Zuppa di
Pesce
Campanian-style fish & shellfish soup
Pieces of fish and squid share a tomato broth with mussels and clams, served with toasted bread for the juices.
Tomato fish soup with bread & parsleyFish in tomato broth,
a Campanian coastal bowl.
Zuppa di pesce means fish soup, a broad name for many coastal Italian preparations. Different fish, shellfish and cooking liquids produce different bowls. Tomato, garlic, olive oil and parsley are familiar partners, with bread alongside to take up the broth.
The Campanian-style preparation chosen here combines white fish, squid, mussels and clams, following a staged tomato braise. The home recipe uses boneless fillet pieces and prepared fish stock for a manageable pot, rather than whole spiny fish. It is a substantial seafood main. Other coasts have their own fish soups, each reflecting local fish and preferences.
Explore by food: Fish & seafood · Soups
Let’s make zuppa di pesce.
Four substantial mains with boneless white-fish fillets, cleaned squid, live mussels and purged live clams. Prepared fish stock and purchased bread are starting ingredients.
Four substantial seafood mains; fish and squid weights are after cleaning, shellfish weights include shells.
Toast the bread while the fish simmers during the final cooking stage.
What you’ll need
- 600 gfirm boneless white-fish fillets, such as hake or monkfish, cut into 4 cm pieces
- 250 gcleaned squid, cut into 1 cm pieces
- 500 glive mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 500 gpurged live clams
- 3garlic cloves, crushed and divided
- 45 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 100 mldry white wine
- 500 gcanned crushed tomatoes
- 700 mlprepared low-salt fish stock
- 200 mlwater, for steaming shellfish, divided
- ⅛ tspdried chili flakes
- 2 tbspchopped parsley
- 4slices country bread, about 40 g each
- to tastefine salt and black pepper
The cooking allowance includes separate steaming, straining/shelling, squid braise and fish cooking. Bread toasts alongside the final fish stage. Cleaning whole fish, additional clam purging, thawing and making stock are separate. Larger squid can extend the braise.
How to make it
- 01
Steam shellfish in two batches
Discard cracked shellfish and any open ones. Bring 100 ml steaming water to a vigorous simmer in a lidded pot. Steam mussels, covered, for 7–9 minutes until fully open and cooked through; discard closed ones. Repeat with clams and remaining water for 7–9 minutes. Strain juices through a fine sieve lined with damp kitchen paper. Shell most mussels and clams, keeping a few shells for serving.
- 02
Begin the squid braise
Warm oil with two garlic cloves and chili in a wide lidded pot for 1–2 minutes. Add squid for 3 minutes, then wine for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and fish stock. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 25–30 minutes, until squid is tender. Add up to 150 ml strained shellfish liquid after tasting it; use less if salty.
- 03
Add the fish
Check fish carefully for remaining bones. Nestle pieces into the simmering broth. Cook gently for about 7–10 minutes, turning only if necessary, until fish flakes easily and the thickest pieces reach 63°C/145°F. Avoid stirring vigorously.
- 04
Toast bread and warm shellfish
Meanwhile toast bread on both sides in a dry skillet. Rub lightly with the remaining garlic clove. Fold cooked mussels and clams into the soup and heat through for 1–2 minutes. Remove the two sauce garlic cloves, add parsley and season with pepper and salt after tasting.
- 05
Serve in deep bowls
Divide seafood and broth among four bowls, including a few shells in each. Put toasted bread alongside or partly in the broth and serve immediately, with a bowl for empty shells.
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