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Brodetto di Pesce (Marche Fish Stew)

Marche Brodetto Fish Stew

A bright, coastal Italian fish stew built on a simple soffritto, reduced tomatoes, white wine, and clean fish stock. Mixed seafood cooks gently so each piece stays tender, giving a clear, briny broth that tastes like the Adriatic.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course / Stew
Cuisine: Italian (Marche Coast)
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Seafood (2.5–3 lbs total mix)
  • Firm white fish fillets snapper, mullet, hake, monkfish
  • Squid or cuttlefish
  • Shrimp / prawns shell-on preferred
  • Clams
  • Mussels
Vegetable Base (Soffritto)
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 celery sticks or 1 large, chopped
  • 1 small carrot chopped
  • 3 –4 garlic cloves minced
  • Handful fresh parsley chopped (plus more for serving)
  • 1 –2 bay leaves
  • Pinch red pepper flakes optional
Liquids & Seasoning
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 14–15 oz
  • 1 cup dry white wine or 1–2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 3 –4 cups fish stock
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Optional: pinch of saffron or a touch of smoked paprika
For Serving
  • Toasted crusty Italian bread or cooked rice
  • Extra olive oil
  • Lemon wedges optional

Method
 

Make the soffritto
  1. Warm a good splash of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, and a pinch of pepper flakes. Cook about 5 minutes until soft and fragrant, not browned.
Add tomatoes and reduce
  1. Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes until they thicken and darken slightly. This deepens the flavor and removes excess water.
Deglaze and balance acidity
  1. Pour in the white wine (or vinegar). Scrape the bottom of the pot. Let it cook down until almost evaporated and the base looks glossy.
Add stock and simmer
  1. Add the fish stock, bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Let it cook for 10 minutes so the broth stays clear and rounded.
Add fish first
  1. Cut fish into even pieces. Add them gently to the pot and let them poach until just starting to turn opaque around the edges.
Add clams, mussels, shrimp
  1. Add clams first and cook about 2 minutes until they begin to open.
  2. Add mussels and shrimp next. Cook 2–3 minutes until mussels open and shrimp turn pink. Remove any clams or mussels that stay closed.
Adjust broth and season
  1. If the broth reduced too much, add a splash of stock. Skim off any foam to keep the liquid clear. Season with salt and pepper at the end, after the shellfish open.
Rest and serve
  1. Turn off the heat and let the pot rest 1 minute.
  2. Serve ladled over toasted bread or rice. Finish with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

  • Keep the heat low once the stock goes in. A hard boil will cloud the broth.
  • Add shellfish last to avoid tough, rubbery meat.
  • If your fish stock tastes flat, add a tiny anchovy fillet to the soffritto next time—it melts and boosts flavor without fishiness.
  • Bread is traditional, but rice works if you want a heartier bowl.
  • If using saffron, bloom it in a spoonful of warm water first and add it with the stock.