Bouillabaisse Soup
Bouillabaisse soup combines mussels and ripe tomatoes in white wine broth, seasoned with bay leaf and fresh parsley. Serves 4.
TOTAL TIME
37 min
ACTIVE TIME
23 min
QUANTITY
~3.55 kg
DIFFICULTY
Easy
CUISINE
—
Who’s eating
A
Cooking for A typical adult.
This should leave everyone comfortably full.
Ingredients0/23
Tools0/13
Ingredients0/23 gathered · 4 servings
300g
200g
300g300g
1piece
1piece
1piece
2piece
4piece
400g
1piece
60ml
2tbsp
200ml
800ml
400ml
1pinch
2piece
3piece
2tsp
1tsp
1piece
15g| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 300g | — | — | |
| 2 | | 200g | — | — | |
| 3 | | 300g | — | — | |
| 4 | 300g | — | — | ||
| 5 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 6 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 7 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 8 | | 2piece | — | — | |
| 9 | | 4piece | — | — | |
| 10 | | 400g | — | — | |
| 11 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 12 | | 60ml | — | — | |
| 13 | | 2tbsp | — | — | |
| 14 | | 200ml | — | — | |
| 15 | | 800ml | — | — | |
| 16 | | 400ml | — | — | |
| 17 | | 1pinch | — | — | |
| 18 | | 2piece | — | — | |
| 19 | | 3piece | — | — | |
| 20 | | 2tsp | — | — | |
| 21 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 22 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 23 | | 15g | — | — |
Tools16 items
Procedure46 steps
1 of 46
Scrub the mussels under cold running water, pulling away any beards, and discard any that stay open when tapped.
Mussels · 300 g
⏱ 2 min
ResultScrubbed musselsused in step 422 of 46
Rinse the prawns briefly under cold water and leave them to drain in the colander.
Raw king prawns · 200 g⏱ 15s
ResultRinsed king prawnsused in step 413 of 46
Cut the sea bass fillets into roughly 5 cm chunks, keeping the skin on.
Sea bass fillets · 300 g
⏱ 40s
ResultSliced sea bassused in step 404 of 46
Cut the monkfish fillet into roughly 5 cm chunks.
Monkfish fillet · 300 g
⏱ 40s
ResultSliced monkfishused in step 385 of 46
Halve the onion and peel away the papery skin.
White onion · 1 piece
⏱ 20s
ResultPeeled onion7 of 46
Cut away the fronds and tough outer layer of the fennel bulb, reserving the fronds if you like.
Fennel bulb · 1 piece⏱ 20s
ResultTrimmed fennel bulb8 of 46
Slice the trimmed fennel thinly, cutting through the root to keep the slices together.
⏱ 30s
ResultThinly sliced fennelused in step 199 of 46
Cut off the dark green top and the root end of the leek.
Leek · 1 piece⏱ 20s
ResultTrimmed leeks11 of 46
Slice the celery stalks thinly on the diagonal.
Celery stalk · 2 piece⏱ 30s
ResultSliced celeryused in step 2112 of 46
Crush each garlic clove with the flat of a knife and peel away the skin.
Garlic clove · 4 piece⏱ 30s
ResultPeeled garlic cloves14 of 46
Roughly chop the tomatoes into large irregular chunks.
Ripe tomatoes · 400 g⏱ 45s
ResultRoughly chopped tomatoesused in step 2615 of 46
Finely grate the zest of the orange into a small bowl, taking only the bright orange layer.
Orange · 1 piece
⏱ 30s
ResultGrated orange zestused in step 3316 of 46
Pour the olive oil into a large heavy-based saucepan.
Extra-virgin olive oil · 60 ml
⏱ 5s
ResultExtra-virgin olive oil17 of 46
Set the pan over a medium heat and warm the oil until it shimmers.
⏱ 1 min
ResultHot olive oil18 of 46
Tip the finely chopped onion into the hot oil.
⏱ 10s
ResultFinely chopped white onion and hot olive oil19 of 46
Add the thinly sliced fennel to the pan.
⏱ 10s
ResultThinly sliced fennel and finely chopped white onion and hot olive oil22 of 46
Stir the vegetables frequently and cook them over a medium heat until they are completely soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
⏱ 8 min
ResultSoftened aromatic vegetables23 of 46
Add the finely chopped garlic to the softened vegetables.
⏱ 10s
ResultSoftened aromatic vegetables and finely chopped garlic24 of 46
Spoon the tomato paste into the pan.
