The holidays are the perfect time to gather around the table and enjoy delicious meals with family and friends. This season, we’ve partnered with Taylor Shellfish to bring you the ultimate seafood and wine pairing. Whether you're hosting a festive dinner or simply treating yourself to something special, their Cioppino Kit is the perfect way to enjoy fresh, premium seafood while savoring a wine that beautifully complements each bite.
Cioppino Recipe
Taylor Shellfish’s Cioppino is a hearty and flavorful seafood dish, including clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, and the rich Sonoma Gourmet Cioppino Base. Not only is this an easy, crowd-pleasing meal, but it can also be perfectly paired with both red and white wines (more on that later). With its vibrant mix of fresh, sustainable seafood in a rich, flavorful broth, it’s a dish that’s as impressive as it is delicious.
Ingredients:- 1lb Manila Clams
- 1lb Totten Inlet Mussels
- 2 frozen Dungeness Crab Sections (0.75-1lb Crab)
- 1 16oz bag of Wild Caught Blue Gulf Shrimp
- 1 Jar of Sonoma Gourmet Cioppino Base
- Prepare the seafood: If you get Taylor Shellfish’s Cioppino Kit, you’ll have all of the seafood needed to make this recipe. About an hour before cooking, start by pulling the crab and shrimp out of the freezer to thaw.
- Heat the base: In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the Cioppino Cooking Sauce to a simmer. For extra depth of flavor, we recommend adding 1 1/2 cups of white wine to the sauce.
- Add shellfish: Add the Manila clams and Totten Inlet mussels to the pot. When the shells start to open, it’s time to add the shrimp and crab.
- Simmer and serve: Continue simmering until the seafood is fully cooked, about 4-6 minutes. You can also add a white fish (like halibut or cod) at this point to elevate the dish.
- Serve and enjoy: Pair your Cioppino with crusty sourdough bread to soak up the delicious broth and enjoy!
This recipe is perfect for a cozy holiday dinner or an impressive dish to share with guests. The mix of sweet shrimp, tender crab, and briny mussels in a flavorful tomato-based broth is a surefire way to make any meal feel special.
Perfect Wine Pairings for Cioppino
When it comes to pairing wine with Cioppino, you want to choose wines that complement the richness of the seafood while balancing the acidity of the tomato-based sauce. Here are two of our top wine picks for this festive dish:
White Wine Pairing: Lot 170 Muscadet Sevre et Maine
Lot 170 Muscadet is a fantastic white wine to serve with Cioppino. With its crisp acidity and minerality, this French wine enhances the fresh, briny flavors of the seafood while cutting through the richness of the broth. Its light body and citrusy notes make it the perfect partner for this flavorful dish.
Red Wine Pairing: Lot 144 Chianti Riserva
If you prefer red wine, we recommend Lot 144 Chiant Riserva as the ideal match. The medium body and bright acidity of this Chianti offers a perfect balance to the savory seafood and tangy tomato broth. The wine's cherry and herbal notes will complement the Cioppino's depth of flavor, creating a harmonious pairing.
Ready to try this holiday seafood feast for yourself? You can get your Cioppino Kit directly from Taylor Shellfish.
Thanks to Chelsey Pecoy of @lightheartedkitchen for providing these great wine pairing suggestions.