Cioppino (Seafood Stew) (2024)

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Cioppino is a delicious tomato-based stew with clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, squid, fish, and scallops. Full of flavor, this San Francisco seafood delight a real treat for Sunday dinner or a gathering with friends. Enjoy it with some crusty bread on the side.

Cioppino (Seafood Stew) (1)

Whenever I return from the hot and humid Japanese summer and adjust to the windy, cool fall days of San Francisco, I immediately crave a steamy bowl of seafood stew. My favorite is the local San Francisco dish calledCioppino.

Cioppino –Flavorful Seafood Stew

Cioppinois an Italian-American dish that originated in San Francisco. It is traditionally made from the catch of the day, including Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, scallops, and fish (read morehere). My family and friends enjoy seafood stew as well, so for dinner on cold days, it’s Cioppino or Bouillabaisse(one of my favorites!)

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There are many Cioppino recipes, but I used one from the famous fish market in Moss Landing –Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery.While I was researching, I found this video –Throwdown with Bobby Flay at Phil’s Fish Market. You guessed it; they competed to see who can make the best Cioppino!

I slightly adapted their Cioppino recipe by reducing the serving size and changing some ingredients. I was afraid of including the whole Dungeness crab (I became allergic to crab in my early 20s…so sad!), so I only included a bit of crab meat.

Please don’t get intimidated by the long list of ingredients! The process is pretty simple and worth it in the end. I know you will enjoy this yummy Cioppino seafood stew. I need a big bowl right now… it’s so cold!

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Japanese Ingredient Substitution:If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients,click here.

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Cioppino (Seafood Stew) (4)

Cioppino

4.96 from 24 votes

Cioppino is a delicious tomato-based stew with clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, squid, fish, and scallops. Full of flavor, this San Francisco seafood delight a real treat for Sunday dinner or a gathering with friends. Enjoy it with some crusty bread on the side.

Print RecipePin Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Cioppino

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 clove garlic (chopped)
  • ¼ cup white wine (4 Tbsp)
  • ½ lb little neck clams
  • ¼ lb mussels
  • 8 cups Cioppino Sauce (2 QT; recipe follows)
  • ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • lb dungeness crab (cooked, cleaned and cracked; to save time, you can use ¼ lb (113 g) cooked crab meat instead)
  • ¼ lb shrimp (shell-on if possible for more flavor)
  • ¼ lb squid tubes (cut into rings)
  • ½ lb firm-fleshed white fish fillets (I used Pacific cod cut in 2-inch (5-cm) cubes)
  • 2 oz bay scallops

For the Cioppino Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½–1 onion (halved and thinly sliced)
  • 1 fennel bulb (halved, core removed, and thinly sliced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 Tbsp parsley (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp basil (chopped)
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 can tomatoes (14.5 oz, 411 g; peeled, crushed by hand)
  • 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz, 425 g)
  • 2 cups clam juice (2 bottles; 8 oz, 237 ml each)
  • tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ Tbsp brown sugar
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) (to taste)
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt (to taste)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients. If you use clams and mussels, make sure to check if the shells are cracked or opened. Those that are just slightly open may still be fresh. To check, squeeze the shell shut. If they don’t stay closed, discard them. Follow my tutorial to learn how to degrit clams. I used a 1½-lb seafood medley from Costco that contains mussels, clams, shrimp, and bay scallops.

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To Make the Cioppino Sauce

  • Heat 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add ½–1 onion (chopped) and 1 fennel bulb (thinly sliced). Sauté until translucent.

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  • Add 4 cloves garlic (chopped), 2 bay leaves, 4 Tbsp parsley (chopped), 2 Tbsp basil (chopped), and 2 sprigs fresh thyme. Cook, stirring, just to warm the garlic. Do not let it brown.

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  • Stir in 1 can tomatoes (crushed), 1 can tomato sauce, 2 cups clam juice, ⅛ tsp Worcestershire sauce, and ½ Tbsp brown sugar. Add freshly ground black pepper, crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes), and Diamond Crystal kosher salt to taste.

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  • Bring to a boil and skim off the fat, scum, and foam. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for about 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

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To Cook the Cioppino

  • Put 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, and 1 clove garlic (chopped) in a large pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.

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  • Add ¼ cup white wine and ½ lb little neck clams, and cover. Turn the heat up to medium high and steam until the clams start to open, about 3–5 minutes. Add ¼ lb mussels, cover, and steam until they just start to open, about 2 minutes.

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  • Now, stir in some of the Cioppino Sauce and ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer.

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  • Add 1½ lb dungeness crab (if using) and ¼ lb shrimp. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

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  • Add ½ lb firm-fleshed white fish fillets, ¼ lb squid tubes, 2 oz bay scallops, and the cooked crab meat (if using).

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  • Gently stir in the rest of the Cioppino Sauce (for a total of 8 cups Cioppino Sauce) and simmer until the seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

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  • Serve in large bowls, shells included. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve with crusty French baguette. Enjoy!

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To Store

  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days.

