Cioppino Recipe for the Slow Cooker

Healthy, satisfying comfort food! This Cioppino recipe (or "Fisherman's Stew") is an easy Crock Pot seafood soup that is full of lean protein, nutritious vegetables, and fresh Italian flavors.

When we're in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the slow cooker comes to the rescue with a simple and easy dinner to feed a crowd. Serve this Fisherman's Stew to guests at a dinner party this season, or offer cozy bowls to your family on a busy weeknight. Full of shrimp, crab, fish and clams, this Cioppino recipe is loaded with delicious, flavorful seafood!

What is Cioppino?

Cioppino (also called "Fisherman's Stew") is an Italian-American fish stew that's traditionally loaded with delicious seafood, including clams, shrimp, scallops, fish, crab, and mussels.

The fish stew originated in San Francisco, where it was developed in the late 1800's by Italian immigrants who fished off Meiggs Wharf and lived in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco (source). It's a combination of the fresh "catch of the day," which is then simmered in a tomato and wine-based broth.

The name "Cioppino" comes from cioppin which is the name of a classic soup from the Italian region Liguria, similar in flavor to cioppino but with less tomato and using Mediterranean seafood cooked to the point that it falls apart.

What's the difference between Cioppino and Bouillabaisse?

Bouillabaisse is a hearty French seafood stew that's similar to cioppino. Cioppino has a rich tomato broth, while bouillabaisse has a white (fish stock) base with some tomatoes thrown in. Saffron is also a key distinguishing ingredient that you'll find in bouillabaisse but not in cioppino.

How to make this Cioppino recipe in the slow cooker:

This recipe is so easy to prepare (and only requires about 10 minutes of hands-on time) -- then the Crock Pot does the rest!

Ingredients for a slow cooker Cioppino recipe:

• Diced tomatoes and tomato paste
• Red bell pepper
• Onion
• Celery
• Seafood or fish stock
• White wine
• Garlic, Italian seasoning, sugar, bay leaf, salt and pepper
• Shrimp, fish (such as halibut or salmon), crabmeat, chopped clams
• Parsley and basil

First, combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, celery, stock, tomato paste, wine, garlic, Italian seasoning, sugar, and bay leaf in a slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours (or until vegetables are tender).

During the final 30 minutes of cooking, you'll crank the heat up to HIGH and add the seafood. I use a combination of shrimp, crab, fish and clams, but you can substitute with almost any combination of your favorite seafood -- including mussels or oysters, too!

You'll want to use a firm flesh fish (so that it holds up well in the stew). Our favorite is salmon, but halibut is also a great option.

The stew continues cooking for 20-30 minutes, or just until the fish and shrimp are done. Keep an eye on it so that you don't overcook the seafood.

Season with salt and pepper, add fresh herbs, and ladle into bowls!

What to serve with Cioppino:

A crusty loaf of French or sourdough bread is the perfect dipping companion for a bowl of this seafood soup. Other options that go well with cioppino include:

• A simple green salad dressed in Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Penne with Prosciutto Parmesan Cream Sauce
• Penne alla Vodka
• And don't forget the Italian Love Cake for dessert!

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations - Cioppino Recipe:

• Wine is a traditional ingredient in cioppino; however, if you prefer an alcohol-free stew, you can substitute with additional seafood stock (or broth).
• If you can't find seafood stock or fish stock at your grocery store, you can substitute with vegetable broth or chicken broth.
• A firm-flesh fish holds up best in this stew. I recommend either salmon or halibut in cioppino.
• I used canned chopped clams, but you can add mussels or clams in their shells, if you prefer. Cook the shellfish in the slow cooker until the shells open.
• Oysters, scallops or squid would also be a great addition to your Fisherman's Stew.
• Remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly. You want to be sure to keep an eye on your seafood, stirring regularly, so that you can turn off the Crock Pot as soon as the shrimp and fish is done. You'll know it's ready when the shrimp is opaque and when the fish flakes easily with a fork.
• Can cioppino be made ahead of time? Yes. To prepare the stew ahead of time, cook the vegetable and broth mixture as instructed (without the seafood). Store the cooked broth in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. When ready to serve, heat the broth on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on HIGH and add seafood as instructed.
• How long is cioppino good for? Properly stored, this fish chowder will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing the soup, since the thawed and reheated seafood may have a weird, rubbery texture.
• How to reheat cioppino: Warm the stew on the stovetop over low heat, just until it reaches the desired temperature. Be careful not to overcook the seafood.

More easy slow cooker soups and stews that you might enjoy:

• Lentil Soup {Slow Cooker + Instant Pot + Stovetop}
• Bean Soup {Slow Cooker + Instant Pot + Stovetop}
• Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
• Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Stew
• Farmhouse Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Cioppino Recipe for the Slow Cooker

A delicious and easy Cioppino recipe that's made in the Crock Pot! This Fisherman's Stew is loaded with shrimp, crab, clams and fish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cioppino recipe, seafood soup, seafood stew

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 hours

0 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes

Servings 12 cups

Calories 197.6kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, NOT drained
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cups seafood stock or fish stock (or substitute with chicken broth or vegetable broth)
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• ½ cup white wine (or substitute with additional stock)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 lb. raw medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 ounces firm-flesh fish fillets, skin removed, such as halibut or salmon, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 12 ounces lump crabmeat
• 6 ounces canned chopped clams, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Combine tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, celery, seafood stock, tomato paste, wine, garlic, Italian seasoning, sugar, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours (or until vegetables are tender).
• Turn the slow cooker to HIGH heat. Stir in the shrimp, fish, crabmeat and clams. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-30 more minutes (stirring twice), or until shrimp is opaque and fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove bay leaf.
• Just before serving, stir in basil and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

• Wine is a traditional ingredient in cioppino; however, if you prefer an alcohol-free stew, you can substitute with additional seafood stock (or broth).
• If you can't find seafood stock or fish stock at your grocery store, you can substitute with vegetable broth or chicken broth.
• A firm-flesh fish holds up best in this stew. I recommend either salmon or halibut in cioppino.
• I used canned chopped clams, but you can add mussels or clams in their shells, if you prefer. Cook the shellfish in the slow cooker until the shells open.
• Oysters, scallops or squid would also be a great addition to your Fisherman's Stew.
• Remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly. You want to be sure to keep an eye on your seafood, stirring regularly, so that you can turn off the Crock Pot as soon as the shrimp and fish is done. You'll know it's ready when the shrimp is opaque and when the fish flakes easily with a fork.
• Can cioppino be made ahead of time? Yes. To prepare the stew ahead of time, cook the vegetable and broth mixture as instructed (without the seafood). Store the cooked broth in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. When ready to serve, heat the broth on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on HIGH and add seafood as instructed.
• How long is cioppino good for? Properly stored, this fish chowder will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing the soup, since the thawed and reheated seafood may have a weird, rubbery texture.
• How to reheat cioppino: Warm the stew on the stovetop over low heat, just until it reaches the desired temperature. Be careful not to overcook the seafood.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 197.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.5g | Protein: 18.9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 69.1mg | Sodium: 550.8mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4.5g | Vitamin A: 1015IU | Vitamin C: 32.4mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 3mg

This post was originally published in September, 2015. It was updated in December, 2019.