This seafood stew recipe is inspired by French bouillabaisse and has the a delicious light white wine and fennel broth.
If you are a seafood lover, there’s something special about a bowl of seafood stew with perfectly cooked seafood. Our version has no tomatoes and calls on white wine, garlic, and fennel. The broth is similar to our steamed mussels but calls on homemade seafood stock (it’s easy).
When serving this stew, you’ll want a few slices of crusty bread to go alongside so you can soak up all the delicious broth. Homemade focaccia bread would be amazing, too!
Key Ingredients
- Fish: For this stew, I always choose flaky white fish like cod or halibut. They cook beautifully in the broth and add a delicate flavor.
- Shellfish: I love a combination of shrimp, mussels, and clams. I leave the tails on the shrimp and scrub the mussels and clams before cooking them. If they have not already been removed, you will also need to remove the beards from the mussels (see more about that in our steamed mussels recipe).
- Aromatics: My go-to aromatics are shallot, fennel, celery, and garlic. This classic combination creates a really delicious base. These are almost identical to my aromatics for poached salmon!
- Seafood Stock: While you can certainly buy seafood stock, I prefer making my own. It’s surprisingly easy, and the flavor is unbeatable! You’ll find the instructions below in our recipe. The base is fish bones and the shells from our shrimp. Fish bones are inexpensive and readily available at most seafood counters.
- White Wine: I use white wine when making my homemade seafood stock. If you use store-bought stock, check the tips section to see when to add a splash of white wine to the stew. Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or unoaked chardonnay.
- Spinach or Kale: Just before serving, I like to stir in some baby spinach or kale. They wilt quickly in the hot broth and add some nice color.
- Cream: Though optional, a splash of cream at the end adds richness and mellows out the flavors of the broth. I love it!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Seafood Stew
Tip 1: Make homemade fish stock (it’s easy). Store-bought stock works, but if you want extra flavor, making fish stock is simple and takes about 45 minutes. Ask your seafood counter for fish bones (they usually have them).
I cook a little bacon in my pot first, then use the rendered fat to sauté shallot, carrots, and celery until soft. Add the fish bones, any shrimp shells from prepping your shrimp, and a few herbs. Cover with water, simmer for about 30 minutes, then strain. Use this stock as the base of your stew. (Snack on the bacon while you cook.)
Tip 2: Build the stew in layers. Start by softening the aromatics: shallot, fennel, celery, and garlic. Stir in the wine and your seafood stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the clams first since they take the longest to open. Then add the shrimp and mussels, and finally the fish, which cooks quickly. Finish by adding greens and swirling in a bit of cream to make the broth luxurious and silky.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
White Wine Seafood Stew
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love this simple, light fennel-infused stew with fish and shellfish. If you have the time, make your seafood stock. It’s much quicker than chicken stock and makes this stew extra special. Our homemade fish stock below makes about 10 cups. You will need 4 cups for the stew. The stock can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for several months.
You Will Need
For the Stew3 tablespoons butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 pound small clams, cleaned
½ pound large shrimp, shelled, use the shells for seafood stock
1 pound mussels, cleaned
1 pound flaky white fish like cod or halibut, cut into 4 portions
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups seafood stock, try homemade (recipe below)
1 pound baby spinach or kale
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Baguette, sliced and toasted for serving
Lemon wedges for serving
Homemade Seafood Stock (Optional)2 pounds white fish bones
Shells from ½ pound of shrimp
2 slices thick-cut bacon
2 large shallots, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
Directions
- Make Seafood Stock (Optional)
1In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate, but leave the fat. (You can use bacon in another recipe or as a cook’s snack.)
2Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the bacon fat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook for 5 minutes, then add the fish bones, shrimp shells, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 10 cups of water.
3Bring to a simmer. Cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes, removing any scum that rises to the top. Strain, then use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to 2 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Make Stew
1Melt the butter in a wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, and celery. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until softened and sweet, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the wine and cook for 5 minutes.
2Pour in 4 cups of seafood stock and bring to a simmer. Add the clams, cover, and cook for 3 minutes.
3Meanwhile, season the shrimp and fish with salt and pepper.
4Add the shrimp and mussels. Arrange the fish on top of the stew and scatter the greens around the pot. Cover and simmer until the shellfish opens and the fish and shrimp are firm and opaque, about 5 minutes more.
5Remove the pot from the heat, and then stir in the cream. Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt and pepper. Serve divided between bowls with bread for dipping and lemon wedges on the side.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Stock: Our homemade stock takes 45 minutes and uses the shells from peeling the shrimp and fish bones. I buy fish bones at the seafood counter (they are inexpensive). You can substitute store-bought stock or light chicken broth.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Excellent recipe! I used huge cherrystone clams, shrimp, flounder, and a small lobster tail. The wine is absolutely necessary. It added so much flavor and depth. I really enjoyed the spinach addition as well. Overall excellent, thank you for sharing.
Good recipe. I always sear my shrimp first before adding to the broth. I also add seared scallops. Always sear your shellfish before adding to any stew, or cioppino or bouillbaisse. It’s a texture thing…
Looks absolutely delicious!
Greetings, I have just discovered your website. How neat and beautiful it is. I love the way you “show and tell” Can’t wait to try the seafood stew. I’m even thinking about making my own stock—-maybe. Or, I’ll just use the canned stuff and jazz it up with your ingredients in the stock.. Thank you, JoAnn
Jazzing up pre-made stock would be great 🙂 Let us know how it turns out!