Notes

The recipe is adapted from Phil’s Fish Market Cioppino recipe.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cioppino

Amount per Serving

Calories

409

% Daily Value*

Fat

16

g

25

%

Saturated Fat

4

g

25

%

Trans Fat

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

9

g

Cholesterol

154

mg

51

%

Sodium

1434

mg

62

%

Potassium

1519

mg

43

%

Carbohydrates

35

g

12

%

Fiber

6

g

25

%

Sugar

13

g

14

%

Protein

31

g

62

%

Vitamin A

2376

IU

48

%

Vitamin C

52

mg

63

%

Calcium

148

mg

15

%

Iron

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Namiko Chen

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: seafood

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Cioppino (Seafood Stew) (17)

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Cioppino (Seafood Stew) (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Trader Joe's cioppino seafood stew? ›

INGREDIENTS: Cioppino base (water, tomatoes in juice [tomatoes, tomato juice, citric acid, calciu chloride], crushed tomatoes [tomatoes, citric acid], tomato paste, burgundy cooking wine [wine, salt], celery, onion, sliced which mushrooms, clam base [cooked clams including juices, clam extract, salt, yeast extract, ...

How many days is cioppino good for? ›

How long is cioppino good for? You can keep cooked seafood in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and leave some headspace. Be careful when reheating this soup; it's easy to overcook the fish and seafood, which could make them rubbery.

What is the difference between bouillabaisse and cioppino? ›

Q: What is the difference between bouillabaisse and cioppino? A: Actually there isn't much difference other than Cioppino is Italian with a tomato-based broth and bouillabaisse is French with a bit of saffron and chopped tomatoes added to a fish broth.

What does cioppino mean in Italian? ›

The word “cioppino” comes from the Ligurian dialect “ciuppin” and means “chopped, torn to pieces”. This unfussy soup was consumed by mariners and port workers in taverns and inns around the Ligurian harbors.

Can you serve pasta with cioppino? ›

Serve the cioppino in bowls over the cooked fettuccine and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds, a wedge of lemon, and a piece of sourdough. Note: Clams and mussels often release grit and sand during the cooking process, especially if they are very fresh.

Where did the recipe Cioppino come from? ›

Many dishes were invented in San Francisco and Cioppino is one of them! Here's the story and history of San Francisco Cioppino. Cioppino is a tomato-based seafood stew that was invented by the San Francisco Italian fishermen of North Beach in the late 1800s using whatever seafood was leftover from the day's catch.

How much sodium is in Cioppino? ›

Trader Joe's
Nutrition Facts
How much sodium is in Cioppino Seafood Stew? Amount of sodium in Cioppino Seafood Stew: Sodium 950mg40%
How many carbs are in Cioppino Seafood Stew? Amount of carbs in Cioppino Seafood Stew: Carbohydrates 8g-
17 more rows

What are the ingredients in sogel Cioppino? ›

From the Package. MUSSELS, FISH (HADDOCK OR COD OR OTHER WILD CAUGHT WHITEFISH), CLAMS, SHRIMPS, SQUID, SCALLOPS, AMERICAN SAUCE CRUSHED TOMATOES, LOBSTER STOCK (WATER LOBSTER), ONION, DICED TOMATOES, WHITE WINE, CANOLA OIL, TOMATO PASTE, SHALLOT, GARLIC, RICE FLOUR, SEA SALT, SPICES).

What is good to serve with cioppino? ›

What do you serve with cioppino? A big slice of sourdough bread — buttered and toasted — is the traditional accompaniment and a nod to another iconic San Francisco food. However, cioppino can also be served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Can you eat leftover cioppino? ›

Make-Ahead: This cioppino is meant to be eaten right away. How to Store: This will hold well in the refrigerator covered up for up to 3 days. It is advised that if you want to make this ahead of time, cook and cool the broth and then reheat and add in fresh seafood. It will also freeze well covered for up to 2 months.

Is cioppino Italian or Portuguese? ›

Today, Cioppino is generally made from cooking seafood in a broth and is often served in a crab shell. The name is believed to come from cioppino, a classic Italian soup from Liguria, a region in Italy, that uses less tomato in the broth.

What white wine goes with cioppino? ›

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

A white wine from the same region of Italy as Montepulciano, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo has excellent acidity and a fruit-forward character. It has good depth and a refreshing crispness that can enhance the sauce of cioppino while providing balance to the seafood itself.

How many calories are in a bowl of cioppino? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
318Calories
13gFat
9gCarbs
35gProtein

What is another name for cioppino? ›

What is another word for cioppino?
fish stewbouillabaisse
buriddacacciucco
caldeiradacotriade
halaszlemaeuntang
moquecaukha
8 more rows

What is cioppino and how did it get its name? ›

Today, Cioppino is generally made from cooking seafood in a broth and is often served in a crab shell. The name is believed to come from cioppino, a classic Italian soup from Liguria, a region in Italy, that uses less tomato in the broth. Some versions include wine in the broth.

What is seafood sauce made of? ›

Combine HELLMANN'S Real Mayonnaise, garlic puree, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce. Mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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