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Get ready to enjoy a single serving of Cioppino in just 15 minutes. This seafood stew, filled with tomatoes, onions, and garlic, is an ideal quick meal for seafood lovers. Experience the rich and classic flavors of this delightful stew, tailored for one.
Enjoy your cioppino with some tasty sides. Pair it with crusty French Bread, fluffy Butter Swim Biscuits, a crisp Cucumber Salad, or comforting Buttered Noodles. Each side adds its own delicious flavor to complement your meal.
Why You’ll Love This Cioppino Recipe
- Quick: Ready in just 15 minutes.
- Flavorful: Combines multiple seafood with aromatic herbs and spices.
- Versatile: Easily adapted to suit what you have on hand.
- Healthy: Packed with protein and omega-3 from the seafood.
- Perfect Size: Made to enjoy on your own without leftovers.
What Is Cioppino?
Cioppino is a seafood medley stew, traditionally brimming with the finest picks from the ocean, simmered in a flavorful tomato-based broth. Emerging from the Italian-American communities in San Francisco, Cioppino reflects the city’s maritime culture. Fishermen would add their catch of the day to a shared pot, creating this luscious and communal seafood stew.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy cioppino recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this cioppino recipe as well as in every other recipe on One Dish Kitchen that calls for olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. It is an unrefined oil and the highest-quality olive oil you can buy. Because of the way extra virgin olive oil is made, it retains more true olive taste. It also contains more of the vitamins and minerals found in olives. It’s my favorite type of olive oil to use but you may use a lighter olive oil or avocado oil instead.
- Onions and garlic: Finely chopped onions and garlic add quite a lot of flavor to this seafood stew, definitely don’t leave them out.
- Tomatoes: I use 1 to 2 medium-sized Roma tomatoes which weigh about 3-ounces total. Feel free to use another type of tomato, if preferred. Extra tomatoes can be used to make a fresh Tomato Salad.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and black pepper add tremendous flavor to the stew. If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular paprika or a hint of cayenne can be used.
- Salt: I use a small amount of kosher salt in my cioppino recipe. Be sure to taste the soup and add more if necessary. If you use broth instead of water, you might not need to add any extra salt because the broth is already salted.
- Water: Feel free to use seafood, vegetable, or chicken broth instead.
- Fish: This recipe calls for using 3-ounces of cod. Feel free to use tilapia, catfish, or another white fish. You can use extra fish to make Fish Tacos.
- Shrimp: Use 3 to 4 medium-sized shrimp. Always feel free to add more shrimp if you’d like. Consider using leftover shrimp in Shrimp Étouffée, Shrimp and Grits, or Shrimp Fettuccine.
Recipe Variations
Looking to switch things up a bit? Here are some delightful twists to the classic Cioppino:
- Mediterranean Mix: Add olives and capers for a Mediterranean touch.
- Creamy Cioppino: Stir in a splash of heavy cream or coconut milk for a creamy variation.
- Spicy Kick: Add red chili flakes or cayenne for heat.
- Herbal Refresh: Use fresh basil or parsley for a more herbaceous flavor.
How To Make Cioppino For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make a single serving of cioppino. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and paprika, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cod and shrimp. Return to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the seafood is completely cooked. Season with salt and black pepper.
Expert Tips
- Wine Option: While this cioppino recipe is wine-free for simplicity, you can add 1/4 cup of dry red or white wine after sautéing onions and garlic. Let the wine reduce by half before adding tomatoes.
- Seafood Variety: Feel free to mix up the fish types. Scallops, clams, and mussels are great additions.
- Spicy Touch: For a bit of heat, add a small pinch of chili pepper flakes.
- Doubling Up: This recipe can be easily doubled. Just ensure your pot is big enough and double the ingredients.
- Storage: Store the cioppino in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a saucepan or microwave until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cioppino is pronounced sha-pee-no. The name comes from the Italian word, ciuppin which means “to chop” or “chopped”. It described the process of making the stew by chopping up various leftovers from the day’s seafood catch.
Cioppino is an Italian seafood stew that originated in San Francisco, California.
Traditionally, cioppino is served hot. Although you could eat it cold, I would not recommend it because the flavors and textures of the seafood would be changed.
Cioppino is similar to bouillabaisse, a French seafood stew that is cooked the same way. In both, the catch of the day is simmered in a rich broth which results in a heart-healthy, delicious meal. With cioppino, the broth is tomato-based and with bouillabaisse, the broth is fish stock-based.
To peel shrimp:
* Pull off the legs.
* Using your fingers, crack open the underside of the shell and peel it off.
* Pinch the tail where it meets the body of the shrimp and pull off.
To devein shrimp:
* Gently run a paring knife along the back of the shrimp.
* Look for the vein. It will look like a long, dark, gritty string. Using the tip of your knife, pull it out.
More Single Serving Soup Recipes
Explore our curated selection of single serving soup recipes, perfectly portioned to satisfy your cravings without the leftovers.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this easy cioppino recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Easy Cioppino For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic , chopped
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- ¾ cup water
- 3 ounces cod ,cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 medium shrimp , peeled and deveined
Instructions
- In a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cod and shrimp. Return to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the seafood is completely cooked.
- Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary. Pour into a bowl and enjoy while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Can you freeze this soup
Yes, you can freeze cioppino. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Just had to write to let you know how great this recipe is — not to mention easy and quick too! Very tasty as well. Second time I’ve made it today, and added scallops. Couldn’t be any better. Thank you for scaling this to a single (or double) serving!
Joanie I have had the worst luck making this dish using other recipes. My wife doesn’t care for it so making smaller portions has not gone well for me. Finally, thankfully, you have now given me a recipe I can easily double (because I will want more for lunch the next day).
I have all the ingredients on hand now, including some crusty french bread, so this is dinner for me tonight! Fear not for my wife, I am making grilled salmon filet with sautéed asparagus and crusty french bread for her.
Thanks Joanie!
I’m thrilled to hear that our recipe has worked out so well for you! It’s great that you can easily double it for an extra serving – perfect for lunch the next day. And it sounds like you have a fantastic dinner plan with the crusty French bread. Your wife’s meal with the grilled salmon filet and sautéed asparagus sounds delicious too. Both dishes are sure to make for a wonderful dinner.
Absolutely delicious!! Will be making this often
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you.
This was delicious.
I used tilapia and bok crab claws. I didn’t have fresh tomatoes so I used 1/2 cup diced tomatoes and used chicken stock instead of water (a habit of mine).
I will definitely make this again.