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Bouillabaisse (Classic French Fish Soup)

Bouillabaisse (Classic French Fish Soup)

This classic French fish soup, bouillabaisse, embodies the flavors of the sea and traditional ingredients.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 4 servings
Calories 540 kcal

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • Dutch oven
  • Food Processor

Ingredients
  

Fish

  • 1 lb fresh white fish such as cod, seabass or monkfish
  • 2 cups shrimps
  • 1 lb mussels

Bouillabaisse soup

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 small fennel bulb
  • 1 leek
  • 5 saffron threads
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-5 tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 lb potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 orange
  • 1 liter fish broth
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoon pastis Pernod Ricard
  • Salt
  • Fresh parsley

Rouille sauce

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 slices bread, baguette
  • 6 saffron threads
  • 1 teaspoon paprika powder
  • 1 teaspoon Piment d'espelette or cayenne pepper
  • 1 pinch salt
  • A few drops of lemon juice
  • cup olive oil

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Thinly slice onion, fennel and leek. Cut tomatoes and potatoes into cubes.
  • In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, fennel and leek. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.
  • Add the fennel seeds, saffron threads, garlic, tomatoes and orange zest. Stir and cook for a few minutes to release the flavors.
  • Deglaze with pastis and white wine. Remove the orange zest, then pour in the fish stock.
  • Optional: blend the soup and pass through a sieve to remove any lumps. Set aside in the saucepan.
  • Add the potatoes, bay leaf and orange zest and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
  • Rinse the mussels well and remove any open or broken ones. Cut the fish into cubes. Pour over the fish, shrimps and mussels.
  • Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through, the shrimps are pink and the mussels have opened.
  • Discard any mussels that have not opened during cooking.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and pour the bouillabaisse into serving bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Rouille sauce preparation

  • Infuse saffron with lemon juice. Using a food processor or a hand blender, blend egg yolks, garlic, Dijon mustard, soaked bread, saffron mix, salt, paprika, and piment d'espelette.
  • Gradually drizzle in olive oil while blending until creamy. Adjust seasoning, chill for 30 minutes, and serve with fish stew or as a dip for bread and veggies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 65gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 263mgSodium: 1306mgPotassium: 2401mgFiber: 9gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1783IUVitamin C: 77mgCalcium: 301mgIron: 7mg
Keyword Bouillabaisse, fish soup, French cuisine, seafood, traditional
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