Seafood Soup Recipe

Pat dry and season

Pat shrimp, scallops and fish pieces dry with paper towels. Lightly season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Keep the shellfish and fish chilled until ready to add to the soup.

If using clams or mussels, scrub shells and debeard mussels. Discard any that are open and do not close when tapped.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted and foaming, add diced onion, celery, carrot, fennel and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and onion is translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add garlic and tomato paste

Add minced garlic and tomato paste to the pot. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until fragrant and tomato paste darkens slightly.

Stir in dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Cook 30 seconds to bloom the dried herbs.

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Increase heat briefly to bring to a simmer and reduce the wine by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Add tomato passata, tomato paste if not already added (adjust if you used extra above), fish stock and 1 cup water. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Add the diced potato. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded.

Taste the broth and add remaining salt (about 1 to 1 1/4 tsp total depending on stock), and black pepper to taste. Remember some seafood and stock can be salty—adjust slowly.

Add clams or mussels (if using)

If using clams/mussels, add them to the simmering broth now, cover, and cook 4–6 minutes until shells open. Remove any that remain closed and set aside the opened shellfish in a bowl; reserve the broth.

Add the firm fish pieces to the simmering broth and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.

Add the scallops and shrimp and simmer until scallops are opaque and cooked through and shrimp are pink and firm, 3–4 minutes more. Do not overcook — seafood should be tender.

If you removed clams/mussels earlier, return them (without any broken shells) to the pot to warm through for 1 minute.

Turn off the heat. Stir in chopped parsley, basil or dill (if using), lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or a splash more lemon as desired.

Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure to distribute seafood evenly. Garnish with extra parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread or garlic crostini on the side.

Leftovers: cool to room temperature, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove; add a splash of stock or water if too thick.