Simple and Savory Cioppino
Cioppino is a hearty seafood stew with Italian-American roots, and its origin story is as comforting as the dish itself. Born along the docks of San Francisco in the late 1800s, the stew traces back to Italian immigrant fishermen and a tradition of looking out for one another. When a fisherman came back from a long day at sea empty-handed, he would grab his pot and walk around the docks, asking fellow fishermen to chip in whatever fresh catch they could spare. Whatever made it into the pot—fish, shellfish, clams, mussels—became his “cioppino.” And the generosity didn’t stop there: any fisherman who contributed fully expected the same treatment if he ever came back empty-handed himself. It was a beautiful, community-driven system that turned one tough day into a warm, hearty meal. Over time, this humble fisherman’s tradition evolved into one of San Francisco’s most iconic dishes as Italian restaurants began popping up throughout the city. Think of it as the West Coast’s answer to bouillabaisse—a rich tomato-based broth swimming with mussels, clams, white fish, shrimp and scallops.
Servings: 4 to 6
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine (can use ½ cup more stock or broth in place of white wine)
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock or broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (10-oz) can minced clams drained with juice reserved
- ½ lb mussels scrubbed and debearded*
- 1 lb cod, halibut or other white fish fillets cut into ¾ inch pieces
- ½ lb medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 10 oz medium sea scallops
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until garlic is soft.
- Stir in wine, tomatoes, stock or broth, tomato paste, bay leaf and reserved clam juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have blended, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in clams and mussels. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and cook until mussels are just beginning to open, about 4 minutes.
- Add in white fish, shrimp and scallops. Stir gently to combine.
- Increase heat to medium and simmer until seafood is cooked through and mussels have fully opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.
- Stir in parsley and serve immediately.
