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4.7 from 75 votes

Bouillabaisse (French Seafood Stew)

Do you love seafood? Then you’ll enjoy this easy Bouillabaisse recipe for delicious French Seafood Stew infused with fragrant saffron. It‘s a perfect way to enjoy good seafood at home!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 593 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dry sherry
  • ½ tsp saffron
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 1 shallot (minced)
  • 1 cup fennel bulb (thinly sliced)
  • 1 rib celery (minced)
  • 1 carrot (diced)
  • 1 lb white fish (I used Alaskan true cod, or you can substitute halibut or ocean trout; cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 2½ lb seafood mix (your choice of shrimp, clams, mussels, lobsters, scallops, crab meat, and/or squid; defrosted in the refrigerator for a few hours, if frozen)
  • 1 jar oysters (10 oz, 283 g)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz, 794 g with juice)
  • 2 cups clam juice
For the Seasonings
  • 1½ Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 tsp basil (or minced 1 fresh basil leaf)
  • 2 Tbsp parsley (fresh; chopped)
  • freshly ground black pepper
For the Garnish
  • parsley (chopped)
  • crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Gather all the ingredients.
  2. In a small bowl, combine ½ tsp saffron and ½ cup dry sherry. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the vegetables. Dice 1 onion and mince 1 shallot. Thinly slice the fennel so you have 1 cup fennel bulb. Mince 1 rib celery and dice 1 carrot. Next, cut 1 lb white fish into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Prepare and clean 2½ lb seafood mix as necessary. Here, I used a great frozen seafood medley pack from Costco. It saves quite a bit time not having to clean and cut the seafood.
To Cook the Stew
  1. In a large pot (I use a big Le Creuset pot), heat 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil on medium heat. Add 6 cloves garlic (minced) and all the prepared vegetables (the onion, shallot, fennel, celery, and carrot). Sauté on low heat until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  2. Add the seasonings: 1½ Tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 tsp basil, 2 Tbsp parsley, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
  3. Now, add all the liquids: 1 can diced tomatoes with juice, 2 cups clam juice, the juice from 1 jar oysters, and the saffron-infused sherry. Bring it to just a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Add all the seafood. When the soup starts to boil, skim off the scum and foam from the soup. Simmer for 15 minutes. Skimming is very important to have a clear soup with a refined taste.
To Serve
  1. Serve in individual bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley and optional crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) and serve immediately with fresh French bread on the side.
To Store
  1. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container or in the pot and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • The recipe is adapted from Food.com.

Nutrition Information

Calories 593kcal (30%) Carbohydrates 38g (13%) Protein 70g (140%) Fat 16g (25%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 60mg (20%) Sodium 1131mg (47%) Potassium 1169mg (33%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 3296IU (66%) Vitamin C 36mg (40%) Calcium 131mg (13%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 593

% Daily Value*

Calories 593kcal 30%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Protein 70g 140%
Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 60mg 20%
Sodium 1131mg 47%
Potassium 1169mg 25%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 3296IU 66%
Vitamin C 36mg 40%
Calcium 131mg 13%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.