Go Back
+ servings
Hands holding a bowl of fisherman's stew
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Cioppino {Fisherman's Stew}

Make this easy and healthy Cioppino (or "Fisherman's Stew"} on the stovetop or in the slow cooker!
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword cioppino, cioppino recipe, fisherman's stew, seafood soup, seafood stew
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 cups
Calories 197.6kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 (14.5 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 (about 3 large cloves)
  • 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
  • 10 ounces firm-flesh fish fillets (such as halibut, cod, or salmon), skin removed, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 16 ounces lump crabmeat
  • 6 ounces canned chopped clams, not drained
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

SLOW COOKER 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. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
  • Stir in the tomatoes (with their juices), stock or broth, wine, Italian seasoning, sugar, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
  • Add the shrimp, fish, crab, and clams (with their juices). Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Stir the pot gently so that you don't break up the fish.
  • Remove the bay leaf.
  • Just before serving, stir in basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

  • A firm-flesh fish holds up best in this stew. I recommend either salmon, cod, or halibut.
  • Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Keep an eye on your seafood, stirring gently, so that you can turn off the Crock Pot as soon as the shrimp and fish are done. You'll know the stew is ready when the shrimp is opaque and when the fish flakes easily with a fork.
  • Taste and season as you go. If you're using unsalted or low-sodium stock, you will likely need more salt than if you're starting with salted stock.
  • Use a dry, crisp white wine. Rich, oaky whites can become bitter during the cooking process, while sweeter whites add unwanted sweetness. Do not use a bottle of "cooking wine" from the grocery store, which often contains salt and other additives. Good options for cioppino include Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio.
  • You don't need to drain the clams or tomatoes, as the clam juices and tomato juices add great flavor to the broth.
  • 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.
  • 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 or Dutch oven until the shells open (discard any shellfish that do not open on their own).
  • Oysters, scallops, mussels, or squid would also be great additions to your Fisherman's Stew.
  • Add thinly sliced fennel to the vegetable mixture for even more authentic Italian flavor.

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