1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Seafood Cioppino Orange Herb

Seafood Cioppino Orange Herb

Featured in Big pots of steaming, hearty soup.

This delicious stew brings together clams, mussels, shrimp, and white fish in a fragrant mix of tomatoes, onions, fennel, and roasted peppers. A splash of white wine deepens the flavor, while fresh herbs keep things light. Adding the optional orange gremolata gives zest to the dish. The process begins by steaming the shellfish, building the broth, and gently cooking the seafood to perfection. Serve with toasted sourdough to mop up the flavorful broth.
Pin it Share it Send it Print it Jump To Recipe
alicia in the kitchen
Updated on Sun, 20 Apr 2025 13:40:37 GMT
Crispy Cottage Cheese Flatbread Pin it
Crispy Cottage Cheese Flatbread | tasteofsavor.com

This hearty seafood medley combines a vibrant tomato base with an ocean bounty for an unforgettable meal. The Bay Area favorite blends delicate fish, plump shrimp and briny mollusks in a fragrant wine-infused liquid that captures seaside magic. Every bite delivers a wonderful mix of herbs and maritime flavors that'll make you feel like you're dining at San Francisco's bustling Fisherman's Wharf.

I first tried this dish while exploring San Francisco's Italian district, where local fishermen would share their catch and kitchen tricks. It's now become our family's Christmas Eve tradition, with everyone pitching in to clean and prep the seafood together.

Key Ingredients Breakdown

  • Fresh seafood (1 lb each of clams, mussels, firm white fish, and shrimp): the quality really makes or breaks this dish
  • Fennel bulb (1 large): delivers that signature anise-like aroma
  • Whole canned tomatoes (28 oz): try to get San Marzano for their natural sweetness
  • Dry white wine (1¼ cups): pick something you'd happily drink, skip the bottom shelf stuff
  • Seafood stock (1¼ cups): making your own is amazing but good store options work too
  • Fresh garlic (2 cloves): gives essential flavor to the base

Crafting Your Delicious Cioppino

Step 1: Starting Your Base
Warm olive oil in a big Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in your chopped onions and fennel with a bit of salt, and let them cook till they're soft and smell amazing. Don't rush this part - it'll take about 8-10 minutes. Then add your chopped garlic and roasted peppers and let their scents fill your kitchen.
Step 2: Creating The Liquid
Add your white wine and scrape the pot bottom to get all those tasty brown bits. Let the wine cook down by half before dumping in your hand-squished tomatoes and stock. Let everything bubble gently so the flavors can mix and the liquid can thicken up a bit.
Step 3: Getting Seafood Ready
While your base bubbles away, rinse your shellfish well under cold water. Cook clams and mussels on their own until they barely open, and save that tasty liquid they release. Cut your fish into even chunks and peel your shrimp carefully.
Step 4: Putting It All Together
Start by adding your white fish and shrimp first since they need just a little time to cook. When they're almost done, add your pre-cooked shellfish just to warm them up. The trick is timing - each seafood type should stay tender and juicy.
Step 5: Dishing It Up
Scoop into warmed bowls, making sure everyone gets a good mix of all the seafood types. Serve right away with some toasted sourdough bread for soaking up all that amazing broth.
Easy Cioppino with Parsley and Olive Gremolata Pin it
Easy Cioppino with Parsley and Olive Gremolata | tasteofsavor.com

My nonna always told me the magic of good cioppino comes from the order you add things. "Give each fish the respect it needs," she'd remind me, "and your dish will turn out wonderful."

Smart Seafood Picking

Look for seafood that smells clean like the ocean, not overly fishy. Combine different textures and tastes for the most interesting meal. Always buy from someone you trust who knows their seafood.

Getting The Broth Just Right

Your broth should taste deep but stay light, with tomato, wine and ocean flavors all playing nicely together. If it tastes too sour, a tiny bit of sugar helps. If it's too watery, let it simmer longer before adding your seafood.

Keeping It Fresh

It's tastiest right after cooking, but you can make the liquid a day early. Keep your seafood separate until you're ready to eat. Any leftover broth works great as a starter for other fish dishes.

