Bouillabaisse, or “fish soup” in French, is a traditional provençal fish stew with a tomato base and a mix of seafood. This recipe uses a combination of red snapper, mussels, and shrimp, though you can add a variety of different flaky white fish and shellfish to suit your taste!
This French bouillabaisse recipe requires some prep work, but I guide you step-by-step through the simple process. In about an hour, you will have a rich, flavor-packed classic French dish perfect for a nice lunch or dinner – sure to dazzle your friends and family! For more tasty French soup recipes, try my French onion soup, vichyssoise recipe, or beef bourguignon recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Roasted Red Pepper – jarred roasted red peppers work great for this recipe, which you can easily find with the olives at most grocery stores. They add a sweet, zesty flavor to the rouille sauce.
Spices – you will need saffron threads (not ground saffron powder), cayenne pepper, bay leaves, black pepper, fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt to season the stew.
Orange Zest – use a fruit/vegetable peeler to remove one wide strip from the orange peel for the orange zest. The oil from the peel adds a hint of citrus and tang to the broth that helps bring out the other flavors.
Onion and Leek – use one medium yellow or white onion to get 1½ cups of chopped onion. For the leeks, cut off the root and dark green leafy parts of the leek. Only use the white and light green parts, and slice it thin. You will need 2 cups total of sliced leeks.
Bread – nearly any bakery-style bread, such as Italian or French bread, is perfect. if using fresh bread, remove the crust and tear it into 1-inch pieces. If the bread is dry, you’ll need slightly less than the recommended 1 cup of torn pieces.
Fennel – choose fennel with fresh-looking greens, and no discoloration or soft spots on the bottom white bulb. Slice the bulb (you need 1 cup of slices). Optionally, you can save the fennel fronds (frilly green leaves) for garnish.
Garlic – minced fresh garlic is needed for both the rouille and the main bouillabaisse broth. Fresh garlic will provide the best flavor, so use it over the pre-minced jars if possible.
Tomatoes – one 15oz can of chopped tomatoes, if fresh ones are not in season, will work great. If using fresh, 3 medium tomatoes on the vine will make about 2 cups when chopped.
Pernod – this French anise liquor beautifully accentuates the flavors in this French seafood stew with notes of anise, fennel seeds, and black licorice. All you need is 2 tablespoons. If you cannot find Pernod, sambuca or ouzo can be substituted. Or, ½ teaspoon of ground fennel seeds.
Fish Stock – sometimes seafood stock can have a very strong fishy flavor. If the brand you purchase has one, you can use 2 cups of broth and 1 cup of water instead of 3 cups of broth to help balance the soup.
Fish Filets – you’ll need flaky white fish for this recipe, like halibut, cod, grouper, snapper, or sea bass. Use fresh fish or frozen, but be sure to thaw frozen fish completely before starting this recipe.
Mussels – get one pound of fresh mussels (about 12) with closed shells. Scrub them under cold running water to remove any debris and remove any “beards”, or the stringy threads around the edges, by gently tugging them away from the shells.
Shrimp – choose uncooked jumbo shrimp. Peel and devein them before starting this recipe. If using frozen, thaw thoroughly before cooking.
Scallops – you’ll need ¾ pound of sea scallops. Fresh is best, but you can also use frozen. Be sure to thaw frozen scallops before starting this recipe.
How to Make Bouillabaisse
1. First, make the rouille by adding the roasted red pepper, garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and saffron threads to a blender. Add the bread pieces last. Puree on medium speed to an almost smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
2. With the blender on medium-low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a thick smooth sauce forms. Refrigerate the rouille until the bouillabaisse is done.
3. For the bouillabaisse, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the chopped onion, fennel, leek, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomato (if using fresh tomatoes, add 1 cup of water as well) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down and the mixture looks saucy, for about 6 minutes.
5. Add the fish stock, strip of orange zest, bay leaf, saffron, thyme, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ground black pepper to the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
6. Add the fish filets and mussels into the stew, making sure they are evenly distributed in the broth. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the mussels start to open.
7. Add the peeled shrimp and scallops, mixing them in so they are eventually distributed in the broth. Cover the pot and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the fish and shrimp are cooked through, and the mussels have fully opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened at this point.
8. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with a toasted baguette and the rouille. Garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Prep is key. While the actual cooking of this recipe is easy, the setup and organization beforehand are important. Have all of your ingredients cleaned, peeled, chopped, and ready to cook as the cooking process moves quickly once it starts.
- Strengthen the rouille. If your rouille breaks and appears curdled or with an oily film that separates at the top after blending the ingredients together, add one tablespoon of mayonnaise or an egg yolk and blend again to emulsify it.
- Drain canned tomotoes. If using canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones, mit the water and add the juices from the tomato can instead.
- Use different seafood. Overall, fresh seafood is best for the best flavor, so if you need to adjust what you use based on what is available. You can use clams in place of mussels, but keep in mind that they will take an additional 2-3 minutes to open when cooking. Additionally, Red mullet fish fillets can work in this recipe, just note that it will likely add a stronger fishy flavor than other types of fish.
