinse and scrub the mussels, and debeard as needed. Although farm-raised mussels will already come debearded, it’s still a good idea to do a once-over, discarding any mussels that are open or have cracked shells.
• Avoid storing the mussels in water prior to cooking. Uncooked mussels should not be stored in water or in an airtight container as they need to breathe. The uncooked mussels can be placed in a bowl, covered with a damp dishtowel, in the fridge for 1-2 days.
• Prep the scallops. Although safe to eat, gently peel away the small side muscle from the scallops as it is tougher and chewier than the rest of the scallops. Rinse and pat dry.
• Use dry scallops. Dry scallops are generally preferred over wet scallops as the latter is treated with preservatives, retaining excess water.
• Be mindful of different cooking times. The key to a great cioppino is serving right when the seafood is perfectly cooked through. Clams and mussels can go in first, cooking until they start to open, adding the fish, shrimp and scallops last.
• Make ahead of time. Cioppino is a great dish to make ahead of time, cooking the broth just before adding the seafood and storing in the fridge.
• Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!

Easy Cioppino (Seafood Stew)

Yield: 4 servings

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 35 minutes minutes

Total: 55 minutes minutes

The BEST ever seafood stew, loaded with clams, mussels, cod, shrimp and scallops. So cozy, so hearty, so easy.

5 stars (23 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 small fennel bulb, cored and diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups clam juice
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 12 little neck clams, scrubbed
• ½ pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 pound cod or halibut filets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• ½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 large sea scallops
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Instructions

• Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in wine, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, clam juice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Stir in clams and mussels. Reduce heat to low; cover, with a tight-fitting lid, and cook until the clams and mussels are just beginning to open, about 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in cod or halibut, shrimp and scallops. Reduce heat and simmer until cod or halibut, shrimp and scallops are just cooked through and clams and mussels have opened completely, about 3-4 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
• Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve immediately.

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