Fish Stew

Of all the ways to enjoy fish, stews and soups tend to be overlooked. Clam chowder often makes the list of best seafood recipes, and lobster or shrimp bisques have a rich creaminess that can’t be beat. Many Italian fish stews like seafood cioppino that have a mix of shellfish and finfish also come to mind. But around the world, fish soup or stew is made just as often with a single type of firm white fish.

This one-fish recipe proves that fish like halibut, cod or salmon can be just as delicious when stewed in broth until tender and flaky. Our recipe for fish stew with your choice of white fish simplifies the shopping, yet is still full of flavor.

Fish Stew Ingredients

• Aromatics: This fish stew recipe starts with aromatics like onion, celery and garlic sauteed in olive oil. The oil helps to brown the fresh vegetables and create a sweet-yet-savory flavor base that supports the stew’s primary ingredients.
• Tomato paste and diced tomatoes: Diced tomatoes provide one of the primary flavors in this fish stew, but that doesn’t mean you should skip the tomato paste. Just a tablespoon adds umami that boosts the dish’s savory richness.
• Herbs and spices: Underseasoning is one of the mistakes you may be making with soup. For this recipe, add the fresh thyme, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot before the liquids, so that their flavors blend in and enhance the other ingredients. Then, taste the fish stew just before serving and adjust the seasonings as needed.
• Clam juice: Bottled clam juice can usually be found on a grocery store shelf near other stocks and broths. It’s made of the strained liquid leftover from steaming fresh clams, and it’s usually quite salty, which provides all the more reason to use a low or no-sodium vegetable broth.
• Reduced-sodium vegetable broth: If you’re making vegetable broth at home, you might use the terms “vegetable stock” and “vegetable broth” interchangeably because it’s made with neither meat nor bones. However, store-bought vegetable stock often contains vegetable puree, so it tends to be thicker than vegetable broth. Some versions can be quite salty, so check the nutrition information and choose the one with the least amount of sodium for fish stew.
• White wine: White wine adds depth and complexity to fish stew. When we asked experts how to cook with wine, we confirmed that you can save the expensive bottles for sipping and use a more affordable bottle or box of wine when cooking.
• Fish: Firm white fish works best in fish stew, so you have plenty of options to choose from. You can use fresh fish or thawed, frozen fish. Halibut tends to be more expensive than cod or lemon sole, but might be worth the splurge for a special occasion.
• Parsley: When it comes to garnish, it’s hard to go wrong with minced fresh parsley for color and flavor. For a hint of vinegary zing, stir in some capers just before serving.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the aromatics

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In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.

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Add the onion and celery and cook until they’re tender, four to five minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, and then cook for one minute longer.

Step 2: Add the liquids

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Stir in the diced tomatoes, clam juice, vegetable broth and white wine. Bring the liquids to a simmer, and then cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3: Cook the fish

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Add the fish and cook until it just begins to flake easily with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.

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If desired, stir in capers. Garnish the fish stew with the parsley.

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Fish Stew Variations

• Use other aromatics: Put chopped carrot into the soup to create a mirepoix that results in an even sweeter base. Substitute leeks or shallots for the onion to give it a more delicate allium note. Chopped green pepper would add some color, too.
• Use homemade broth: Homemade broths and stocks are surprisingly easy and affordable, and they let you control the salt content. Here’s how to make vegetable broth yourself.
• Make a fish stock: The heads, bones and other scraps of whole fish can be turned into fish stock (aka fumet) in much the same way you would make vegetable broth. Fish stock can replace both the clam juice and the vegetable broth in this fish stew recipe if you like.
• Squeeze in lemon: The optional capers in this recipe brighten the soup with their salty acidity. To take it up another notch, squeeze in a little lemon just before serving, or set a small bowl of lemon wedges on the table.

How to Store Fish Stew

The flaky fish in fish stew has the best texture when you cook and serve it immediately (it often becomes tougher when reheated). If you expect to have leftovers, prepare the broth as directed in the first two steps of the recipe, but set aside the portion you won’t be eating straightaway and then add the fish to the pot and cook it the next time you plan to have a serving of fish stew.

With or without the fish, soup cools more quickly and safely in shallow containers than in its pot. Once cooled, top each container with an airtight lid for refrigerator storage.

How long does fish stew last?

Fish stew lasts for three to four days in the refrigerator when divided into airtight containers. The same is true of just the broth without the fish, if you know you’ll have leftovers. Keep frozen fish in the freezer until you’re ready to thaw it and add it to the leftover soup. If you buy the fish fresh or thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, it should be used within two days.

Can you freeze fish stew?

You can freeze fish stew, but the texture of the fish will change—especially if you initially thawed frozen fish to make the recipe. A better bet when freezing this soup is to prepare it without the fish. Homemade soup keeps best when packed in airtight, freezer-safe containers or bags, but even so, frozen soup is best eaten within three months.

How do you reheat fish stew?

Reheat fish stew over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you froze the broth in individual portions, one or two can go straight in the pot or microwave-safe container, but a large amount will reheat more quickly if you let it thaw overnight in the fridge.

Fish often turns rubbery and dries out when reheated, but there’s a way to counter that with fish stew: Before you pour the fridge-cold soup into a pot, strain out the already-cooked fish and set it aside. Once the soup has come to a simmer, add the cooked fish back to the pot and let it reheat for just a couple of minutes, until it’s warmed through. If you’re adding raw fish to the reheated broth, let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes like in the original recipe.

Fish Stew Tips

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How can you make this fish stew thicker or thinner?

It might be called fish stew, but this recipe has a consistency closer to a soup than a thick stew. If you want a thicker soup, take a tip from our best beef stew recipe: Mix 2 tablespoons of flour into a little cold water, and then stir it into the simmering broth just before the fish flakes. To thicken without extra ingredients, let the broth simmer and reduce for longer before you add the fish. For a thinner stew, stir in a little extra vegetable broth or water again before the fish so that you don’t overcook it.

What can you serve with fish stew?

Cut up a crusty baguette to serve with fish stew and soak up every last drop of the flavorful broth. To enhance the homemade presentation, make your own crusty French loaf. Serve the bread slices on the side, or toast or grill them, placing one in the bottom of each bowl and pouring the hot fish stew over the top.

Fish stew also pairs well with a simple leafy green salad. For a heartier side, try this wilted spinach salad with butternut squash. If your guests will be waiting while the fish cooks in the broth, start them off with a classic antipasto platter.