- Optional: roast your own red peppers. Clean and deseed 1 red bell pepper. Halve the pepper and arrange the halves face down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 400º F for 30-35 minutes until the skins begin to shrivell and are lightly blistered. Move the peppers to an airtight container or paper bag and let cool completely. Once room temperature, remove the skins and chop up the peppers.
- Use a lid. It is important to cover the stock pot or Dutch Oven with a lid as directed in this recipe to properly cook the seafood in the bouillabaisse. Additionally, you can use a 12-inch straight-sided skillet, Dutch oven, or a 12” braiser with a lid.
- Optional variations. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice when making the rouille to add a bright flavor note to nicely compliment the other spices. Or add a sweet enhanced flavor to the bouillabaisse by adding 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with the chopped tomatoes. You can also swap the orange peel for lemon peel in the bouillabaisse if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover bouillabaisse in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The seafood will not last longer than 3 to 4 days, so I don’t suggest keeping it longer. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat. I don’t recommend freezing this bouillabaisse recipe because the seafood will not keep its texture.
Serve a piping hot bowl of bouillabaisse with crusty bread (like a toasted baguette or French bread), spreading with a dollop of creamy red pepper rouille. Make it a complete dinner party meal by adding a side of French green beans, roasted potatoes, and olive oil cake for dessert. Or, serve the traditional dish for an afternoon occasion alongside a lighter white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc or a Provençal rose.
If you can’t find fish stock or want to make your own version, you can use clam juice and water instead. Because clam juice is quite concentrated and salty, I recommend using 1 cup of clam juice and 2 cups of water to replace the 3 cups of fish stock. Additionally, you can strengthen the flavor of the broth by adding shrimp shells. Save the shells when peeling the shrimp and add them to the pot along with the clam juice, water, and seasonings in step #5 of the recipe. Allow to simmer for a few minutes before removing the shrimp shells and moving on to step #6. Chicken or vegetable stock can be used in a pinch.
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Bouillabaisse
Equipment
- Large pot, stock pot, or Dutch oven
Ingredients
For the Rouille:
- ⅓ cup chopped roasted red pepper (jarred works great)
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 cup crumbled bread or fresh bread crumbs (60g)
- ⅓ cup olive oil (80ml)
For the Bouillabaisse:
- ⅓ cup olive oil (80ml)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 fennel bulb sliced
- 1 leek sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 2 tablespoons Pernod (or other pastis), optional
- 3 cups fish stock (720ml)
- 1 wide strip of orange zest
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound fish filets cut into large chunks (halibut, cod, grouper, snapper) (450g)
- 1 pound mussels or clams scrubbed and debearded (450g)
- ¾ pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined (338g)
- ¾ pound sea scallops (338g)
- Toasted baguette or french bread for serving
Instructions
For the Rouille:
- In a blender container, combine the roasted red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and saffron. Add the bread on top. Puree on medium to an almost smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
- With the blender on medium-low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a thick smooth sauce forms. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Bouillabaise:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, fennel, leek, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomato (if using fresh tomatoes, add 1 cup of water as well) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down and the mixture looks saucy, about 6 minutes.
- Add the stock, strip of orange zest, bay leaves, saffron, thyme, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt and ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Nestle the fish filets and mussels into the stew. Reduce heat to medium, then cover and cook for 3 minutes, or until the mussels start to open.
- Nestle the shrimp and scallops into the stew. Cover and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the fish and shrimp are cooked through and the mussels have fully opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened at this point. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with a toasted baguette and the rouille. Garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.
Notes
- Prep is key. While the actual cooking of this recipe is easy, the setup and organization beforehand are important. Have all of your ingredients cleaned, peeled, chopped, and ready to cook as the cooking process moves quickly once it starts.
- Strengthen the rouille. If your rouille breaks and appears curdled or with an oily film that separates at the top after blending the ingredients together, add one tablespoon of mayonnaise or an egg yolk and blend again to emulsify it.
- Drain canned tomotoes. If using canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones, mit the water and add the juices from the tomato can instead.
- Use different seafood. Overall, fresh seafood is best for the best flavor, so if you need to adjust what you use based on what is available. You can use clams in place of mussels, but keep in mind that they will take an additional 2-3 minutes to open when cooking. Additionally, Red mullet fish fillets can work in this recipe, just note that it will likely add a stronger fishy flavor than other types of fish.
- Optional: roast your own red peppers. Clean and deseed 1 red bell pepper. Halve the pepper and arrange the halves face down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 400º F for 30-35 minutes until the skins begin to shrivell and are lightly blistered. Move the peppers to an airtight container or paper bag and let cool completely. Once room temperature, remove the skins and chop up the peppers.
- Use a lid. It is important to cover the stock pot or Dutch Oven with a lid as directed in this recipe to properly cook the seafood in the bouillabaisse. Additionally, you can use a 12-inch straight-sided skillet, Dutch oven, or a 12” braiser with a lid.
- Optional variations. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice when making the rouille to add a bright flavor note to nicely compliment the other spices. Or add a sweet enhanced flavor to the bouillabaisse by adding 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with the chopped tomatoes. You can also swap the orange peel for lemon peel in the bouillabaisse if desired.
My father loved bouillabaisse. How his face would light up when we were out to eat, and it was on the menu.
Thank you for the memory.