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)
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?
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?
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.
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)
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)
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.
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.
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!
San Francisco Cioppino
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
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.
Arialdy
Tanks,and again tanks chef Dennis all this marvelous recipes are great. Delicious, plus very tasty, sincerely love it .
Terry
This sounds amazing, but we can’t use mussels and clams. Can I substitute other seafood, like Lobster, and sausage?
Chef Dennis Littley
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.
Ramona
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!
Natalie
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.
Addison
These flavors are so warm, hearty and savory! This is a great meal for family dinners in my house!
Loreto Nardelli
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!
Amy Casey
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.
Kate
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.
Aleta
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!
veenaazmanov
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.
Kristina Tipps
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!
Jessica Formicola
Clams, mussels, crab, shrimp? Oh wow, this cioppino looks SO flavorful and delicious and I can’t wait to make it for dinner soon!
Jere Cassidy
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.
Nora
What a great recipe! I have to try this out soon!
Lindsay
I’ve been looking for a recipe for this classic – can’t wait to try it!
Angela
My dinner tonight Thank you chef!