This simple fish stew recipe comes together quickly and is perfect for a cozy weeknight meal. The combination of cod, potatoes, peppers and tomatoes is inspired by Spanish cooking from the Basque region. It’s filling, healthy, dairy and gluten-free, and only includes garlic-infused oil for the low FODMAP set!
I tried to keep the recipe list in my cookbook SIBO Made Simple book as globally minded as possible, because cultures who have been cooking the same ingredients with the same techniques for centuries and centuries, tend to have a pretty good grasp of what it takes to eat well.
This cod fish stew recipe is inspired by a trip I took in the summer of 2013 to Spanish and French Basque. It was really easy to eat gluten-free over there because the cuisine revolved around the most simple, beautiful combinations of fresh ingredients.
One of my favorite dishes that I ate was a tuna stew called a marmitako, which I recreated shortly after returning for this site. Like many dishes in the region, it starts with an ultra flavorful base called sofrito, which is essentially peppers, onion, and garlic cooked low and slow in a deep puddle of olive oil until caramelized.
Obviously, we have to forgo two elements of this holy trinity when on a SIBO diet. However, you get the same effect by sweating several types of peppers in garlic-infused oil. Remember folks, FODMAP’s are not fat soluble! If you have Garlic-Infused Oil already on hand, feel free to substitute it for the first two ingredients and skip Step 1 in this fish stew recipe.
I’ve swapped the albacore for cod to limit the mercury exposure. But you could use any sturdy medium-thickness white fish—hake, haddock, and halibut would also work well.
The potatoes add a lovely starchiness to the broth, but if you’re watching your carbs, you could skip them and just focus on the fresh tomatoes and peppers. For healing diets, I prefer to use fresh tomatoes over canned, even when they aren’t in season (like right now), but you can of course swap in canned diced tomatoes if that’s what’s available to you.
My favorite part of this dish is it’s just a few ingredients, but layered together to produce maximum flavor. Read on for the recipe for this Spanish fish stew recipe!
It was adapted from the SIBO Made Simple book which is officially on shelves tomorrow!! Hopefully this sneak peak proves that you don’t need to have this particular brand of gut distress to enjoy all the delicious recipes in it.
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
30-Minute Spanish Cod Fish Stew
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 poblano pepper ribs and seeds removed, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 pound vine or roma tomatoes finely diced
- 1 pound russet potatoes about 2 medium, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups low FODMAP chicken stock or water
- 1 1/2 pounds cod or other semi-firm white fish cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large lidded heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard.
- Carefully add the peppers, salt, and pepper flakes, if using. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are very soft but not browning, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and potatoes. Cover with the stock or water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened, about 15 minutes. Season the cod with salt, nestle it into the tomato mixture, and cover with a lid. Simmer until the fish is tender but not falling apart, about 7 minutes.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.
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