Spanish Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Suquet de Peix
A hearty Catalan fisherman's stew thickened with a picada of almonds, garlic, and saffron, simmered with monkfish, prawns, and potato.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Heat olive oil in a cazuela and fry the slice of bread with a couple of whole garlic cloves until golden, then remove and set aside for the picada.
- 2
In the same oil, sear the prawns briefly until just pink, then remove and set aside.
- 3
Sweat the chopped onion in the same pot until soft, add the remaining minced garlic, then stir in the grated tomato and cook until the sofrito darkens, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Add the potato rounds, pour in the white wine and let it reduce slightly, then add the fish stock and saffron.
- 5
Simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender, shaking the pan occasionally to release their starch and thicken the broth.
- 6
Pound the fried bread, almonds, and garlic in a mortar with a little of the hot broth to make a smooth picada, and stir it into the stew.
- 7
Add the monkfish chunks and simmer gently for 6-8 minutes, then return the prawns for the final 2 minutes just to warm through.
- 8
Scatter with chopped parsley and serve hot straight from the cazuela.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
55/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving455
Calories
44 g
Protein
37 g
Carbs
16 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Suquet de peix is a Catalan fishermen's stew, originally cooked on the boats from the day's catch, potatoes, and a splash of the sea. Its name comes from the Catalan suc, meaning juice or broth, pointing to the light, brothy sauce thickened with a picada of almonds, garlic, and fried bread. It is humble coastal cooking that turns a few fish and some potatoes into a complete, comforting meal.
Listahan note
This version builds the broth on a sofrito and saffron, simmers the potatoes until they thicken it naturally, and finishes with a picada for the true Catalan body.
Technique cues
- Cook the potatoes in the broth until just tender so their starch lightly thickens the suc the traditional way.
- Add the fish near the end and let it poach gently in the broth so it stays moist and just-set.
- Stir in a picada of almonds, garlic, and fried bread to finish, which thickens and perfumes the broth without flour.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Make the sofrito and grind the picada while the potatoes simmer, then add the fish at the end.
- Make-ahead
- Cook the broth and potatoes ahead, then reheat and poach the fresh fish just before serving.
- Leftover move
- Mash the leftover potato into the broth to make a thicker soup, or toss the fish and broth through pasta.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the picada mortar right away so the nut paste does not dry and cling.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
firm white fish
main protein
Purpose: Meaty chunks of white fish hold together in the broth and give the stew its substance.
Handling: Cut into large chunks and add late so it poaches gently.
Adaptation: Monkfish, hake, cod, or grouper all work well.
potatoes
body and thickener
Purpose: Simmered in the broth, they make the stew filling and lightly thicken the suc with their starch.
Handling: Peel and cut into chunks, breaking the edges so they release starch.
Adaptation: Waxy potatoes hold shape; starchy ones thicken more.
saffron
color and aroma
Purpose: It tints the broth golden and adds the floral depth typical of Catalan seafood cooking.
Handling: Toast lightly and steep in a little warm broth before adding.
Adaptation: A pinch of turmeric for color, though without the same aroma.
almonds
picada thickener
Purpose: Ground into the picada, they body the broth and add nutty richness.
Handling: Toast and grind with garlic and fried bread.
Adaptation: Hazelnuts or pine nuts for a similar effect.
ripe tomato
sofrito base
Purpose: Slow-cooked into a sofrito, it is the savory-sweet foundation of the broth.
Handling: Grate or chop and reduce until jammy.
Adaptation: Good canned crushed tomato out of season.
garlic
aromatic and picada base
Purpose: It flavors the sofrito and the picada that thickens the finished stew.
Handling: Mince for the sofrito and reserve cloves for the picada.
Adaptation: Roasted garlic for a mellower picada.
Technique notes
- Break the potato chunks by levering with the knife rather than slicing clean so they shed starch and thicken the broth.
- Add the fish skin-side up and barely simmer so it sets without breaking apart.
- Loosen the picada with a ladle of hot broth before stirring it back so it disperses smoothly.
Ingredient swaps
- Nut-free direction
- Thicken the picada with extra fried bread and toasted breadcrumb instead of almonds.
- Shellfish-add direction
- Stir in mussels or shrimp in the final minutes if you want to enrich the stew with shellfish.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use unsalted fish stock and let the saffron, tomato, and picada carry the flavor.
Serve alongside
- Crusty bread for the broth
- Allioli
- Escarole salad
- Grilled lemon halves
- Catalan white like Xarel-lo
- Chilled Albarino
- Dry cava
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Keep covered in the fridge for up to two days; remove the fish first so it reheats gently. Warm the broth and potatoes on the stove and slip the fish back in just to heat through. The broth and potato base freeze well; add fresh fish when serving.
Equipment
- Wide heavy pot or cazuela
- Mortar and pestle for the picada
- Fish spatula
- Ladle
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