Bouillabaisse-Inspired Seafood Stew with Saffron Broth

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-24 · Updated 2026-05-24

A fragrant seafood stew featuring shrimp, mussels, and white fish simmered in a saffron-infused tomato broth with fennel and garlic. This French-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 45 minutes, pairs olive oil, fennel bulb, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small, thinly sliced fennel bulb
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 1 1/4 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 4 cups fish stock or seafood broth
• 1/2 tsp, soaked in 2 tbsp warm water saffron threads
• 1 bay leaf
• 12 oz, cut into 2-inch pieces white fish fillets (cod or halibut)
• 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 lb mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• for serving lemon wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb and 1 diced yellow onion, sauté for 6-7 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute more.
2. Step 2: Stir in 1 1/4 cups canned diced tomatoes, 4 cups fish stock, 1/2 tsp soaked saffron with its water, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to develop flavors.
3. Step 3: Add 12 oz white fish pieces, 8 shrimp, and 1 lb mussels to the broth. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes until mussels open and seafood is cooked through. Discard any unopened mussels.
4. Step 4: Season the stew with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley over the top and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.