Zuppa di pesce (Italian fish stew)

An Italian seafood dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h

Organic sourcing

Seafood doesn't have organic certification, but it's crucial to source sustainably. Vegetables like fennel and onions might have higher pesticide residues, so consider organic sourcing for those.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 400 g canned tomatoes with juice
• 4 cups fish stock (ideally homemade)
• 1 bay leaf
• 400 g clams, scrubbed and rinsed
• 400 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 200 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 200 g firm white fish fillets (like cod or halibut), cut into chunks
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, garlic, and fennel, cooking until soft.
3. Stir in the pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
4. Pour in the white wine, increasing the heat to simmer until reduced by half.
5. Add the tomatoes, fish stock, and bay leaf, bringing to a simmer.
6. Add the clams and mussels, cooking until they start to open.
7. Stir in the shrimp and fish chunks, cooking until just opaque.
8. Season with salt and pepper, removing the bay leaf.
9. Discard any unopened clams and mussels.
10. Garnish with parsley, serving the stew with lemon wedges.

Notes

• Use any mix of seafood; adjust cooking time for larger pieces.
• Serve with crusty bread to soak up the broth, if desired.
• A good fish stock enhances the soup's flavor.

Source

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