• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Coley Cooks
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Casseroles
    • Chicken + Poultry
    • Cookies + Bars
    • Drinks
    • Frozen Treats
    • Pasta + Risotto
    • Pies + Tarts
    • Meat
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Snacks
    • Soups + Stews
    • Starchy Sides
    • Vegetable Sides
    • Vegetarian Main
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
×

Home » Recipes » All American

Cioppino

Published: Oct 7, 2016 · Modified: Nov 22, 2020 by Coley · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Cioppino is a classic San Francisco seafood stew that's a lot easier to make than you might think. Warm, cozy, and perfect with a hunk of sourdough and a glass of wine. 

Happy Friday and Happy National Seafood Month! October is dedicated to all-things-seafood, which to me, is far more appealing than the silly, gory treats that always emerge in anticipation of Halloween. But to some, cooking seafood is way scarier than any ghost or goblin, so if you're one of those folks, stick around and allow me to calm your fears and show you just how easy it can be. 

This is a recipe for a rustic seafood stew known as cioppino, which was created in San Francisco by Italian immigrant fisherman. And since I come from a family of Italian immigrant fisherman, making this dish makes me feel right at home. It starts with a simple base of sauteed fennel, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and herbs, and then it gets finished with a boatload (pun intended) of seafood. I'm making mine with wild gulf shrimp, locally caught mussels and littleneck clams, Alaskan king crab, and my favorite sustainable fish, barramundi.

Cioppino with Barramundi (Video!)

Most of the cooking happens in the beginning, as we coax out all the beautiful flavors from the veggies and simmer the broth to deepen its flavor. The seafood comes in at the very end, first with the mussels and clams to give them a chance to open, and then with the shrimp, crab, and fish, which all cook up super fast. The key to this dish is to serve the cioppino right when the fish is just cooked through. It's literally nothing more than throwing everything into the pot and letting it simmer for just a few minutes. Don't overcook it, and definitely don't overthink it. It's really pretty simple.

Go easy on the salt in the beginning, as the shellfish will add a significant amount of salinity. Taste it right before serving and then adjust as needed. As with cooking anything, you can always add more, but you can't take it out. Ladle the cioppino into big bowls and be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread for sopping up all of that delicious broth.

This recipe is perfect for this time of year when you want something warm and hearty, but not super rich and heavy. You can, of course, switch up the seafood to use a different type of crab, add extra shrimp, swap out the mussels for extra clams or vice versa. Just don't skip out on the barramundi. It's the best part!

Thank you to my friends at Australis Barramundi for sponsoring this post! Check out their website at TheBetterFish.com for information on where to buy and tons of other recipes.

Cioppino with Barramundi (Video!)

One Year Ago: Whole Roasted Chicken with Herbs (Video!)
And: Bologna, Italy

Print

Cioppino with Barramundi

Cioppino with Barramundi (Video!)
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Cioppino is a classic San Francisco seafood stew that's a lot easier to make than you might think. Warm, cozy, and perfect with a hunk of sourdough and a glass of wine. 

  • Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: stew
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 1 cup thinly sliced fennel
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • pinch red chili flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme (substitute ¼ teaspoon dried)
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano (substitute ¼ teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup bottled clam juice
  • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 25 littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • ½ lb  mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • ½ lb 16-20 count shrimp, shell on
  • ½ lb king crab legs, cracked and broken into large pieces
  • ½ lb barramundi fillets, cut into large pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
  • crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano, then sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Go easy on the seasoning for now, as the seafood will add a significant of salt.
  2. Add the white wine and clam juice, then bring up to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and break them up a bit with a wooden spoon. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove the lid and add the mussels and clams. Stir them around to coat with the broth, then cover and let cook for about 5 minutes. When they just begin to open, add the shrimp and king crab and toss around to coat, then lay the barramundi fillets on top. Season the barramundi with salt and pepper, then cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp and barramundi are opaque throughout.
  4. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter until incorporated. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately with lots of crusty bread on the side for dipping.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 557
  • Sugar: 12 g
  • Sodium: 2268.9 mg
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Carbohydrates: 31 g
  • Protein: 55.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 216.1 mg

Keywords: san francisco, soup, stew, seafood

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review and star rating ⭐️ to help other cooks!

More All American Recipes

  • Overhead shot of a bowl of sugared cranberries.
    Easy Sugared Cranberries
  • Top view of a pie with a big pile of whipped cream in the center.
    Grandma's Old Fashioned Custard Pie
  • Overhead shot of a platter of sliced beef tenderloin.
    Easy Oven Roasted Whole Beef Tenderloin
  • overhead shot of a platter with crab cakes and lemon wedges on top
    Easy Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating and review! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Matt @ RoughEats

    October 08, 2016 at 3:23 pm

    Barramundi! I didn't know they sold it outside of Australia! Looks fab.

    Reply
    • Coley

      October 08, 2016 at 4:16 pm

      Yes!! It's widely available in the US thanks to Australis! Check them out, for sure. It's tasty stuff. )

      Reply
    • Coley

      October 08, 2016 at 4:16 pm

      Yes!! It's widely available in the US thanks to Australis! Definitely check them out. It's tasty stuff 🙂

      Reply
  2. Julie

    October 13, 2016 at 8:13 pm

    This looks AMAZING! I can't wait to make it at home, especially now that the weather has turned chilly. Thanks for creating this masterpiece!

    Reply
  3. Michelle Bell

    March 09, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    Just made Coley’s Cioppino again. It’s a family favorite for sure!!!! It’s so easy to make, an impressive presentation and oh so delicious!!! Love all of your recipes. Keep them coming Coley.

    ❤️ MB

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Coley

      March 09, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Thank you Michelle!! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Nicole Gaffney smiling for the camera
I'm Nicole Gaffney, but my friends all call me Coley. You should, too! I'm a chef and recipe developer specializing in coastal Italian cooking. Welcome to Coley Cooks! About Nicole Gaffney

Italian Recipes

A red stoneware bowl filled with homemade ricotta cheese.

Easy Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Top view of a corner slice of lasagna bolognese on a white dinner plate with a fork.

Authentic Italian Lasagna Alla Bolognese

Top view of sweet pea gnocchi with tarragon pea cream in a white bowl.

Sweet Pea Gnocchi with Tarragon Pea Cream

Pasta with Shaved Asparagus + Ramp Pesto

Pasta with Shaved Asparagus + Ramp Pesto

overhead shot of vegetable risotto with asparagus, chives, and rice scattered in the background

Spring Vegetable Risotto with Asparagus, Peas, Radishes and Leeks

Vertical shot of eggplant parmesan on a plate next to a baking dish.

Unbreaded Eggplant Parm

Seafood Recipes

overhead shot of a bowl of pasta with clam sauce

Linguine alle Vongole: Pasta with Clam Sauce

Easy New England Fish Chowder

A white bowl with bright orange lobster soup with a lobster tail and chives on top.

Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes + Jalapeños | ColeyCooks.com

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes + Jalapeños

overhead shot of a platter with crab cakes and lemon wedges on top

Easy Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Close up of a pile of steamed crabs and corn on the cob.

Steamed Crabs Maryland Style

The Art of the Smoothie Bowl Cook Book is Out NOW!! Click the photo above to order.
Nicole Gaffney of Coley Cooks As Seen On...

Footer

Nicole Gaffney, aka Coley, is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, tv host and food writer. Learn More about Coley…

Stay Connected!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Didn't find what you were looking for?

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme