• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

    Cioppino Recipe – San Francisco-Style Fisherman Stew

    Published: Mar 28, 2021 · Modified: May 26, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

    6.6K shares
    • Facebook3.2K
    • Yummly
    4.74 from 102 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest image for Cioppino

    You can’t visit San Francisco and not sample the Cioppino Stew. It’s a classic dish created by the San Francisco Italian fishermen of North Beach in the late 1800s using the seafood that was left over from the day’s catch.

    But if you can’t travel to San Francisco, my Cioppino Stew is the next best thing to being there!

    Cioppino comes from the Ligurian dialect of Italy coming from the word “ciuppin”. The literal translation means chopped and torn to pieces. But in the culinary world it translates into delicious seafood stew….sigh

    (updated from original post September 12, 2013)

    overhead shot of cioppino in a white bowl

    You’ll find versions of my Cioppino Recipe with less seafood and others with squid, but this dish’s main ingredients are shellfish. Anything else that finds its way into the pot is a bonus!

    What ingredients do I need to make Cioppino?

    overhead view of Ingredients to make cioppino

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make San Francisco Style Cioppino. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Over the years I’ve worked and dined at restaurants with Cioppino on their menu, but it was rarely the real thing, being more of a Fugazi-style representation of the dish. The big difference between the Italian-style Cioppino recipe and a San Franciscan Style Cioppino recipe is how the sauce is made.

    These are the ingredients used to make Cioppino:

    • olive oil
    • fennel bulb 
    • sweet onion
    • shallots
    • garlic 
    • sea salt
    • tomato paste
    • whole plum tomatoes
    • dry white or red wine
    • chicken stock
    • small clams
    • mussels 
    • shrimp 
    • sea scallops
    • Dungeness crabs
    • fish
    • bay leaf
    • red pepper flakes 

    Do I have to use Dungeness Crab to make Cioppino?

    No, you don’t need to use Dungeness in your cioppino recipe, but don’t be scared off by the Dungeness crab. You can actually find them at some of the big box stores, frozen, already cleaned and ready to go.

    Of course, you can use blue crab, king crab or leave the crab out altogether.

    What to serve with Cioppino

    Risotto, rice or pasta are usually served with cioppino. You want a plain version of those accompaniments so they compliment the sauce, and not try to fight with the flavors. This seafood stew also goes well with a tossed salad and of course crusty bread to dip in the sauce.

    How do I make Cioppino?

    two images one of raw vegetables in pot and cooked vegetables in pot

    Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or sauteuse (deep skillet) over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt. Saute the vegetables until the onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

    Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.

    tomatoes, wine and stock added to the pot to make the cioppino sauce

    Add the tomato paste, plum tomatoes and all juices, wine, chicken stock, and bay leaf.

    Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and allow to cook for one hour, stirring occasionally.

    (you can use crushed tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes in juice and fish stock instead of chicken stock)

    fish, shrimp and scallops in a pan cooking

    While the sauce is simmering using another saute pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sear the shrimp, scallops (and fish pieces if used) on both sides, but do not fully cook the seafood.

    Remove the seafood from the pan and place it on a plate until needed.

    *If you did use the fish pieces you can add them to the sauce now. (do not add the shrimp or scallops at this time)

    mussels and clams in a pan

    In the same pan you used for the fresh seafood, add a little more olive oil, then add the clams and mussels. Cover and cook them until they open up.

    *If any of the mussels or clams are open before cooking discard them. They’re dead and aren’t safe for consumption.

    seafood in the sauce finishing off the cioppino

    At about the 45-minute mark of simmering the sauce, add in the crabs, and the mussels and clams with all the pan juices. Continue to simmer.

    Five minutes before you’re ready to serve the Cioppino, add the shrimp and scallops to the sauce and let them finish cooking for five minutes.

    overhead shot of cioppino in a white bowl next to slices of italian bread and a green napkin

    If you’ve never thought of making Cioppino, I urge you to try this recipe. It may contain many ingredients, but it is a very simple dish that Italian Americans have enjoyed for years and I promise you’ll have one delicious dinner on your table that will impress your family or friends.

    More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love!

    • bowl of seafood stew next to garlic toast
      Spanish Seafood Stew Recipe
    • partial overhead view of seafood combo in white bowl
      Seafood Combo Foil Packet Recipe
    • partial view of seafood marinara in a white bowl
      Seafood Marinara with Pasta Recipe
    • seafood Sicilian on a white plate
      Sicilian Style Seafood with Pasta and Eggplant

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    overhead shot of cioppino in a white bowl
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    4.74 from 102 votes

    San Francisco Cioppino

    Cioppino is a  classic San Francisco seafood dish that will make you look like a superstar in the kitchen.  The rich red sauce is a perfect compliment to the seafood and although it takes a little while to cook, it’s a delicious restaurant-style dish that you can serve in your own home.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
    Total Time1 hr 25 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian – American
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 744kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large fennel bulb thinly sliced (core removed)
    • 1 large sweet onion chopped
    • 3 large shallots chopped
    • 4 cloves large garlic sliced
    • 2 teaspoons sea salt
    • 4 ounces tomato paste
    • 26 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes crushed by hand
    • 2 cups dry white or red wine
    • 2 cups chicken stock
    • 1 dozen small clams scrubbed
    • 1 dozen mussels scrubbed
    • 9 16-20 count shrimp peeled and deveined
    • 9 large sea scallops
    • 3 crabs- dungeness preferred (snow crab, blue claw, or Stone Crab Claws)
    • ½ pound of firm fish cut into 3 pieces optional
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more if you like it spicy
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a deep skillet or ductch oven over medium heat.
    • Add the fennel, onion, shallots, and salt. Saute until the onion becomes translucent about 5-7 minutes.
    • Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and continue to saute for 2 minutes.
    • Add the tomato paste, plum tomatoes and all juices, wine, chicken stock, and bay leaf.
    • Bring the sauce to a light boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and allow to cook for one hour, stirring occasionally
    • While the sauce is simmering using another saute pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sear the shrimp, scallops (and fish pieces if used) on both sides, making sure not to fully cook them (about half way is fine)
    • Remove the seafood from the pan and place it on a plate until needed. If you did use the fish pieces you can add them to the sauce now.
      *do not add the shrimp or scallops at this time
    • In the same pan add a little more oil, the clams and mussels. Cover and steam them until they open.
      *If any of the mussels or clams are open before cooking discard them, they're dead and aren't safe for consumption.
    • At about the 45-minute mark of simmering the sauce, add in the crabs, mussels and clams with all the pan juices. Continue to simmer.
    • If you are serving your Choppino over pasta you may begin getting the water ready at this time.
    • With five minutes of cooking time remaining, add in the shrimp and scallops.
    • Taste the sauce and re-season as needed.
    • If you cooked pasta serve over pasta. If not, enjoy this delicious stew with a loaf of crusty bread.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 744kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 3213mg | Potassium: 2589mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1115IU | Vitamin C: 52.5mg | Calcium: 257mg | Iron: 7.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Seafood Recipes

    • Pan seared tilefish with lemon butter sauce on white plate.
      Pan-Seared Tilefish Recipe
    • garlic butter tilapia on white plate with lemon circles
      Baked Garlic Butter Tilapia
    • garlic butter salmon with broccoli and potatoes on a white plate
      Baked Garlic Butter Salmon
    • overhead view of white bowl of New England Clam Chowder
      New England Clam Chowder Recipe

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply 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. Arialdy

      December 29, 2022 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      Tanks,and again tanks chef Dennis all this marvelous recipes are great. Delicious, plus very tasty, sincerely love it .

      Reply
    2. Terry

      December 17, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds amazing, but we can’t use mussels and clams. Can I substitute other seafood, like Lobster, and sausage?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 17, 2022 at 3:53 pm

        of course, you can. Cioppino is a fisherman’s stew and was made with what ever they had on hand. It’s the sauce that really makes it different from other types of seafood dishes. And sausage would be a nice addition.

        Reply
    3. Ramona

      April 05, 2021 at 7:44 am

      5 stars
      This recipe looks super delicious and definitely worth the try! I would really like to make this for me and my family this week. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
    4. Natalie

      April 05, 2021 at 5:53 am

      5 stars
      I made this for my date night and it turned out delicious. I will definitely make this recipe again and again. Thanks for this lovely recipe idea.

      Reply
    5. Addison

      April 04, 2021 at 9:16 pm

      These flavors are so warm, hearty and savory! This is a great meal for family dinners in my house!

      Reply
    6. Loreto Nardelli

      April 04, 2021 at 7:17 pm

      5 stars
      You have brought so many memories of our trip to San Fransisco. We loved it there, however we did not have the Cioppino. Just gave to go back. We did have the chowder and it was amazing. Were we are now pretty hard to get real fresh seafood, but once back in Italy, this would be a great dish to try. Love the building of flavor and the plethora of seafood. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Amy Casey

      April 04, 2021 at 6:15 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for posting this recipe Dennis! Seafood is #1 at our house and this stew would definitely be a hit. I love the addition of the fennel.

      Reply
    8. Kate

      April 04, 2021 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      Many thanks for sharing this sea food recipe. It sounds so delicious. And I love the look of it. It’s a must try for sure.

      Reply
    9. Aleta

      April 02, 2021 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      Okay, I am not a seafood fan, however, my husband absolutely loves it. I made this recipe as a special treat for him and he went crazy for it! In fact, I just had to try it as well and it was really good! Thanks for the recipe, it’s going to be a regular from now on!

      Reply
    10. veenaazmanov

      April 02, 2021 at 12:31 am

      5 stars
      This is such an amazing recipe. I love sea food and this is totally yum. I wish I could just grab a Bowl of this amazing dish.

      Reply
    11. Kristina Tipps

      March 30, 2021 at 1:20 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe! I am always looking for new ways to cook seafood. I love it but we always end up with the same meals. This will become one in the rotation!

      Reply
    12. Jessica Formicola

      March 30, 2021 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      Clams, mussels, crab, shrimp? Oh wow, this cioppino looks SO flavorful and delicious and I can’t wait to make it for dinner soon!

      Reply
    13. Jere Cassidy

      March 29, 2021 at 2:37 pm

      5 stars
      Chef Dennis you have me craving Ciopinno. It’s been a while since I sat on Fisherman’s Wharf enjoying the SF Ciopinno and watching the seals lounge around. Glad to have your recipe to make this at home. I love Dungeness crab and am always excited with crab seasons starts.

      Reply
    14. Nora

      March 29, 2021 at 1:28 pm

      5 stars
      What a great recipe! I have to try this out soon!

      Reply
    15. Lindsay

      March 29, 2021 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      I’ve been looking for a recipe for this classic – can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    16. Angela

      March 29, 2021 at 8:38 am

      5 stars
      My dinner tonight Thank you chef!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar


    My name is Dennis Littley or "Chef Dennis" as I'm known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • loaf of homemade artisan bread on a wooden cutting board
      Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • 2 Maryland crab cakes on a white plate
      Baked Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
    • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
      Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
      Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • side view of slice of bee sting cake being taken out of full cake
      German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Tiramisu with a fork on a white plate
      Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • overhead view of veal parm and linguine on a white plate
      Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    logos of all the places chef dennis has been featured

    Popular Posts

    • crispy seasoned chicken leg quarters on a white platter
      Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • cropped-Gunniess-Beef-Stew-13.jpg
      Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • overhead shot of baked crab imperial on a white plate with sauteed greens and roasted potatoes
      Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • close up of half a chicken salad sandwich on a white plate
      Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • oysters rockefeller with a slice of lemon on a bed of rock salt on a white platter
      How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • sliced dry rub roasted brisket with cilantro and tomatoes on on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • rack of pork with end cut off
      Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
      Best Meatloaf Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-style recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network
    6.6K shares
    • 3.2K