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Cioppino San Francisco Seafood Stew Recipe Easy Homemade with Sourdough

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This iconic San Francisco seafood stew features a rich tomato-wine broth brimming with fresh fish, shellfish, and classic aromatics. Perfect for cozy dinners or entertaining, it’s hearty, flavorful, and best served with crusty sourdough bread.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced (optional)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 2 cups seafood stock or fish broth (or chicken broth)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb firm white fish (halibut, cod, or sea bass), cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 lb sea scallops
  • 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 1 lb clams, scrubbed
  • 1/2 lb Dungeness crab meat or legs (or substitute snow crab or omit)
  • 1 loaf crusty San Francisco sourdough bread
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. Rinse mussels and clams under cold water, scrubbing and debearding as needed. Pat all seafood dry. Chop onion and fennel, mince garlic, and slice fish into 2-inch chunks.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and fennel; cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for 1 minute until just golden.
  3. Add crushed and diced tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine, seafood stock, oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes to meld flavors.
  4. Increase heat to medium-high. Gently add fish chunks, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and crab. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, just until shellfish open and fish is opaque. Discard any mussels or clams that don’t open.
  5. Taste broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle stew into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with slices of sourdough and lemon wedges if desired.

Notes

For best results, use the freshest seafood available. Soak clams and mussels in salted water for 20 minutes before cooking to remove grit. Layer seafood when adding to the pot for even cooking. The stew is naturally gluten-free; serve with gluten-free bread if needed. Broth can be made ahead and seafood added just before serving. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge; freeze broth separately for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: cioppino, seafood stew, San Francisco, easy cioppino, fish stew, shellfish, sourdough, tomato broth, dinner, entertaining, gluten-free option

Find it online: https://lucydishes.com/cioppino-san-francisco-seafood-stew-recipe-easy-homemade-with-sourdough/