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    Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

    Cioppino Recipe {Fisherman Stew}

    Published: Mar 28, 2021 · Modified: Jun 7, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

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    4.74 from 103 votes
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    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

    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!

    If you like seafood stews, you’re going to love my Spanish Seafood Stew!

    Table of Contents:

    • What ingredients do I need to make Cioppino?
      • Made with simple ingredients
    • Do I have to use Dungeness Crab to make Cioppino?
    • How tomake Cioppino
    • More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love!
    • San Francisco Cioppino
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    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.

    Made with simple ingredients

    • 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.

    How tomake 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

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

    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.

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      Spanish Seafood Stew Recipe
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      Seafood Marinara with Pasta Recipe
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      Sicilian Style Seafood with Pasta and Eggplant

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    overhead shot of cioppino in a white bowl
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    4.74 from 103 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 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian – American
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 744kcal

    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!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    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.

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    1. Jill

      December 07, 2020 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve only ever had cioppino in san francisco and have been craving it lately. Thanks for the recipe now i can try it home too!

      Reply
    2. Ksenia Prints

      December 07, 2020 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      I love cioppino! It’s so hard to find away from the coast. Thanks for this recipe.

      Reply
    3. Christina

      December 07, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favorites, can’t wait to make this!

      Reply
    4. Raquel

      December 07, 2020 at 12:32 pm

      5 stars
      My husband is going to love this! Perfect for the holidays!

      Reply
    5. Denise

      September 27, 2020 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      This was the very best Cioppino Recipe that I have ever made. I used fresh herbs instead of dried. And also used fresh halibut cheeks.
      Will definitely be making this again and again.👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🍽🥂

      Reply
    6. Jim Witmer

      December 28, 2019 at 12:19 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made this from other recipe’s but never have I added crab. This looks to be absolutely superb, a delightful combinations of clams, mussels, shrimp and fish. Having read about this recipe years ago, knowing it’s San Francisco origin it is a delight to prepare and enjoy, not only for myself but seeing the joy in others as they try it for the first time. I am planning to make this dish for a small gathering New Years eve. Some of those I’ve invited have no idea what it is but, once I tell them it has all kinds of seafood they are more than willing to give it a try, all are looking forward to this dish. To you, Chef Dennis I give you many thanks.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 28, 2019 at 4:05 pm

        Thanks for the great review Jim, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

        Reply
    7. Katie M.

      November 13, 2019 at 8:55 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with us. We don’t get much fresh seafood around where I live, so I had to order online. It took a little more planning than usual, but this recipe went off without a hitch. Happy blogging, Dennis!

      Reply
      • Kushigalu

        April 04, 2021 at 11:43 am

        5 stars
        What a great recipe to try for seafood lover like us. I have pinned this to make for dinner soon. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    8. Anna

      April 01, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you chef Dennis for this recipe. I love cioppino & actually eating my leftover from a resto ini Pasadena. I always order this in any resto if served since idk how to make this. Now with your recipe I’ll be making my own. Thank you so much.

      Reply
    9. Jona Shares

      March 16, 2019 at 8:32 am

      I rarely cook and definitely would love to learn more. Maybe I could try this out and see if everything would turn out right.

      Reply
    10. Heather

      March 15, 2019 at 10:46 am

      I’ve never heard of this dish before. It looks really delicious though. I will have to try it.

      Reply
    11. Lynndee

      March 14, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      Dang, I am literally drooling! We are huge fans of seafood over here so I am definitely going to try this. I bet it is as delicious as it looks.

      Reply
    12. Tasheena

      March 14, 2019 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      My family loves seafood. I can’t wait to make this recipe for them. I know that they’re going to love it.

      Reply
    13. Chubskulit Rose

      March 14, 2019 at 9:47 am

      Oh my gosh, this is my kind of food! I grew up in a coastal area and I ate a lot of these back in the day. Now I miss it very much.

      Reply
    14. Ruth I

      March 14, 2019 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      I’ve been wanting to taste a seafood dish, this is perfect! I’ll ask my sister to cook this.

      Reply
    15. MELANIE EDJOURIAN

      March 14, 2019 at 9:11 am

      I really do love seafood. Thi sounds like a wonderful recipe full of flavour with a good range of healthy ingredients.

      Reply
    16. Lisa Martin

      March 13, 2019 at 11:56 pm

      Oh my goodness this looks so yummy! I am putting these ingredients on my list right now!!

      Reply
    17. Amber Myers

      March 13, 2019 at 10:46 pm

      I am sure my kids would love this. They are big on their seafood. I wish I liked it!

      Reply
    18. Pam

      March 13, 2019 at 9:44 pm

      I really like the sound of this. I have never had cioppino before but I love trying new and interesting recipes! I have just developed a taste for fennel so it was nice to see this recipe. I have been wondering what to do with fennel beyond the one roast chicken recipe I know that calls for it.

      Reply
    19. Kita Bryant

      March 13, 2019 at 9:38 pm

      That is a lot of ingredients but the end results is whoa. I love different flavors and different foods so I gotta try this!

      Reply
    20. Melanie

      March 13, 2019 at 9:33 pm

      I have never heard of this recipe before. It definitely looks tasty and like something that I would like to try out.

      Reply
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    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.

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