Bouillabaisse (Provençal fish stew)

A French seafood dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min

Organic sourcing

Tomatoes are on the Dirty Dozen — worth sourcing organic. Sourcing organic fennel can also ensure lower pesticide residue. Seafood are naturally wild-caught or farm-raised, not labeled organic.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1.5 liters fish stock (ideally homemade)
• 500 g mixed firm white fish (e.g., cod, halibut), cut into chunks
• 250 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 250 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 orange, zest only
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and fennel, cooking until soft but not colored, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, saffron, cayenne, and tomatoes, and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the white wine and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes to reduce slightly.
5. Add the fish stock, bay leaves, orange zest, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper to the pot.
6. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Add the fish chunks and cook gently for 5 minutes.
8. Add the mussels and shrimp, cover, and cook just until the mussels open and the shrimp turn pink, about 5-7 minutes.
9. Discard any unopened mussels before serving the stew hot.

Notes

• Serve with a side of crusty bread or potatoes if desired.
• Add a rouille sauce for an authentic touch.
• Use the freshest seafood available for best results.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic French recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.