Bouillabaisse (Provençal Fish Stew)

Other Fast With Fish Published March 09, 2026

Bouillabaisse is the great fish stew of Marseille — a saffron-scented broth teeming with multiple types of fish and shellfish, served with crusty bread and rouille (a garlicky, spicy olive oil sauce). It was fisherman's food, made from whatever the nets brought in that could not be sold at market. Today it is a celebration, and on a fish day during the fast it is the most extravagant thing you can legitimately put on the table.

The key is variety — use at least three different types of fish and shellfish. The more varied the pot, the more complex the broth.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Fish
SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

For the stew:
- 300g firm white fish (sea bass, monkfish, or John Dory), cut into large chunks
- 300g salmon or other oily fish, cut into chunks
- 300g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 200g large shrimp, shell-on
- 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, diced
- 1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced thin
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 250ml dry white wine
- 1 liter fish stock or water
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
- 1 strip orange zest (about 5cm)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

For the rouille:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 roasted red pepper (jarred is fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water
- 80ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- Salt to taste

- Crusty bread, sliced and toasted, for serving

METHOD

1. Make the rouille: blend the garlic, roasted pepper, cayenne, saffron with its water, and breadcrumbs in a food processor until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt. Refrigerate until needed.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, leek, and fennel. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes, fish stock, saffron, orange zest, bay leaves, and fennel seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

5. Add the firm white fish chunks first — they take longest to cook. Simmer for 3 minutes.

6. Add the salmon, mussels, and shrimp. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes until the mussels open and the shrimp are pink.

7. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Remove the bay leaves and orange zest.

8. Ladle the stew into deep bowls, distributing the fish and shellfish evenly. Scatter with parsley. Serve with toasted bread spread with rouille.

NOTES

- Traditional rouille contains egg yolk — this version uses breadcrumbs for body instead, keeping it fasting-compliant while maintaining the texture.
- The orange zest and fennel are essential Provençal flavors. Do not skip them.
- Add delicate fish last and firm fish first. Overcooked fish disintegrates in the broth.
- This is a dish best made for a group. The effort-to-portion ratio improves dramatically with scale.
- The broth can be made a day ahead through step 4 and reheated before adding the seafood.