Fish Stew
A comforting fish stew made with tender white fish, hearty potatoes, and a rich tomato-based broth, simmered until every bite is packed with flavor
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups fish or seafood broth
- 1 lb baby potatoes quartered
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ lbs firm white fish fillets cod, halibut, or snapper, cut into large chunks
- ½ cup heavy cream or coconut milk optional, for a creamy version
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Sauté the Aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
Build and Simmer the Broth With Potatoes
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, fish broth, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaf, mixing everything together. Add the quartered baby potatoes, then bring the mixture to a boil before reducing the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart, since they'll continue cooking slightly once the fish is added.
Add the Fish and Finish
- Gently add the fish chunks into the simmering stew, nestling them into the broth without stirring too vigorously, which can cause the fish to break apart. Cook for 6-8 minutes, just until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque throughout.
- If making a creamy fish stew, stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk at this point, letting it warm through for 1-2 minutes without boiling. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Cutting the potatoes into similarly sized pieces helps them cook evenly, so try to keep them roughly uniform when quartering.
- Adding the fish gently and avoiding excessive stirring once it's in the pot helps keep the pieces intact rather than breaking apart into smaller flakes.
- If you're making the creamy version, add the cream or coconut milk after the fish is cooked rather than before, since boiling cream for too long can cause it to separate slightly.
- A firm white fish holds up best in this stew, so avoid delicate, flaky varieties that might fall apart during the longer simmer time.
- This stew tends to taste even better the next day once the flavors have had more time to meld together, making it a great option for leftovers.