This hearty seafood stew is a celebration of coastal flavors and bold spices, but here’s the twist: you won’t find this dish in Germany. Inspired by my time as a chef at a French bistro, this recipe blends the rich tradition of German seafood with the flair of French bouillabaisse. It’s my personal homage to Northern Germany’s maritime culture, paired with the techniques and flavors I picked up while working in fine dining.
What is Fischgulasch?
Think of it as a reimagined classic, borrowing the soul of French seafood stew and marrying it with German ingredients like fresh cod, mussels, and shrimp, all bathed in a luscious broth spiced with sweet and hot Hungarian paprika. The result is a dish that’s at once rustic and refined—a perfect balance of tradition and creativity.
While the French might serve their bouillabaisse with a rouille, I prefer a simpler approach that keeps the focus on the broth. It’s packed with layers of flavor, from the citrusy zing of lemon to the earthy depth of thyme and the unmistakable umami of Maggi seasoning sauce. The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity and adaptability.
Whether you’re drawn to the robust flavors of seafood or the comforting warmth of paprika-spiced broth, this stew is a true crowd-pleaser. While you might not find it on a menu in Hamburg or Bremen, it’s the kind of dish that could easily feel at home in any German seaside kitchen—if they embraced a touch of French influence.
Seafood Stew Ingredients (Serves 6 to 8)
1 tbsp canola oil
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices
1 carrot, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
2 cups (480 ml) dry white wine
4 ½ cups (1 L) fish stock or water
1 ½ tbsp Maggi seasoning sauce
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1 lb (455 g) skin-on or skinless cod fillets, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 lb (455 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
20 clams, scrubbed
16 shrimp, peeled and deveined
Leaves from 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (curly-leaf)
Crusty sourdough bread for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Base
Heat the canola oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the leek and carrot, cooking and stirring often until they begin to brown lightly (about 6 minutes). Add the minced garlic along with the sweet and hot paprika, stirring until the spices coat the vegetables evenly. - Build the Broth
Pour in the white wine, fish stock (or water), Maggi seasoning, and the zest and juice of the lemons. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. - Cook the Potatoes
Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and let the broth simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. - Add the Seafood
Gently place the cod pieces into the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and clams, ensuring you discard any that do not close to the touch. Add the shrimp and thyme, cooking until the mussels and clams open and the shrimp turn opaque (about 6 minutes). - Serve
Ladle the stew into shallow bowls, discarding any mussels or clams that failed to open. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with crusty sourdough bread on the side.
Fischgulasch – Seafood Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 leek white and green parts, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices
- 1 carrot cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) slices
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
- 2 cups 480 ml dry white wine
- 4 ½ cups 1 L fish stock or water
- 1 ½ tbsp Maggi seasoning sauce
- Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 2 Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 1 lb 455 g skin-on or skinless cod fillets, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 lb 455 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 20 clams scrubbed
- 16 shrimp peeled and deveined
- Leaves from 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley curly-leaf
- Crusty sourdough bread for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Base
- Heat the canola oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the leek and carrot, cooking and stirring often until they begin to brown lightly (about 6 minutes). Add the minced garlic along with the sweet and hot paprika, stirring until the spices coat the vegetables evenly.
Build the Broth
- Pour in the white wine, fish stock (or water), Maggi seasoning, and the zest and juice of the lemons. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Cook the Potatoes
- Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and let the broth simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Add the Seafood
- Gently place the cod pieces into the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and clams, ensuring you discard any that do not close to the touch. Add the shrimp and thyme, cooking until the mussels and clams open and the shrimp turn opaque (about 6 minutes).
Serve
- Ladle the stew into shallow bowls, discarding any mussels or clams that failed to open. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately with crusty sourdough bread on the side.
