Cioppino is an Italian-American seafood stew which combines a medley of fresh seafood with a rich wine and tomato sauce - the ultimate seafood feast! I'm a big seafood lover, and this is one of my favorite dishes to make during the holidays!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: cioppino, fish stew, Italian recipes, seafood stew
NOTE: Remember to practice "Mise en place" which means to put everything in place and prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking. This will set you up for success without having to scramble for ingredients.
The Seafood
Soak the clams in cold water, let them sit for 10 minutes until they release all of their dirt and sand. Drain the water and repeat this step until the water runs clear. Additionally, you can scrub them well in the sink to get any of the sand off.
Set the clams aside along with the thawed (and peeled) shrimp, the scallops, and cubed white fish.
The Sauce
Chop everything prior to starting and measure out your ingredients to start working on the sauce.
In a skillet with high sides, (or a pot) add the olive oil and let it heat up on medium heat. Add the diced onions and bacon. Sauté for a few minutes until golden or until the bacon has browned.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan and let the wine cook off completely.
Once the wine has reduced, stir and cook off the tomato paste.
Now, pour in the tomato sauce and vegetable stock. Add two bay leaves and season with salt, pepper, and dry oregano. Let the sauce come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid making sure to leave an opening on the side.
Cook the sauce on low heat for 20-30 minutes or until it has thickened. I like to reduce it by half.
When the sauce has reduced, add the clams and cover for 3 minutes. The clams will start opening up anywhere between 3-8 minutes. If any clams do NOT open, do NOT eat them. Discard any that don't open.
After a few minutes have passed, add the cubed fish, scallops, and shrimp making sure to cover with a lid again. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and be mindful not to overcook the seafood as it can become tough and rubbery.
Take it off the heat, garnish with finely diced chives (or any herbs of choice) and enjoy with pasta or fresh crusty bread!
I like to buy Ciabatta, cut it, drizzle the top with olive oil and place it cut side down onto a grill pan until it's nice and charred.
This dish is best served fresh. You can prepare the sauce ONLY ahead of time by making it, placing it in the fridge, heating it up the following day and then adding in the seafood.