Delicious Fish Soup, San Francisco Style: Tadich Grill Cioppino Recipe for Two (2024)

Janet A. Zimmerman

An award-winning food writer, cooking instructor, and author of five cookbooks. She focuses on dinners for two and date night cuisine.

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Updated on 11/23/21

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup carrot, peeled, trimmed, and chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup seafood stock, or water
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 pinches cayenne pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons licorice liqueur, such as Herbsaint, Pernod, or Pastis
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4 to 6 ounces grouper, or other firm white fish such as cod, halibut, or snapper
24 ounces shellfish, such as peeled medium shrimp or shelled crabmeat
6 to 8 mussels, or small clams
1 to 2 tablespoons fennel fronds, chopped, or parsley, or a combination, for garnish
2 large sea scallops, optional
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
In a heavy medium-sized soup pot or saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the onion, carrot, celery, and fennel. Sprinkle with salt. Stir and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, until vegetables have begun to soften and brown a little. Add the garlic and stir it in, cooking for another minute or so.
Add the tomato paste and stir, using the back of the spoon to break the paste apart and coat the vegetables as much as possible. Cook for a few minutes, until the tomato paste begins to darken slightly.
Add the wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until most of the wine has evaporated.
Add the tomatoes (with liquid), stock or water, herbs (bay leaf, oregano, thyme, basil), and cayenne. Stir and taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper if necessary. Add the licorice liqueur, reduce heat, and simmer soup for at least an hour. (The soup base can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated or frozen.)
About 15 minutes before serving, bring the soup back to a simmer (if necessary).
Cut the fish into chunks about 2 inches by 1 inch. Scrub the mussels or clams.
Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the mussels or clams and cover the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shells open.
If using the optional scallops, sprinkle with salt. Just before adding the clams or mussels to the pot, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil to form a thick coat of oil on the bottom. Just when the oil begins to smoke, turn down the heat slightly and add the scallops. As the mussels or clams steam, cook the scallops for 2 to 3 minutes, until deep golden brown. Turn them over and cook the other side for a couple of minutes. Remove to a small plate.
Turn the heat back down on the soup pot to a simmer and add the fish. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the shrimp and crab. Cook for 2 minutes or just until shrimp are done, and crab is warmed through.
When the soup is ready, place a scallop in the center of each large soup bowl (if using scallops). Ladle the soup into the large soup bowls. Sprinkle with parsley or fennel fronds.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1757	Calories
71g	Fat
54g	Carbs
196g	Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	1757
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 71g	91%
Saturated Fat 16g	81%
Cholesterol 1003mg	334%
Sodium 5453mg	237%
Total Carbohydrate 54g	20%
Dietary Fiber 7g	24%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 196g
Vitamin C 87mg	437%
Calcium 586mg	45%
Iron 30mg	169%
Potassium 2989mg	64%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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Delicious Fish Soup, San Francisco Style: Tadich Grill Cioppino Recipe for Two (2024)

FAQs

How much is the Cioppino at tadich grill? ›

I would say for excellent food and classic co*cktails accompanied by some of the most entertaining waiters, this should be on the list of things to do. At $38.00 a serving, the Cioppino is not cheap, but it is satisfying, more than enough for one meal or easily enough for two to share.

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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.

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What is Cioppino soup made of? ›

Description. Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in San Francisco is typically a combination of Dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish, all sourced from the ocean, in this case the Pacific. The seafood is then combined with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce.

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What is the difference between Cioppino and Bouillabaisse? ›

Q: What is the difference between bouillabaisse and cioppino? A: Actually there isn't much difference other than Cioppino is Italian with a tomato-based broth and bouillabaisse is French with a bit of saffron and chopped tomatoes added to a fish broth.

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Why did Tadich grill closing? ›

The Covid-19 pandemic forced the restaurant's first closure in its history. However, while the restaurant was temporarily closed to dining for 55 weeks, take-out, delivery and online merchandise sales continued thanks to a loyal customer base.

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What is the oldest restaurant in California? ›

The Tadich Grill is an American seafood restaurant located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1849, it is the oldest running restaurant in California.

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What do you eat with cioppino? ›

What do you serve with cioppino? A big slice of sourdough bread — buttered and toasted — is the traditional accompaniment and a nod to another iconic San Francisco food. However, cioppino can also be served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.

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Why is cioppino so popular? ›

Cioppino is a popular Italian-American seafood stew that originated in San Francisco, California. It is a flavorful and hearty dish known for its rich, tomato-based broth and a variety of seafood ingredients. Cioppino is often served with crusty bread or over pasta.

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Can you serve pasta with cioppino? ›

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente. Serve Cioppino over pasta and garnish with chives.

How long does cioppino last in the refrigerator? ›

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This cioppino is meant to be eaten right away. How to Store: This will hold well in the refrigerator covered up for up to 3 days.

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What is another name for cioppino? ›

Cioppino, bourride, brodetto, cacciucco, zarzuela, gumbo. Fish soup. Shellfish stew.

How do you eat cioppino? ›

The catch of the day from the San Francisco Bay is usually a combination of Dungeness crab, clams, bay scallops, shrimp, squid, mussels, and fish. Bowls of cioppino are served with plenty of fresh San Francisco sourdough bread that is dipped into the sauce to sop up the rich, flavorful broth.

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What white wine goes with cioppino? ›

Vermentino is an Italian white wine with snappy complexity. It has excellent acidity and intensity, with fruity notes like lime, pink grapefruit, peach, and pineapple. Vermentino pairs well with dishes higher in garlic and fennel—like cioppino.

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What wine goes with cioppino? ›

If your version of Cioppino is lighter on the tomato base, then go with the Contesa Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. However, if you choose to follow the recipe at the bottom of this post, then the Notàri Montepulciano is the better choice.

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Does Tadich Grill have valet parking? ›

If there is a wait, enjoy a beverage or appetizer at the bar – always fun! We are easily accessible via BART, Cable Car, Ferry Boat, and Bus, but if you must drive, valet service after 5pm or nearby parking lots are available.

When was Tadich Grill opened? ›

Tadich Grill, now in the city's Financial District, opened in 1849, before California became a state. SAN FRANCISCO — Even on the rainiest of nights, the neon-lettered sign breaks through the fog, and the door opens into a dim, moody restaurant where a very long deco bar looks like the wooden deck of a ship.

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What is the history of Cioppino in San Francisco? ›

Many dishes were invented in San Francisco and Cioppino is one of them! Here's the story and history of San Francisco Cioppino. Cioppino is a tomato-based seafood stew that was invented by the San Francisco Italian fishermen of North Beach in the late 1800s using whatever seafood was leftover from the day's catch.