San Francisco Cioppino

Cioppino is San Francisco’s iconic seafood stew, born on Fisherman’s Wharf from Italian immigrant fishermen who threw the day’s catch into a pot of tomatoes and wine. This version loads up with white fish, shrimp, bay scallops, and whole cracked Dungeness crab in a brothy tomato base.

The broth simmers for 20 minutes first: sauteed onion, green pepper, and garlic with chopped tomatoes, dry white wine, clam juice, Italian herbs, and bay leaf. The seafood goes in at the very end, staggered by cook time. White fish, shrimp, and scallops need just two minutes to turn opaque. The pre-cooked crab only needs a minute or two to heat through.

A hit of light soy sauce right before serving adds an unexpected umami depth that rounds out the tomato broth without tasting Asian. Fresh parsley finishes it off.

Chef Tips

• Add the seafood in order of cook time: fish and scallops first, then shrimp, then the pre-cooked crab last. Overcooked seafood turns rubbery.
• Use firm white fish that holds its shape in chunks. Halibut, cod, or sea bass all work. Flaky fish like tilapia falls apart in the broth.
• Don’t skip the clam juice. It adds a concentrated brininess that water or plain stock can’t replicate.
• Serve immediately with crusty sourdough bread for dunking. Cioppino doesn’t reheat well because the seafood toughens.

Variations

• Clam and mussel addition: Add scrubbed littleneck clams and mussels with the broth. They’ll open during the simmer and add their own liquor to the stew.
• Spicy version: Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the Italian herbs for a warming kick.
• Budget-friendly: Skip the crab and double the shrimp and scallops for a more affordable but still loaded cioppino.