Julia Child’s bouillabaisse is a Provençal fish stew built on a quick, saffron-scented broth — one of those dishes that smells impossibly good from the moment the tomatoes hit the pot. The whole thing comes together in about an hour, which for a French seafood production, almost feels like cheating.

Two bowls of Julia Child's bouillabaisse, brimming with shrimp, clams, and mussels in tomato broth, each topped with a slice of bread. A blue and white towel with two spoons rests nearby on a white tablecloth.

Julia Child’s classic bouillabaisse recipe is a type of French seafood stew that combines fish, shellfish and vegetables in a tasty broth. Aside from cooking her recipes, it’s easy to get caught up in all things Julia Child.

Everything from her warbly, exuberant voice to her physical lust for her husband. Thinking about Julia Child had me plucking my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cookingoff the shelf for a little sit-down time.

I wanted to make a recipe from the book, but I had trouble conjuring that spark of hunger that usually makes me rush to the kitchen to cook. I think it’s because some of the recipes in the book are stuck in a bit of a time warp?

A bowl of Julia Child's bouillabaisse with shrimp, mussels, and clams in a red tomato broth, garnished with toasted bread. Another bowl and silverware rest on a cloth-covered table in the background.

Why Julia Child’s recipe still holds up

Browsing through the book, you’ll find recipes that speak to another time, before ingredients like crème fraîche became a staple in the grocery store. Things like chicken aspic on a dish, decorated with slivers of jarred pimiento and crepes filled with boiled, canned pineapple.

Based on those kinds of recipes, you can draw a picture of the 1960’s American housewife that Julia was writing for. Imagine a perfectly coiffed woman about to throw a dinner party in her sprawling suburban home, wearing a bullet bra, Jackie O Chanel suit and smoking a long cigarette, like a character from the television show Mad Men.

Julia’s precise directions for making homemade mayonnaise, perfect rolled omelets and crisp, creamy potato galette are what make Mastering the Art of French Cooking stand alone on the cookbook shelf.

But in between the cream-colored pages of Julia’s tome are a multitude of other classic recipes and techniques that will never go out of style or fail to please. A perfect example is Julia’s version of a traditional bouillabaisse recipe.

Key ingredients in bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a Provençal fish soup with a tomato base. While there’s no strict formula, this hearty seafood soup can contain a wide variety of different types of seafood and shellfish. The broth can be made a day ahead and refrigerated — just bring it to a simmer and add the seafood right before serving.

  • Mussels: Most mussels that you find in markets nowadays are farm-raised, which means they won’t be as sandy and gritty as wild ones. You should still check their shells for any cracks, and de-beard as needed.
  • Clams: I like to use small clams, such as littlenecks or manilla clams.
  • Shrimp: You can use fresh or defrosted frozen shrimp. I suggest buying shell-on shrimp so you can add them to your fish broth.
  • Flaky white fish: Any one of these or a combination — cod, red snapper, sea bass, haddock, porgy, mullet or grouper.
  • Saffron: A half teaspoon of crumbled saffron threads is what gives the broth its characteristic golden color and faintly floral, slightly medicinal depth. Don’t skip it or substitute turmeric — it’s not the same dish without it.

What to serve with bouillabaisse:

For a fuller Provençal spread, a composed niçoise salad or crunchy, refreshing fresh fennel salad are great pairings. Honestly, all you really need to serve with bouillabaisse is plenty of crusty baguette slices to soak up every drop in the bowl. Don’t forget the zesty, roasted red pepper rouille sauce you can smear on the toasted bread — it’s so delicious!

Simplicity and authentic taste is what Julia Child’s bouillabaisse recipe is all about. It also defines how I love to cook. Julia said it best:

This is the kind of food I had fallen in love with: not trendy, souped-up fantasies, just something very good to eat….the ingredients have been carefully selected and beautifully and knowingly prepared. Or, in the words of the famous gastronome Curnonsky, “Food that tastes of what it is.”  (from My Life in France)

More Julia Child-inspired recipes:

Two bowls of Julia Child's bouillabaisse in tomato broth, each topped with toasted bread and garnished with shellfish. Nearby, a small vase of fresh herbs and a blue napkin with silverware rest on a linen tablecloth.
4.92 from 138 ratings

Julia Child’s Classic French Bouillabaisse

Karen Tedesco
Julia Child's Provençal bouillabaisse — saffron-scented broth, mussels, shrimp, and flaky white fish, served with crusty bread and a roasted red pepper rouille. A real French seafood production that takes under an hour.
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup (118 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup (150 g) chopped onion
  • 1 cup (89 g) chopped leek
  • 4 cloves smashed garlic
  • 2 or 3 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped or 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
  • 2 ½ quarts (2.5 l) water
  • Fresh herb sprigs: thyme, parsley, fennel fronds and basil (in any combination)
  • 1 2-inch wide strip of fresh orange peel (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon crumbled saffron
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 3-4 pounds (2 kg) fish heads, bones, trimmings, shrimp shells
  • 1 pound (450 g) peeled shrimp (save the shells for the stock)
  • 1 pound (450 g) cod, halibut or other flaky white fish, cut into large chunks
  • 1 pound (450 g) mussels or clams, scrubbed and mussels debearded
  • Crusty bread, sliced, for serving

Rouille

  • 2 roasted and peeled red bell peppers, (jarred peppers are fine)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 peeled garlic clove
  • ¼ cup (28 g) fresh breadcrumbs, or ground almonds
  • ¼ cup (15 g) fresh parsley leaves
  • Fine sea salt, about 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
  • ⅓ cup (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Equipment

Instructions
 

For the broth:

  1. Make a broth, fortified with lots of seafood shells and trimmings: Heat the oil in a tall pot (I use an 8 quart stockpot) over medium heat. Add the onion and leek and cook gently until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, water, herbs, orange peel, saffron, salt and fish bones and shrimp shells. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat so that the broth bubbles slowly without boiling.
  2. Cook 30 minutes, then strain the broth into a large bowl or another pot and discard the solids.
  3. Pour the broth back into the stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, a minute or two. Add the rest of the fish and shellfish, cover and simmer until the mussels or clams open (this will just take a few minutes).
  4. Taste the soup and add more salt and freshly ground pepper if needed.

Make the rouille:

  1. Puree the red peppers, cayenne, lemon juice, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley and salt in a food processor until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while processing to form a paste.
  2. Toast the bread and brush with olive oil.
  3. Serve the soup with bread and rouille.

Notes

  • For a heartier soup, serve over cooked broken vermicelli, orzo or other small pasta shape.
  • The broth can be prepared up to a day in advance. Store in the refrigerator and bring to a simmer. Add the seafood and cook as in Step 3.
Adapted from Julia Child’s essential cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Volume 1).

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 996kcal Carbohydrates: 10g Protein: 141g Fat: 44g Sodium: 962mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 4g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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