An all-star recipe for fish stew with a Sicilian twist! The comfort of Italian flavors in one delicious stew cooked in a white wine-tomato broth with garlic, capers, raisins more!
In Italy, as in many parts of the Mediterranean basin, fish is often combined with tomatoes and other local ingredients to make delicious and quick one-pot-wonders like today’s Sicilian-style fish stew.
I’ll just come right out and say this now. This fish stew is best eaten with family and close friends because, if you eat it the right way–with crusty Italian bread to sop up the lovely sauce–it can get pretty messy. Finger-liking-good kinda messy!
This fish stew recipe is quite simple, but the balance of flavors is truly incredible. From lovely and familiar aromatics like onions and garlic–providing the glorious start to this recipe–to a hint of sweetness from golden raisins balanced with tart capers. All the while, a white wine and tomato-based broth marries everything together.
Sea bass fillet was my choice for this fish stew recipe, but you can use any firm white-fleshed fillets here.
I adapted this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s new book, The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook. Here’s a great tip I picked up: To prevent the fish from overcooking and drying out, it’s best to add the fish towards the end, when the stew is nearly done. Let it simmer until it’s partially cooked, then turn the stove off and cover the pot to let the fish finish cooking by residual heat.
Add a salad!
If you like, add a simple green salad to start the meal or try one of these:
Kindey Bean and Cilantro Salad; Mediterranean Chickpea Salad; Greek Salad or Fattoush.
More recipes to try
Mediterranean-Style Steamed Clams
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Sicilian-Style Fish Stew Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
Description
An all-star recipe for fish stew with a Sicilian twist! The comfort of Italian flavors in one delicious stew cooked in a white wine-tomato broth with garlic, capers, raisins more!
Ingredients
- Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 28-oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes, juice separated and reserved
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 2 lb skinless sea bass fillet, about 1 1/2-inch thick, cut into large cubes
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
- 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts, optional
- Crusty Italian bread for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in 5-quart Dutch oven (like this one) over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and a little salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp each). Cook, stirring regularly, until softened (about 4 minutes). Add thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook briefly until fragrant (about 30 more seconds).
- Now, stir in the white wine and reserved tomato juice from can. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about 1/2. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, raisins, and capers. Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat until flavors combine.
- Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Insert the fish pieces into the cooking liquid, and give everything a gentle stir so that the fish pieces are nicely covered in the cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and cover. Let sit off heat for another 4-5 minutes so that the fish will finish cooking. Fish should be flaky when gently pulled apart with a paring knife. Finally, stir in the chopped parsley.
- Ladle the hot fish stew into serving bowls, top each with a few toasted pine nuts, if you like. Serve with your favorite crusty bread! Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe adapted from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Entree/Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean / Sicilian
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More Recipes to Try:
Mediterranean Fish Fillet, Shakshuka Style
Mediterranean Wholre Roasted Baked Red Snapper
Greek Shrimp Recipe with Tomato and Feta
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I’ve made it no fewer than 5 times for our big extended family dinner nights in the past few months. Everyone LOVES it, and I love that I can feel good about serving it to those who need to stick to a healthy eating plan. I’ve been making it with peeled/deveined shrimp and cod and it’s just lovely. I foresee this becoming a family classic in the years to come. Thank you!
Anne, makes my day to hear this! Thanks so much!
My old boss used to make a baccala-type stew, but with unsalted cod, every Friday. Tomatoes, raisins, and onions were in the dish, and it was my very favorite thing in the entire world. I am glad to find this recipe.
That sounds great, Daphane! I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and let us know what you think!!
Hi Suzy,
I’ll be making this again tonight. It’s become one of my Sunday favorites. Love your recipes, thank you so much!
-Mark
Mark, thank you so much! I am so glad to hear from you 🙂
Is it possible to make this to freeze? I have a lot of fish in the freezer and would like to cook ahead some dishes for handy dinners but afraid it would be too much for the fish?
You can freeze this after you make it, Terry. I would use a good freezer-safe container with a good tight lid. I’m one who’s in favor of finishing fish as soon as possible, but there really is no reason not to be able to freeze it.
Made this tonight the whole family enjoyed, easy to make and lots of good flavour
Kellie, so glad to hear your family enjoyed this! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe…Not only was it easy to make, but it was very favorful…I did add some Italian season, about 1 tsp and it was really good… Thank you again ?
Shelly, thanks so much for your feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!
This was amazing! Thank you for the recipe. And so easy. I used snapper and it was really good.
Kim, that’s awesome! I love snapper, and glad you were able to use it in this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Great recipe!! Used red wine instead
Great, Sasha! Thanks for sharing!!!
I have added mussels, clams, and shrimp along with the fish. I have also added a splash of Pernod which really doesn’t make my stew very Sicilian but it’s oh so delicious.
Mary Beth, I love to hear how people adapt recipes! Thanks for sharing your additions, they sound wonderful!
This stew had a very good flavor, but too much tomatoes for my taste. It just seemed like it needed something else added to it, although I don’t know what.
Glad you enjoyed it, Becky! The tomatoes are very characteristic of Sicilian cuisine, but you can certainly cut the amount down if you prefer.
Looking forward to your recipes.
Thank you! Glad to have you here!
wonderful recipe, drop dead easy to make
and a very authentic taste! I used Spanish Mackerel and a crisp dry riesling.
Also splashed the juice of a fresh lemon over the servings at the table.
Nicola potatoes and fresh rocket to soak up the juices! Divine!
Jane, thank you for giving it a try! I am so glad you liked it!!! And thanks for sharing your ideas!
I would love to try this but what can I use instead of white wine?
Hi Louise. You can probably try a quality white grape juice that’s not too sweet…I am not sure if you can find sugarless or unsweetened grape juice, but that may be ideal. And I would start with a lesser amount like 1/3 cup and go from there as you taste. Hope you enjoy it!
I will definitely use this website as my e-cookbook on our trip to Sicily.
I am the one cooking our meals in the apartment. I love doing it.
Visiting the local mercato in Taormina has always been a treat for me.
Do me a favor and publish some more Sicilian recipes.
Sincerely,
Roielyn
Awesome, Roielyn! Enjoy your time in Sicily!
Awesome, great flavors! It took me a bit longer, but will definitely make again!
Glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Fantastic photos ! Fantastic dish ! Thank you so much !