Tomato paste · 2 tbsp⏱ 10s
ResultSoftened aromatic vegetables and finely chopped garlic and tomato paste25 of 46
Stir the tomato paste and garlic into the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for about 90 seconds until the paste darkens slightly and smells fragrant.
⏱ 1 min 30s
ResultTomato-coated aromatic base26 of 46
Tip the roughly chopped tomatoes into the pan.
⏱ 10s
ResultRoughly chopped tomatoes and tomato-coated aromatic base27 of 46
Pour in the dry white wine.
Dry white wine · 200 ml⏱ 10s
ResultRoughly chopped tomatoes and tomato-coated aromatic base and dry white wine28 of 46
Pour in the fish stock.
Fish stock · 800 ml⏱ 10s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture29 of 46
Add the water to bring the soup to a good volume.
Water · 400 ml⏱ 10s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture30 of 46
Crumble the saffron threads into the liquid.
Saffron threads · 1 pinch⏱ 10s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture31 of 46
Drop in the bay leaves.
Bay leaf · 2 piece⏱ 5s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture32 of 46
Add the thyme sprigs.
Fresh thyme sprigs · 3 piece⏱ 5s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture33 of 46
Stir in the orange zest.
⏱ 5s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture34 of 46
Season the broth with the sea salt.
Fine sea salt · 2 tsp⏱ 5s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture35 of 46
Season the broth with the ground black pepper.
Ground black pepper · 1 tsp⏱ 5s
ResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture36 of 46
Bring the soup to a rolling boil over a high heat and let it boil vigorously for 5 minutes to meld the flavours.
⏱ 5 min
ResultBouillabaisse broth37 of 46
Reduce the heat to a steady simmer.
⏱ 10s
ResultReduced-heat bouillabaisse broth38 of 46
Lower the monkfish pieces into the simmering broth.
⏱ 10s
ResultReduced-heat bouillabaisse broth and sliced monkfish39 of 46
Simmer gently for 2 minutes before adding the next fish.
⏱ 2 min
ResultPart-cooked bouillabaisse40 of 46
Slide the sea bass pieces into the pan.
⏱ 10s
ResultPart-cooked bouillabaisse and sliced sea bass41 of 46
Add the rinsed prawns to the pan.
⏱ 10s
ResultRinsed king prawns and part-cooked bouillabaisse and sliced sea bass42 of 46
Tip the scrubbed mussels into the pan.
⏱ 10s
ResultRinsed king prawn mixture43 of 46
Cover the pan and simmer for 4 minutes until the mussels have opened, the prawns are pink, and the fish is just cooked through — discard any mussels that remain firmly shut.
⏱ 4 min
ResultCooked bouillabaisseused in step 4544 of 46
Cut the baguette on the diagonal into slices about 1.5 cm thick.
Baguette · 1 piece⏱ 30s
45 of 46
Ladle the soup generously into 4 warm soup bowls, distributing the fish, prawns and mussels evenly.
⏱ 30s
ResultLadled bouillabaisse46 of 46
Scatter the flat-leaf parsley over the soup and serve immediately with the sliced baguette alongside.
