Bouillabaisse Soup Recipe
This bouillabaisse is a fragrant, saffron-scented seafood soup packed with tender fish, sweet shrimp, and briny shellfish in a rich, aromatic broth. It feels like a seaside restaurant classic, but it all comes together in your own kitchen.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 450kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound 450 g mussels or clams, scrubbed and mussels debearded
- 3-4 pounds 2 kg fish heads, bones, trimmings, shrimp shells
- 1 pound 450 g peeled shrimp (save the shells for the stock)
- 1 pound 450 g cod, halibut or other flaky white fish, cut into large chunks
- 2 ½ quarts 2.5 l water
- ½ cup 118 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup 150 g chopped onion
- 1 cup 89 g chopped leek
- 4 cloves smashed garlic
- 2 or 3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped or 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
- Fresh herb sprigs: thyme parsley, fennel fronds and basil (in any combination)
- 1 2- inch wide strip of fresh orange peel optional
- ½ teaspoon crumbled saffron
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- Crusty bread sliced, for serving
Rouille
- ⅓ cup 75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 roasted and peeled red bell peppers (jarred peppers are fine)
- ¼ cup 28 g fresh breadcrumbs, or ground almonds
- ¼ cup 15 g fresh parsley leaves
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or more to taste
- 1 peeled garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Fine sea salt about 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
Instructions
For the broth:
- Begin by preparing a deeply flavored seafood broth enriched with shells and trimmings. In a tall pot, such as an 8-quart stockpot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and leek and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they soften and become translucent without browning. Stir in the smashed garlic and cook just until fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, water, herb sprigs, orange peel if using, saffron, sea salt, and the fish heads, bones, and shrimp shells. Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat so the surface bubbles lazily rather than boiling vigorously.
- Let the broth cook for about 30 minutes so the flavors can fully develop and the aromatics soften. When the time is up, strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or clean pot, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids, keeping only the clear, fragrant broth.
- Return the strained broth to the stockpot and bring it back to a boil. Add the peeled shrimp and cook just until they turn opaque and pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining fish and shellfish—chunks of white fish along with the mussels or clams—then cover the pot and let everything simmer gently until the shellfish open and the fish is just cooked through. This will only take a few minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.
Make the rouille:
- In a food processor, combine the roasted red bell peppers, cayenne, lemon juice, garlic, breadcrumbs or ground almonds, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Process until the mixture is smooth and cohesive. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil, blending until a thick, creamy paste forms.
- Toast the crusty bread slices until golden and crisp, then lightly brush them with olive oil. Ladle the hot bouillabaisse into warm bowls and serve with the toasted bread and a generous spoonful of rouille on the side or spread on the bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal