Cioppino You Say? Is that a rare dog breed?
Actually, no. Cioppino is an Italian-American dish that originated in San Francisco, California.
Cioppino was traditionally whatever the catch of the day was (typically a combination of several types of seafood), then cooked in a combination of fresh tomatoes and a wine cream sauce. It was also served with fresh sourdough bread (because…bread).
For my family recipe, we combined several types of veggies, including bell pepper, onion, carrot, celery, leek, fennel, and garlic. You can do any combination of these, or experiment with other vegetables/aromatics! Try to keep the base though, which is onion, pepper, and garlic.
Any potential client of mine will ask, “Jonny, where do I start?” While that can be a complicated answer and should be individualized, anyone can make a huge impact on their health by ‘eating the rainbow.’
Try to include several different colors with your meal, which will typically happen through the incorporation of fruits and vegetables. This Cioppino recipe is FILLED with different colors, so you will be well on the right path to a healthy day of eating!
If you want to learn more about working with me, click below to learn more!
Now for the main attraction: The Seafood! There are endless possibilities here. For ours, I used a combination of red snapper, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, and two different types of crab (king and blue).
Yes, this was a lot of food. Keep in mind I was feeding a crowd. If you have fewer people, this recipe can easily be scaled back. You can cut the recipe at the end of this post in half, or eliminate some of the seafood. One budget-friendly option for a smaller group could be shrimp and fatty fish, such as halibut or cod.
Be sure to follow the recipe closely when it comes to adding the seafood. They should be added in stages, and only cooked for a short time. Make sure to have your Mise en Place (everything in place), which means everything is gathered by the pot, ready to be thrown in at a moment’s notice! 🙂
Definitely don’t skip these HUGE Sourdough Bread Croutons (recipe below)! Super simple, and something you will come back to time and time again. Obviously, you could skip these if you are looking for a lower-carb option. 🙂
In conclusion
If you are ready to feed a crowd of friends and family a meal they will never forget, this Cioppino recipe will do just that, and more! Saying that, follow some of the suggestions in the post and the recipe for smaller portions, or even a budget-friendly option. Good luck, and comment down below with your success stories!
Shoutout to my Dad Donnie, for helping create this recipe with me, and always being supportive of my food escapades!
Ultimate Cioppino
Equipment
- 1 Large Stockpot
Ingredients
Sourdough Bread Croutons
- 1 loaf Sourdough Bread unsliced
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- 6 cloves Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest one lemon
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme Use fresh if available, but triple the amount
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
Cioppino
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Unsated Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion diced
- 1 Leek halved and diced
- 1 bulb Fennel quartered, cored and diced
- 4 ribs Celery thinly sliced on bias
- 2 Red Bell Peppers diced
- 3 Carrots peeled and diced
- 8 cloves Garlic minced
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 cups Dry White Wine
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 jar Tomato Passata 24 oz.; could also use 3 cups tomato puree
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes 28 oz.
- 32 oz Seafood Stock* see note
- 2 tsp Sugar optional
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce such as Cholula; optional
- 2 lb Red Snapper* chopped into bite-sized pieces; see note
- 1 lb Blue Crab Meat can; pasteurized
- 1 lb Lump King Crab can
- 2 lb Scallops
- 2 lb Raw Shimp peeled and deveined
- 30 Manilla Clams frozen
- 1 lb Mussels scrubbed
- 1 cup Cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Basil finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Oregano finely chopped
- 1 cup Parsley finely chopped; optional
- 1 tsp Fennel Pollen finely chopped; optional
Instructions
Sourdough Bread Croutons
- Cut the loaf in half horizontally. Then cut into 12-16 equal chunks. Place in large bowl.
- Mix oil, butter and garlic together in smaller bowl, Then add to bread, tossing to combine. I use my hands.
- Once bread is coated with garlicky oil mixture, throw the rest of the ingredients in, including thyme, salt and zest. Mix again thoroughly, and set aside until ready to cook.
Cioppino
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil and butter at medium heat. Then add the onion, fennel, leek, celery, bell pepper, and carrots. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the Garlic, cooking for 1-2 minutes more. Then add the red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the white wine, allowing it to reduce for 2-4 minutes. Then add the seafood stock, tomato passata and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Allow to cook for 10 minutes more. Add sugar and hot sauce (if desired).
Adding the Seafood
- First, add the mussels and clams to the pot. Cover pot with lid, and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes. Discard any mussels or clams that have not opened after that time.
- Next you will add the red snapper, covering and allowing to cook for 3-4 minutes more.
- Then, you will add the shrimp and scallops to the pot, cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
- Finally, you will add the crab meat, briefly allowing to heat through.
Finishing Touches
- Add the chopped herbs, briefly stirring to combine. This is the time to add any more salt or pepper, if needed.
- Serve topped with the fennel pollen (if desired) and a chunk of the sourdough crouton!
Recipe Notes
- *If you were unable to make or find seafood stock, chicken broth could be used in a pinch.
- *If you cannot find red snapper (or just want to cut back on cost), feel free to substitute with another fatty white fish, such as halibut or cod.
- This recipe serves a crowd (12-15 people). You could easily cut this recipe in half, with the same results. Saying that, this does freeze incredibly well!
- How to Freeze: Place in freezer safe container (preferably glass). Then cover soup with plastic wrap, attempting to lay as flat against soup as possible. Cover with lid, freeze and repeat. 🙂
Amazing dish for a crowd! Impressive, and SO versatile…use whatever seafood you like!