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves · 15 g⏱ 15s
ResultBouillabaisse SoupTotal Time37 min
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300 g | | Scrub the mussels under cold running water, pulling away any beards, and discard any that stay open when tapped.⏱ 2 minResultScrubbed musselsused in step 42 |
| 2 | 200 g | | Rinse the prawns briefly under cold water and leave them to drain in the colander.⏱ 15sResultRinsed king prawnsused in step 41 |
| 3 | 300 g | | Cut the sea bass fillets into roughly 5 cm chunks, keeping the skin on.⏱ 40sResultSliced sea bassused in step 40 |
| 4 | 300 g | | Cut the monkfish fillet into roughly 5 cm chunks.⏱ 40sResultSliced monkfishused in step 38 |
| 5 | 1 piece | | Halve the onion and peel away the papery skin.⏱ 20sResultPeeled onion |
| 6 | Peeled onionstep 5 | | Finely chop the peeled onion halves.⏱ 30sResultFinely chopped white onionused in step 18 |
| 7 | 1 piece | | Cut away the fronds and tough outer layer of the fennel bulb, reserving the fronds if you like.⏱ 20sResultTrimmed fennel bulb |
| 8 | Trimmed fennel bulbstep 7 | | Slice the trimmed fennel thinly, cutting through the root to keep the slices together.⏱ 30sResultThinly sliced fennelused in step 19 |
| 9 | 1 piece | | Cut off the dark green top and the root end of the leek.⏱ 20sResultTrimmed leeks |
| 10 | Trimmed leeksstep 9 | | Slice the trimmed leek into thin rounds.⏱ 25sResultSliced leeksused in step 20 |
| 11 | 2 piece | | Slice the celery stalks thinly on the diagonal.⏱ 30sResultSliced celeryused in step 21 |
| 12 | 4 piece | | Crush each garlic clove with the flat of a knife and peel away the skin.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves |
| 13 | Peeled garlic clovesstep 12 | | Finely chop the peeled garlic cloves.⏱ 30sResultFinely chopped garlicused in step 23 |
| 14 | 400 g | | Roughly chop the tomatoes into large irregular chunks.⏱ 45sResultRoughly chopped tomatoesused in step 26 |
| 15 | 1 piece | | Finely grate the zest of the orange into a small bowl, taking only the bright orange layer.⏱ 30sResultGrated orange zestused in step 33 |
| 16 | 60 ml | | Pour the olive oil into a large heavy-based saucepan.⏱ 5sResultExtra-virgin olive oil |
| 17 | — | | Set the pan over a medium heat and warm the oil until it shimmers.⏱ 1 minResultHot olive oil |
| 18 | Finely chopped white onionstep 6 | | Tip the finely chopped onion into the hot oil.⏱ 10sResultFinely chopped white onion and hot olive oil |
| 19 | Thinly sliced fennelstep 8 | | Add the thinly sliced fennel to the pan.⏱ 10sResultThinly sliced fennel and finely chopped white onion and hot olive oil |
| 20 | Sliced leeksstep 10 | | Add the sliced leek to the pan.⏱ 10sResultSliced leek mixture |
| 21 | Sliced celerystep 11 | | Add the sliced celery to the pan.⏱ 10sResultSliced leek mixture |
| 22 | — | | Stir the vegetables frequently and cook them over a medium heat until they are completely soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.⏱ 8 minResultSoftened aromatic vegetables |
| 23 | Finely chopped garlicstep 13 | | Add the finely chopped garlic to the softened vegetables.⏱ 10sResultSoftened aromatic vegetables and finely chopped garlic |
| 24 | 2 tbsp | | Spoon the tomato paste into the pan.⏱ 10sResultSoftened aromatic vegetables and finely chopped garlic and tomato paste |
| 25 | — | | Stir the tomato paste and garlic into the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for about 90 seconds until the paste darkens slightly and smells fragrant.⏱ 1 min 30sResultTomato-coated aromatic base |
| 26 | Roughly chopped tomatoesstep 14 | | Tip the roughly chopped tomatoes into the pan.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped tomatoes and tomato-coated aromatic base |
| 27 | 200 ml | | Pour in the dry white wine.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped tomatoes and tomato-coated aromatic base and dry white wine |
| 28 | 800 ml | | Pour in the fish stock.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 29 | 400 ml | | Add the water to bring the soup to a good volume.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 30 | 1 pinch | | Crumble the saffron threads into the liquid.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 31 | 2 piece | | Drop in the bay leaves.⏱ 5sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 32 | 3 piece | | Add the thyme sprigs.⏱ 5sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 33 | Grated orange zeststep 15 | | Stir in the orange zest.⏱ 5sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 34 | 2 tsp | | Season the broth with the sea salt.⏱ 5sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 35 | 1 tsp | | Season the broth with the ground black pepper.⏱ 5sResultRoughly chopped tomato and tomato-coated aromatic base mixture |
