Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (2024)

An all-star recipe for fish stew with a Sicilian twist! The comfort of Italian flavors in one delicious stew cooked in a white wine-tomato broth with garlic, capers, raisins more!

Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (1)

In Italy, as in many parts of the Mediterranean basin, fish is often combined with tomatoes and other local ingredients to make delicious and quick one-pot-wonders like today's Sicilian-style fish stew.

I'll just come right out and say this now. This fish stew is best eaten with family and close friends because, if you eat it the right way--with crusty Italian bread to sop up the lovely sauce--it can get pretty messy. Finger-liking-good kinda messy!

Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (2)

This fish stew recipe is quite simple, but the balance of flavors is truly incredible. From lovely and familiar aromatics like onions and garlic--providing the glorious start to this recipe--to a hint of sweetness from golden raisins balanced with tart capers. All the while, a white wine and tomato-based broth marries everything together.

Sea bass fillet was my choice for this fish stew recipe, but you can use any firm white-fleshed fillets here.

Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (3)

I adapted this recipe from America's Test Kitchen's new book, The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook. Here's a great tip I picked up: To prevent the fish from overcooking and drying out, it's best to add the fish towards the end, when the stew is nearly done. Let it simmer until it's partially cooked, then turn the stove off and cover the pot to let the fish finish cooking by residual heat.

Add a salad!

If you like, add a simple green salad to start the meal or try one of these:

Kindey Bean and Cilantro Salad; Mediterranean Chickpea Salad; Greek Salad or Fattoush.

More recipes to try

Mediterranean-Style Steamed Clams

Easy Salmon Soup

One Pan Shrimp and Rice

Grilled Swordfish

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Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (4)

Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe

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  • Author: The Mediterranean Dish
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
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Description

An all-star recipe for fish stew with a Sicilian twist! The comfort of Italian flavors in one delicious stew cooked in a white wine-tomato broth with garlic, capers, raisins more!

Ingredients

Scale

  • Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 1 28-oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes, juice separated and reserved
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • 2 lb skinless sea bass fillet, about 1 ½-inch thick, cut into large cubes
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
  • 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts, optional
  • Crusty Italian bread for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in 5-quart Dutch oven (like this one) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and a little salt and pepper (about ½ teaspoon each). Cook, stirring regularly, until softened (about 4 minutes). Add thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook briefly until fragrant (about 30 more seconds).
  2. Now, stir in the white wine and reserved tomato juice from can. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about ½. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, raisins, and capers. Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat until flavors combine.
  3. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Insert the fish pieces into the cooking liquid, and give everything a gentle stir so that the fish pieces are nicely covered in the cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and cover. Let sit off heat for another 4-5 minutes so that the fish will finish cooking. Fish should be flaky when gently pulled apart with a paring knife. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.
  4. Ladle the hot fish stew into serving bowls, top each with a few toasted pine nuts, if you like. Serve with your favorite crusty bread! Enjoy!

Notes

  • Recipe adapted from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook
  • Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
  • Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Category: Entree/Soup
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean / Sicilian

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More Recipes to Try:

Mediterranean Fish Fillet, Shakshuka Style

Baked Sole Fillet Recipe

Mediterranean Wholre Roasted Baked Red Snapper

Greek Shrimp Recipe with Tomato and Feta

I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...
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Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish (2024)

FAQs

What is fish stew made of? ›

The stew works best with a firm white fish, such as halibut or cod. You could also use red snapper or even tilapia. Just stay away from delicate fish, such as sole or oily fish, such as tuna, for this stew. If you want, you can add some shrimp, clams and/or scallops to the stew as well.

What wine goes with fish stew? ›

Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Gris

The theory here is to match a full-bodied wine with a full-bodied dish. If you have a broth-based soup, chardonnay works wonderfully. If you have a fish that's a little oilier, such as bluefish or mackerel, try pinot gris or viognier, or an Italian grillo.

What is Bahamian fish stew made of? ›

Hearty Bahamian stews, traditionally made with either grouper or conch, are usually served for breakfast, but can be eaten any time of day. The thick brown gravy definitely sticks to your ribs and puts some heat in the belly – it is perfect for a rainy day in paradise.

When was fish stew invented? ›

It has its roots in history. The greeks and phoenicians brought it to Marseilles when they founded the city in 600 BC and during the centurys the method to cook fish in a broth with fennel and garlic developed. In the 1700s they started to add tomatos, And so on.

What is a fancy name for fish stew? ›

Bouillabaisse (Provençal fish stew originating from Marseille, France) Bourride (another fish stew from Provence) Brudet (Italian, from Adriatic sea) Buridda (Italian, from Liguria)

Is fish stew good for you? ›

Since fish contain many essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and high quality proteins, moderate consumption (including pregnant women and young children) of a variety of fish is recommended. In addition, fish soup can be a source of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids.

What do you drink with fish stew? ›

To complement the Fish, and also match Tomatoes and Chili, we suggest a full bodied, crisp white wine with good fruit and acidity. Riesling has the right acidity, and a little residual sugar for the spices. A cooled down Lambrusco will also do the job, because it loves Tomatoes and Spices.

What drink goes with fish stew? ›

White wine, particularly varieties like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, often pairs well with seafood due to their crisp acidity and light, fruity flavors. Additionally, a dry sparkling wine or champagne can complement seafood dishes nicely.

What alcohol is best to drink with stew? ›

Top pairings

Stews tend to be intensely flavoured with a rich thick sauce so you could argue that you need a big wine to hold its own. But that can be overwhelming. I prefer a slightly lighter more rustic red - grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Malbec and Tempranillo hit the spot for me.

What is kajaik fish stew? ›

Kajaik is a stew made with freshwater fish; this dish is particularly popular in South Sudan, due to the large number of lakes and rivers in this region. The freshwater fish is dried, and added to the broth with vegetables. Kajaik is commonly served with asseeda, a Sudanese porridge.

What is the rich fish stew that originated in Marseille France? ›

Bouillabaisse is a type of seafood stew that originated in Marseille, France. The name bouillabaisse comes from the Provencal Occitan word bolhabaissa, which means to boil and simmer.

What is the difference between fish stew and fish soup? ›

Fish soups are similar to fish stews, and in some cases there may not be a clear distinction between the two; however, fish soups generally have more liquid than stews. Fish soups have been made since early times.

What does cioppino mean in Italian? ›

The word “cioppino” comes from the Ligurian dialect “ciuppin” and means “chopped, torn to pieces”. This unfussy soup was consumed by mariners and port workers in taverns and inns around the Ligurian harbors.

Do they serve cioppino in Italy? ›

Today, Cioppino is generally made from cooking seafood in a broth and is often served in a crab shell. The name is believed to come from cioppino, a classic Italian soup from Liguria, a region in Italy, that uses less tomato in the broth.

What part of Italy is cioppino from? ›

Cioppino was developed in the late 1800s by Italian immigrants who fished off Meiggs Wharf and lived in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, many from the port city of Genoa.

What is stew made in? ›

stew is solid ingredients cooked in liquid and served in gravy. So far, so good. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables, pulses, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, and may include meat, though this is optional, as are additional flavourings: salt, pepper, garlic, herbs and spices.

What is the meaning of fish stew? ›

highly seasoned soup or stew made of freshwater fishes (eel, carp, perch) with wine and stock.

What makes a dish a stew? ›

stew, dish of meat, poultry, or fish, usually with vegetables, cooked in liquid in a closed vessel over low heat. Prepared properly, the stew never boils, but simmers at about 190 °F (88 °C), a process that tenderizes tougher foods and mingles flavours.

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