Bouillabaisse Provençal Fish Stew (Printable Version)

Hearty Provençal fish stew with saffron, fresh seafood, and a fragrant garlicky rouille sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish & Seafood

01 - 14 oz firm white fish fillets (e.g., monkfish, sea bass), cut into chunks
02 - 10.5 oz oily fish fillets (e.g., red mullet), cut into chunks
03 - 10.5 oz mussels, cleaned and debearded
04 - 7 oz small shrimp, peeled and deveined
05 - 6 large sea scallops (optional)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1 large leek (white part only), thinly sliced
09 - 2 fennel bulbs, sliced
10 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
12 - 1 large carrot, sliced
13 - Zest of 1 orange
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 2 sprigs thyme
16 - 1 sprig fresh parsley (plus extra for garnish)
17 - ½ teaspoon saffron threads
18 - 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
19 - ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
20 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Liquids

21 - ⅞ cup dry white wine
22 - 6¼ cups fish stock or water

→ For the Rouille

23 - 1 egg yolk
24 - 1 garlic clove, minced
25 - 1 small red chili, seeded and chopped
26 - ½ teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water
27 - ⅓ cup olive oil
28 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
29 - Salt, to taste

→ To Serve

30 - 1 small baguette, sliced and toasted
31 - Extra olive oil, for drizzling

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and garlic; cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened without browning.
02 - Stir in tomatoes, orange zest, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, saffron threads, fennel seeds, peppercorns, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
03 - Pour in white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add fish stock or water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to develop depth.
04 - Pass the broth through a fine sieve, pressing to extract maximum flavor. Discard solids and return the strained broth to the cleaned pot.
05 - Bring broth to a gentle simmer. Add firm fish chunks first; cook for 5 minutes. Then add oily fish, mussels, shrimp, and scallops if using. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes until seafood is just cooked and mussels open. Discard any unopened mussels and adjust seasoning.
06 - In a bowl, whisk egg yolk, garlic, chili, soaked saffron with water, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Gradually drizzle olive oil while whisking constantly until thick and mayonnaise-like. Season with salt.
07 - Ladle the stew into warm bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve alongside toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil and a spoonful of rouille sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The broth tastes like a restaurant-quality reveal, but it's built in your own pot with patience, not tricks.
  • Saffron and fennel transform ordinary fish stock into something aromatic and deeply satisfying.
  • You can prep everything hours ahead, then finish it in minutes when you're ready to eat.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to cook six separate dishes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the straining step—it removes bitterness from the vegetable solids and gives you that silky, refined broth that defines bouillabaisse.
  • Add seafood in stages by cooking time; firm fish first, delicate fish and shellfish last, so everything finishes at the same moment.
  • If mussels don't open after 6 minutes, they're likely dead—discard them without guilt.
03 -
  • Make the rouille in a food processor if hand whisking feels uncertain—it's just as authentic and takes the anxiety out of emulsifying.
  • Freeze any leftover rouille in ice cube trays; thaw one to brighten a simple fish soup or drizzle over roasted vegetables.
  • Pair bouillabaisse with a chilled Provençal rosé or crisp white wine that won't fight the saffron and seafood.
Return