| 36 | — | | Bring the soup to a rolling boil over a high heat and let it boil vigorously for 5 minutes to meld the flavours.⏱ 5 minResultBouillabaisse broth |
| 37 | — | | Reduce the heat to a steady simmer.⏱ 10sResultReduced-heat bouillabaisse broth |
| 38 | Sliced monkfishstep 4 | | Lower the monkfish pieces into the simmering broth.⏱ 10sResultReduced-heat bouillabaisse broth and sliced monkfish |
| 39 | — | | Simmer gently for 2 minutes before adding the next fish.⏱ 2 minResultPart-cooked bouillabaisse |
| 40 | Sliced sea bassstep 3 | | Slide the sea bass pieces into the pan.⏱ 10sResultPart-cooked bouillabaisse and sliced sea bass |
| 41 | Rinsed king prawnsstep 2 | | Add the rinsed prawns to the pan.⏱ 10sResultRinsed king prawns and part-cooked bouillabaisse and sliced sea bass |
| 42 | Scrubbed musselsstep 1 | | Tip the scrubbed mussels into the pan.⏱ 10sResultRinsed king prawn mixture |
| 43 | — | | Cover the pan and simmer for 4 minutes until the mussels have opened, the prawns are pink, and the fish is just cooked through — discard any mussels that remain firmly shut.⏱ 4 minResultCooked bouillabaisseused in step 45 |
| 44 | 1 piece | Cut the baguette on the diagonal into slices about 1.5 cm thick.⏱ 30s | |
| 45 | Cooked bouillabaissestep 43 | | Ladle the soup generously into 4 warm soup bowls, distributing the fish, prawns and mussels evenly.⏱ 30sResultLadled bouillabaisse |
| 46 | 15 g | | Scatter the flat-leaf parsley over the soup and serve immediately with the sliced baguette alongside.⏱ 15sResultBouillabaisse Soup |
| Total Time | 37 min | ||
Nutritionper serving
Estimated · pre-cooking · 91% ingredients covered
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 505kcal | |
| 49g | |
| 20g | |
| 3g | |
| 25g | |
| 10g | |
| 4g | |
| 1,955mg |
Ingredients0/23
Tools0/13
Recipe
Bouillabaisse Soup
Bouillabaisse soup combines mussels and ripe tomatoes in white wine broth, seasoned with bay leaf and fresh parsley. Serves 4.
What you’ll doYou will soften aromatic vegetables in olive oil, then add tomato paste and cook it until fragrant. Pour in tomatoes, wine, stock and water, season with saffron, bay leaf, thyme and orange zest, and boil hard for 5 minutes to meld the flavours. Reduce to a simmer, add the fish in stages—monkfish first, then sea bass and prawns together, then mussels last—and cover until the mussels open and the fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes total.
Serves4
Total37 min
LevelMedium
Ingredients
- Mussels300 g
- Raw king prawns200 g
- Sea bass fillets300 g
- Monkfish fillet300 g
- White onion1 piece
- Fennel bulb1 piece
- Leek1 piece
- Celery stalk2 piece
- Garlic clove4 piece
- Ripe tomatoes400 g
- Orange1 piece
- Extra-virgin olive oil60 ml
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Dry white wine200 ml
- Fish stock800 ml
- Water400 ml
- Saffron threads1 pinch
- Bay leaf2 piece
- Fresh thyme sprigs3 piece
- Fine sea salt2 tsp
- Ground black pepper1 tsp
- Baguette1 piece
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves15 g
Tools
Small bowlBread knifeLarge heavy based saucepanChef's knifeMicroplane zesterWooden spoonCutting boardKing prawns colander (colander)Scrubbed mussels colander (colander)Scrubbing brushBowlPeelerLadleChopping boardMicroplaneSoup bowl
Method
1
Scrub the mussels under cold running water, pulling away any beards, and discard any that stay open when tapped.
Result · Scrubbed mussels · used in step 42
2 minScrubbed mussels colander (colander), Scrubbing brushMussels · 300 g
2
Rinse the prawns briefly under cold water and leave them to drain in the colander.
Result · Rinsed king prawns · used in step 41
15sKing prawns colander (colander)Raw king prawns · 200 g
3
Cut the sea bass fillets into roughly 5 cm chunks, keeping the skin on.
Result · Sliced sea bass · used in step 40
40sChopping board, Chefs knifeSea bass fillets · 300 g
4
Cut the monkfish fillet into roughly 5 cm chunks.
Result · Sliced monkfish · used in step 38
40sChopping board, Chefs knifeMonkfish fillet · 300 g
5
Halve the onion and peel away the papery skin.
20sChopping board, PeelerWhite onion · 1 piece
6
Finely chop the peeled onion halves.
Result · Finely chopped white onion · used in step 18
30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled onion · step 5
7
Cut away the fronds and tough outer layer of the fennel bulb, reserving the fronds if you like.
20sChopping board, Chefs knifeFennel bulb · 1 piece
8
Slice the trimmed fennel thinly, cutting through the root to keep the slices together.
Result · Thinly sliced fennel · used in step 19
30sChopping board, Chefs knifeTrimmed fennel bulb · step 7
9
Cut off the dark green top and the root end of the leek.
