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Italian Fish Soup Recipe: A Comforting Coastal Classic

Italian Fish Soup

A comforting tomato-based coastal soup filled with firm white fish, shrimp, mussels, clams, and optional squid. The broth is built with white wine, tomatoes, fish stock or clam juice, garlic, fennel, and parsley.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 4 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium Medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small Small fennel bulb, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk Celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves Garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red-pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
  • 1 cup Dry white wine
  • 28 ounces Whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 3 cups Fish stock or bottled clam juice
  • 1 leaf Bay leaf
  • 1 strip Small strip lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Seafood
  • 1 pound Firm white fish, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 pound Mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 1/2 pound Clams, scrubbed
  • 1/2 pound Squid, cleaned and cut into rings
Finishing
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
To Serve
  • As needed Crusty grilled or toasted bread
  • As needed Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Optional Lemon wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Clean the shellfish, discarding mussels or clams that remain open after tapping and any shellfish that fail to open during cooking.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened but not browned.
  3. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes.
  4. Add white wine and simmer for 3–5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add tomatoes, stock or clam juice, bay leaf, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
  5. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes so the flavors develop.
  6. Add firm fish and squid, if using, and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes.
  7. Add clams and mussels, cover, and cook for 4–6 minutes until the shells open.
  8. Add shrimp during the final 3–4 minutes. They are ready when pink and just opaque. Discard any shellfish that do not open.
  9. Remove bay leaf and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with toasted bread.

Notes

Add seafood in stages and keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil. For the best flavor, use several seafood types and serve with garlic-rubbed toast. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat gently.