Go Back
Bouillabaisse French seafood stew in a bowl

Easy Bouillabaisse

Classic French seafood stew with white fish, shrimp, mussels and clams simmered in a saffron, fennel, tomato and orange broth. Served with baguette and rouille.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: French
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Broth
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 leek white and light green parts, sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups fish or seafood stock
  • 1 pinch saffron threads about 1/2 tsp
  • 1 strip orange zest
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste
Seafood
  • 1 1/2 lb firm white fish cut into 2 inch chunks
  • 1/2 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 lb mussels scrubbed and debearded
  • 1/2 lb clams scrubbed
For serving
  • 1 baguette sliced and toasted
  • 1/2 cup rouille or garlic aioli
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Cook the onion, leek and fennel in olive oil 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, fennel seeds and pepper flakes for 1 minute, then the tomato paste for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the wine and simmer 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, saffron, orange zest, bay leaf and thyme and simmer 20 minutes.
  3. Add the fish and simmer gently 3 minutes without stirring.
  4. Add the shrimp, mussels and clams, cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes until the shells open and the fish reaches 145°F. Discard unopened shells.
  5. Serve topped with parsley with toasted baguette and rouille.

Notes

Make the broth ahead and add fresh seafood just before serving.