When I was a child I refused to try seafood; now as an adult (still a kid at heart) I can’t get enough. After a recent trip to Europe I tasted a beautiful tomato-based fisherman’s stew—known in France as bouillabaisse and in Italy as cioppino—and I knew I had to recreate it in the Instant Pot.
Pressure cooking makes this kind of stew surprisingly simple: the broth develops deep flavor quickly, and the seafood is added at the end so it finishes perfectly without overcooking.
Put on a nautical apron, maybe attempt a French accent, and get ready to impress guests with a rich, restaurant-quality bouillabaisse.
How I Made It
Start with a cleaned, rinsed leek. Leeks can hold soil, so rinse them thoroughly, remove the tough top and root end, peel away the outer layers, and use the tender center.
Slice the white and light green parts finely—about 1/2 cup once chopped.
In the Instant Pot, melt butter on Sauté (More/High) and add the chopped leeks.
Cook the leeks for a few minutes until they begin to brown and crisp—watch closely so they don’t burn.
When they’re nicely browned, add a large can of crushed tomatoes.
Stir in a flavorful fish broth—Homemade, fish stock, or a concentrated base with water works well—to build the stew’s foundation.
Add fresh lemon juice for brightness, a splash of cooking sherry for depth, and dried herbs—basil and parsley—for fragrance.
Season with Old Bay, a pinch of saffron for color and subtle aroma, seasoned salt, and a bay leaf. Stir everything together, seal the Instant Pot, and pressure cook on High for 5 minutes. The seafood is intentionally omitted at this stage since different types require different short cook times.
After pressure cooking, remove the bay leaf, switch to Sauté on Medium, and begin adding seafood in stages so each component finishes just right.
Start with a firm white fish—cod, snapper, or similar—cut into bite-size pieces. Let it simmer for about two minutes.
Add shrimp and scallops next and simmer a couple more minutes; shrimp will curl and turn opaque when done.
Fold in lump crab meat last—gently stirring to warm it through without breaking up the lumps.
Finish with a tablespoon of half-and-half or heavy cream to round the flavors and give the broth a silky mouthfeel.
Stir gently, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The result is a rich, aromatic bouillabaisse loaded with tender seafood and a bright tomato-saffron broth.
Ladle into bowls, making sure each serving includes a mix of fish, shrimp, scallops, and crab.
Savor a spoonful and enjoy the layered flavors: bright lemon, savory broth, saffron, and fresh seafood.
No bouillabaisse is complete without crusty French bread for dipping—tear off a good piece, soak up the broth, and relish the combination.
Enjoy this magnifique Instant Pot bouillabaisse—flexible enough to accept mussels, clams, squid, or lobster if you prefer. If using mussels or clams, you can pressure cook them with the stew; for octopus, calamari, or lobster, add them with the shrimp and scallops so they finish properly.
Bon appétit!
At the time this post was created, Pressure Luck used Southeastern Mills products for broth and base ingredients as part of a sponsorship.
Instant Pot Bouillabaisse (Fish Stew)
This French, tomato-based fisherman’s stew has it all: scallops, shrimp, cod, crab. Have a crusty baguette ready for serving.
Ingredients
- 1/2 stick (4 tbsp) salted butter
- 1 leek, rinsed and finely chopped (use the tender center)
- 4 cups fish broth (or clam/chicken broth)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1/3 cup cooking sherry
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2–1 tsp saffron
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lb white fish, boned and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 lb fresh scallops
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 1/2 lb lump crab meat
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or half & half
- Loaf of French bread for dipping
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté (More/High). Melt butter, add leeks, and cook 3–5 minutes until browned and slightly crisp.
- Add crushed tomatoes, fish broth, sherry, lemon juice, basil, parsley, Old Bay, saffron, seasoned salt, and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Secure lid and pressure cook on High for 5 minutes. Quick release when finished.
- Remove bay leaf. Switch to Sauté on Medium. Add white fish and cook 2 minutes. Add shrimp and scallops and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in crab meat and cream for 1 minute. Turn Instant Pot off or to Keep Warm to avoid overcooking.
- Serve in bowls with French bread for dipping.