20sChopping board, Chefs knifeLeek · 1 piece
10
Slice the trimmed leek into thin rounds.
Result · Sliced leeks · used in step 20
25sChopping board, Chefs knifeTrimmed leeks · step 9
11
Slice the celery stalks thinly on the diagonal.
Result · Sliced celery · used in step 21
30sChefs knifeCelery stalk · 2 piece
12
Crush each garlic clove with the flat of a knife and peel away the skin.
30sChopping board, Chefs knifeGarlic clove · 4 piece
13
Finely chop the peeled garlic cloves.
Result · Finely chopped garlic · used in step 23
30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled garlic cloves · step 12
14
Roughly chop the tomatoes into large irregular chunks.
Result · Roughly chopped tomatoes · used in step 26
45sChopping board, Chefs knifeRipe tomatoes · 400 g
15
Finely grate the zest of the orange into a small bowl, taking only the bright orange layer.
Result · Grated orange zest · used in step 33
30sSmall bowl, MicroplaneOrange · 1 piece
16
Pour the olive oil into a large heavy-based saucepan.
5sLarge heavy based saucepanExtra-virgin olive oil · 60 ml
17
Set the pan over a medium heat and warm the oil until it shimmers.
1 minLarge heavy based saucepan
18
Tip the finely chopped onion into the hot oil.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanFinely chopped white onion · step 6
19
Add the thinly sliced fennel to the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanThinly sliced fennel · step 8
20
Add the sliced leek to the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanSliced leeks · step 10
21
Add the sliced celery to the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanSliced celery · step 11
22
Stir the vegetables frequently and cook them over a medium heat until they are completely soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
8 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon
23
Add the finely chopped garlic to the softened vegetables.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanFinely chopped garlic · step 13
24
Spoon the tomato paste into the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanTomato paste · 2 tbsp
25
Stir the tomato paste and garlic into the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for about 90 seconds until the paste darkens slightly and smells fragrant.
1 min 30sLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon
26
Tip the roughly chopped tomatoes into the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanRoughly chopped tomatoes · step 14
27
Pour in the dry white wine.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanDry white wine · 200 ml
28
Pour in the fish stock.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanFish stock · 800 ml
29
Add the water to bring the soup to a good volume.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanWater · 400 ml
30
Crumble the saffron threads into the liquid.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanSaffron threads · 1 pinch
31
Drop in the bay leaves.
5sLarge heavy based saucepanBay leaf · 2 piece
32
Add the thyme sprigs.
5sLarge heavy based saucepanFresh thyme sprigs · 3 piece
33
Stir in the orange zest.
5sLarge heavy based saucepanGrated orange zest · step 15
34
Season the broth with the sea salt.
5sLarge heavy based saucepanFine sea salt · 2 tsp
35
Season the broth with the ground black pepper.
5sLarge heavy based saucepanGround black pepper · 1 tsp
36
Bring the soup to a rolling boil over a high heat and let it boil vigorously for 5 minutes to meld the flavours.
5 minLarge heavy based saucepan
37
Reduce the heat to a steady simmer.
10sLarge heavy based saucepan
38
Lower the monkfish pieces into the simmering broth.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanSliced monkfish · step 4
39
Simmer gently for 2 minutes before adding the next fish.
2 minLarge heavy based saucepan
40
Slide the sea bass pieces into the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanSliced sea bass · step 3
41
Add the rinsed prawns to the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanRinsed king prawns · step 2
42
Tip the scrubbed mussels into the pan.
10sLarge heavy based saucepanScrubbed mussels · step 1
43
Cover the pan and simmer for 4 minutes until the mussels have opened, the prawns are pink, and the fish is just cooked through — discard any mussels that remain firmly shut.
Result · Cooked bouillabaisse · used in step 45
4 minLarge heavy based saucepan
44
Cut the baguette on the diagonal into slices about 1.5 cm thick.
30sCutting boardBaguette · 1 piece
45
Ladle the soup generously into 4 warm soup bowls, distributing the fish, prawns and mussels evenly.
30sSoup bowl, LadleCooked bouillabaisse · step 43
46
Scatter the flat-leaf parsley over the soup and serve immediately with the sliced baguette alongside.
Result · Bouillabaisse Soup
15sSoup bowlFresh flat-leaf parsley leaves · 15 g
Printed 28 September 2026