Yummy Cioppino with Parsley and Olive Gremolata Pin it
Yummy Cioppino with Parsley and Olive Gremolata | tasteofsavor.com

From many years of cooking this dish, I've found that taking your time with the broth and treating each seafood type right makes all the difference. Whenever I bring this to the table, watching friends soak bread in that flavorful liquid reminds me why this rustic fisherman's stew has stuck around for generations.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How do I prep mussels and clams?
Scrub the shells under cold water, pulling off the mussels' beards. Toss any that are already open or have cracks.
→ Can I cook this in advance?
Make the broth ahead of time, but wait to add the seafood until you're ready to serve so it stays tender.
→ What type of white wine should I pick?
Go for dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio that you'd enjoy drinking. Avoid anything sweet.
→ Is frozen seafood okay to use?
Frozen works if fresh isn't available. Remember to fully thaw and pat it dry before cooking.
→ What can replace seafood stock?
Try fish or clam juice. If those aren't handy, chicken stock with a bit of clam juice can work in a pinch.

Seafood Cioppino Orange Herb

A hearty Italian stew featuring shellfish and white fish in a rich tomato base, topped with a citrus-herb gremolata for extra flavor.

Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
45 Minutes
Total Time
75 Minutes
By: Alicia

Category: Soups & Stews

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: Italian-American

Yield: 6 Servings

Dietary: Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Optional Parsley-Olive Sauce

01 2 tablespoons of high-quality olive oil
02 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
03 1/2 teaspoon optional crushed red chili flakes
04 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped and peeled
05 Zest of a full orange
06 Half a bunch of parsley, around 2 ounces, chopped coarsely
07 1/2 cup pitted mixed olives

→ Assorted Seafood

08 1 pound large shrimp, deveined and peeled
09 1 pound shellfish (clams), thoroughly scrubbed clean
10 1 pound smooth-skin whitefish (like cod or halibut), diced into 1-inch pieces
11 1 pound mussels, cleaned and beards removed

→ Flavorful Stew Base

12 Kosher salt for seasoning
13 A 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, juices included
14 1 large fennel bulb, about 2 cups, diced in half-inch pieces
15 1 large onion, similar 2 cups, diced into half-inch chunks
16 2 garlic cloves, minced finely
17 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
18 1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped (12 ounces)
19 1 1/4 cups seafood stock
20 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
21 2 teaspoons aromatic dried thyme
22 1 1/4 cups dry white wine for deglazing

→ Optional Serving Add-ons

23 Toasted sourdough bread, grilled for extra crunch

Instructions

Step 01

Throw chopped parsley, zest of the orange, olives, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in the food processor. Pulse a bit, then pour olive oil and keep processing until you have a chunky mix. Keep at room temp while you prep the rest of the meal.

Step 02

Get a pot with a steamer basket and boil 2 cups of water. Toss in the mussels and clams, steaming them with the lid on for 5-8 minutes. Remove any shellfish that don't open, and save the liquid (around 2 cups).

Step 03

Heat some olive oil in a big stew pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, fennel, and some salt until the onion turns see-through, about 8-10 minutes. Toss in garlic, red peppers, thyme, and oregano. Stir until things smell amazing and look dry.

Step 04

Pour in your wine and scrape any stuck-on bits off the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble for 5 minutes. Then squish the whole tomatoes with your hand into the pot along with their juice. Add seafood stock and liquid from steaming, simmer without a lid for 20 minutes. Taste and season.

Step 05

Drop in your shrimp and whitefish. When the stew is simmering, cover and cook until the shrimp turn pink and the fish becomes tender and white, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 06

Take the pot off the heat. Add the mussels and clams, then stir well. Taste for seasoning adjustments. Get everything into bowls and top with parsley sauce, if you're into it.

Notes

  1. Adding the parsley and orange mixture brings fresh, zesty flavor to the meal.
  2. Go for the top-quality seafood you can find, or bring in crab or lobster for an extra special touch.
  3. You can swap in different firm whitefish for cod or halibut, no problem.

Tools You'll Need

  • Big Dutch oven or a stockpot of 8 quarts
  • A steamer basket and pot combo
  • A food processor
  • A sturdy wooden spoon

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Includes fish
  • Shellfish is part of this meal

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 243.4
  • Total Fat: 11.1 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
  • Protein: 20.3 g