Italian Seafood and Tomato Chowder with Fennel
A rustic Italian-style chowder brimming with littleneck clams, shrimp, and tender fennel in a bright tomato broth enriched with garlic, white wine, and a whisper of anise. This stovetop one-pot celebrates fresh seafood with the subtle herbaceous sweetness of fennel—a beloved pairing in Mediterranean coastal cooking. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every drop.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 10 cups total)
Steps
Before you start
- Scrub clams under cold running water with a stiff brush and discard any that don't close when tapped—they may be dead
- Have all ingredients prepped and within arm's reach before you start cooking (mise en place)
- Use dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, not cooking wine
- If clams are large, you may want to halve them after cooking for easier eating
Sauté fennel and garlic
- Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil in a 6-quart (5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the sliced fennel and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the fennel is just softened and lightly golden at the edges.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
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Ready when: Fennel is tender with golden edges; garlic is fragrant and just beginning to color
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown or it will taste bitter. Keep the heat at a gentle medium.
Deglaze with white wine
- Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Let the wine simmer for 2 minutes to cook off most of the alcohol.
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Ready when: Wine has reduced slightly and smells less raw and sharp
Tip: Scraping the pot well extracts every drop of flavor from the browned fennel and garlic.
Build the tomato base
- Stir in 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to caramelize it slightly.
- Add the crushed canned tomatoes (with their juice), 2 cups (480 ml) fish or seafood stock, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
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Ready when: The mixture is simmering with small, steady bubbles breaking the surface
Tip: Toasting the tomato paste for 1 minute deepens its flavor and reduces acidity.
Simmer the broth
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the chowder simmer gently for 12–15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- The broth should smell rich and aromatic, with the fennel fully tender.
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Ready when: Broth has a rounded, mellow tomato flavor with visible fennel pieces; no sharp edges
Tip: Taste before adding the seafood so you can season the broth properly—it's harder to adjust after the clams and shrimp release their liquid.
Add the clams
- Add all 1.5 lb (680 g) of cleaned clams directly to the simmering broth, stirring gently to submerge them.
- Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Cover the pot and let the clams steam for 6–8 minutes.
- They will open as they cook; discard any that remain firmly closed after 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Clams have opened and their meat is opaque; shells are wide open
Tip: Don't stir constantly once you cover—let the steam do the work. Check at 6 minutes; if most are open, they're done. Any unopened clams after 8 minutes were likely dead before cooking and should be discarded.
Add the shrimp
- Uncover the pot and add 1 lb (450 g) peeled, deveined shrimp.
- Stir gently and bring the broth back to a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink and opaque throughout.
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Ready when: Shrimp are bright pink, firm, and opaque when broken open; they curl in a C-shape
Tip: Overcooked shrimp turns rubbery and tough. Start checking at 3 minutes; they cook very quickly.
Finish and season
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and lemon zest.
- Add red pepper flakes if you like a bit of heat.
- Taste and do a final adjustment of salt and pepper.
- Let the chowder rest for 2–3 minutes off the heat, which allows flavors to settle and the temperature to stabilize.
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Ready when: Chowder is fragrant, steaming, and ready to serve; flavors are balanced
Tip: Lemon zest brightens seafood dishes without adding acidity that would curdle the delicate shellfish.
Serve
- Ladle the chowder into warm bowls, making sure each person gets clams, shrimp, and plenty of broth.
- Serve with crusty bread on the side for soaking up the tomato broth.
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Tip: Warm the bowls by rinsing them with hot water before ladling so the chowder stays piping hot longer.
Good to know
Tips
- Clams vary in size; if using very large clams (cherrystones or larger), increase the steaming time to 10 minutes and consider halving them after cooking for easier eating.
- Buy shrimp and clams the day you plan to cook, and keep them on ice in the coldest part of your refrigerator until you're ready to start.
- If fennel fronds are attached and tender, chop them finely and scatter on top of each bowl just before serving for an extra anise aroma and a delicate herb garnish.
- For a richer broth, use a combination of fish stock and whole milk or heavy cream (add ¼ cup / 60 ml cream in the last minute of cooking), but this shifts the recipe away from traditional Italian style toward a more decadent version.
Storage & reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water or broth if the chowder has thickened. Do not freeze—the texture of clams and shrimp deteriorates significantly when frozen. It is best enjoyed the day it is made.
Substitutions
- littleneck clams → Mussels or a mix of clams and mussels. Use the same weight. Mussels cook slightly faster (4–6 minutes), so watch them closely. Discard any that don't open.
- fresh fennel bulb → Celery (1 medium bulb, sliced) or diced onion (1 large onion). You'll lose the subtle anise flavor, but the chowder will still be delicious. Cook celery for about 10 minutes until tender; onion needs 8–10 minutes too.
- fish or seafood stock, or low-sodium chicken stock → Vegetable stock or water. Fish stock adds depth, but vegetable stock or even water with a splash of wine will work in a pinch. The broth will be lighter in flavor.
- dry white wine → Dry vermouth or additional fish/chicken stock. If you skip the wine, use 1¼ cups (300 ml) stock instead of 1 cup (240 ml) to keep the liquid ratio consistent.
