Cioppino is a delicious tomato-based stew with clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, squid, fish, and scallops. Full of flavor, this San Francisco seafood delight a real treat for Sunday dinner or a gathering with friends. Enjoy it with some crusty bread on the side.
Whenever I return from the hot and humid Japanese summer and adjust to the windy, cool fall days of San Francisco, I immediately crave a steamy bowl of seafood stew. My favorite is the local San Francisco dish called Cioppino.
Cioppino – Flavorful Seafood Stew
Cioppino is an Italian-American dish that originated in San Francisco. It is traditionally made from the catch of the day, including Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, scallops, and fish (read more here). My family and friends enjoy seafood stew as well, so for dinner on cold days, it’s Cioppino or Bouillabaisse (one of my favorites!)
There are many Cioppino recipes, but I used one from the famous fish market in Moss Landing – Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery. While I was researching, I found this video – Throwdown with Bobby Flay at Phil’s Fish Market. You guessed it; they competed to see who can make the best Cioppino!
I slightly adapted their Cioppino recipe by reducing the serving size and changing some ingredients. I was afraid of including the whole Dungeness crab (I became allergic to crab in my early 20s…so sad!), so I only included a bit of crab meat.
Please don’t get intimidated by the long list of ingredients! The process is pretty simple and worth it in the end. I know you will enjoy this yummy Cioppino seafood stew. I need a big bowl right now… it’s so cold!
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Cioppino
Ingredients
For the Cioppino
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- ¼ cup white wine (4 Tbsp)
- ½ lb little neck clams
- ¼ lb mussels
- 8 cups Cioppino Sauce (2 QT; recipe follows)
- ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ lb dungeness crab (cooked, cleaned and cracked; to save time, you can use ¼ lb (113 g) cooked crab meat instead)
- ¼ lb shrimp (shell-on if possible for more flavor)
- ¼ lb squid tubes (cut into rings)
- ½ lb firm-fleshed white fish fillets (I used Pacific cod cut in 2-inch (5-cm) cubes)
- 2 oz bay scallops
For the Cioppino Sauce
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½–1 onion (halved and thinly sliced)
- 1 fennel bulb (halved, core removed, and thinly sliced)
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 Tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 2 Tbsp basil (chopped)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 can tomatoes (14.5 oz, 411 g; peeled, crushed by hand)
- 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz, 425 g)
- 2 cups clam juice (2 bottles; 8 oz, 237 ml each)
- ⅛ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ Tbsp brown sugar
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) (to taste)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. If you use clams and mussels, make sure to check if the shells are cracked or opened. Those that are just slightly open may still be fresh. To check, squeeze the shell shut. If they don’t stay closed, discard them. Follow my tutorial to learn how to degrit clams. I used a 1½-lb seafood medley from Costco that contains mussels, clams, shrimp, and bay scallops.
To Make the Cioppino Sauce
- Heat 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add ½–1 onion (chopped) and 1 fennel bulb (thinly sliced). Sauté until translucent.
- Add 4 cloves garlic (chopped), 2 bay leaves, 4 Tbsp parsley (chopped), 2 Tbsp basil (chopped), and 2 sprigs fresh thyme. Cook, stirring, just to warm the garlic. Do not let it brown.
- Stir in 1 can tomatoes (crushed), 1 can tomato sauce, 2 cups clam juice, ⅛ tsp Worcestershire sauce, and ½ Tbsp brown sugar. Add freshly ground black pepper, crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes), and Diamond Crystal kosher salt to taste.
- Bring to a boil and skim off the fat, scum, and foam. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for about 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
To Cook the Cioppino
- Put 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, and 1 clove garlic (chopped) in a large pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Add ¼ cup white wine and ½ lb little neck clams, and cover. Turn the heat up to medium high and steam until the clams start to open, about 3–5 minutes. Add ¼ lb mussels, cover, and steam until they just start to open, about 2 minutes.
- Now, stir in some of the Cioppino Sauce and ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer.
- Add 1½ lb dungeness crab (if using) and ¼ lb shrimp. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add ½ lb firm-fleshed white fish fillets, ¼ lb squid tubes, 2 oz bay scallops, and the cooked crab meat (if using).
- Gently stir in the rest of the Cioppino Sauce (for a total of 8 cups Cioppino Sauce) and simmer until the seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook.
- Serve in large bowls, shells included. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve with crusty French baguette. Enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days.
How much of a difference does it make to sub chicken stock for white wine? Should I add a splash of vinegar also? Thank you!
Hi Kim! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
You can omit the white wine and replace it with water or stock. You can add a very small amount of vinegar if you like, but avoid harsher kinds of vinegar, such as distilled white vinegar, which may add too much acidity. We hope this helps!
Made this tonight for my husband with a fresh loaf of bread. SO GOOD. Used up some odds and ends seafood we had in our freezer. Thank you so much for the recipe it was amazing… We may have eaten half a loaf of bread just with supper hahah.
Hi Allison,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed this dish. Yes! A loaf of bread is a must-have!😁
[…] 9. Cioppino (Seafood Stew) […]
Made this last year on Christmas Eve, looking forward to making it again this year! Don’t be afraid of the list of ingredients- it’s really not hard to make and so worth the effort! Delicious and definitely a keeper recipe!
Hi Marnie! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this recipe and came back to make it again. Thank you so much for trying my recipe! Hope you enjoyed it this year. And thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
I tasted this dish in Italy, a delight. Thank you for this recipe
Thank you Michel! 🙂
I have the Costco frozen seafood medley. Did you defrost it firs? And dumb question but I guess you separated each type of seafood from the bag?
Hi Marnie! No, your question is not a dumb question at all, it’s really important! Defrost to bring it to at least cool temprature – like out of fridge. If it’s frozen, it takes a long time to heat up in the pot. So keep it cool but not frozen. 🙂 And yes, roughly I separated ingredients.
Thank you, Nami! Looking forward to this dinner Christmas Eve!
I used the roasted the shrimp shells and heads to make a nice stock with a bit of dashi. I substituted tomatillos for the fennel, added some red bell pepper and Thai chiles. Also added some nice plump frog legs. For the fish, I used skate. I just happened to have all the ingredients in my freezer/fridge so it was a good way to use them all up. Very tasty and a big hit! Thanks!
Btw, I don’t like using the seafood medley in anything. I prefer the individual ingredients so that I have control over the quality and quantity. It’s easy for me to get everything since I live less than 5 minutes from an Asian grocery, international grocery, and a Latino market. All have excellent produce and meat/seafood departments.
Thanks again!
Hi Chieko! Your version sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your tip with us! 🙂