Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
Cioppino is San Francisco's signature seafood stew, created by Italian (primarily Genoese) fishermen in the late 19th century at Fisherman's Wharf. The name may derive from 'ciuppin,' a Genoese fish stew, or from 'chip in'-fishermen contributing their catch to a communal pot. The dish uses whatever seafood is fresh: Dungeness crab (essential in San Francisco), clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, and firm white fish, cooked in tomato-wine broth with garlic and herbs. Unlike bouillabaisse, cioppino has no rouille or separate service-it's one robust bowl.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- large Dutch oven — Provides essential functionality for stewing with proper heat control and even cooking
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Ensure proteins are cooked to safe internal temperatures.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Build the base
Sauté onion, fennel, garlic in oil until soft. Add tomatoes, wine, stock, bay leaves, red pepper. Si...
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Layer in seafood
Add crab and fish. After 3 minutes, add clams and mussels. After 3 more minutes, add shrimp. Cover, ...
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Bowl and serve
Ladle into large bowls. Garnish generously with parsley. Serve with crusty sourdough.
Prep Get set first
About 10 min of prep
- Prepare large Dutch oven
This recipe takes about 45 minutes total.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Build the base
Sauté onion, fennel, garlic in oil until soft. Add tomatoes, wine, stock, bay leaves, red pepper. Simmer 20 minutes.
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Layer in seafood
Add crab and fish. After 3 minutes, add clams and mussels. After 3 more minutes, add shrimp. Cover, cook until shells open and shrimp pink. Discard any unopened shells.
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Bowl and serve
Ladle into large bowls. Garnish generously with parsley. Serve with crusty sourdough.