WW Recipe of the Day: Budget Fish Stew (Bouillabaisse)
I created this bouillabaisse, a classic south-of-France fish stew, one night when I was looking for a way to use up a lovely piece of halibut given to me by my dear friend Erin. (Erin's dad has a fishing retreat in Alaska and she doesn't like fish, so we are often the very lucky beneficiaries of Alaskan halibut and salmon.)
WW Friendly Budget Bouillabaisse
I don't think this fish stew can technically be called bouillabaisse since it only has one kind of fish, so I know I'm taking some creative license here.
Recipe Notes
It's the result of blending together a couple of recipes I came across in old cookbooks: the Bouillabaisse recipe from The Fannie Merritt Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook (affiliate link) (10th Edition) and "Budget Bouillabaisse" from Betty Crocker Cookbook (affiliate link) (1978).
Low in fat and brimming with Weight Watchers power foods, this French fish stew turned out colorful and delicious. Served over slices of toasted whole wheat baguette, it made a satisfying Sunday night one-dish supper.
If you don't have a friend supplying you with halibut, most any firm white fish fillet, such as cod, haddock, sea bass, red snapper or tilapia will work.
And if you decide to include the bulb of fennel and are not quite sure how to core and chop it, I've included a helpful video at the end of the post.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Fish Stew?
According to my calculations, each serving has 268 calories and:
8 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
6 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
If you've made this Low-Fat Fish Stew, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Budget Bouillabaisse Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 bulb fennel, core removed and chopped (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup bottled clam juice or water
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-½ pounds firm white fish fillet (such as cod, sea bass, haddock, halibut or tilapia cut into large chunks)
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 slices French bread, toasted
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and/or fronds from the fennel (optional)
Instructions
- Put the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, fennel (if using) and garlic and cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, broth, clam juice, wine, thyme, fennel seed and bay leaf and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Add the fish, and cook, until the fish flakes and turns opaque, 5 to 10 minutes depending no the thickness of the fish.
- Season to taste with fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- To serve, place a slice of toast in a soup dish. Top with the bouillabaise and then garnish with parsley and/or fennel if desired.
Equipment
Recipe Notes
Sources: The Fannie Merritt Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook (affiliate link) (10th Edition) and "Budget Bouillabaisse" from Betty Crocker Cookbook (affiliate link) (1978)
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
How to Clean Fennel (Anise)
More Weight Watchers Friendly Soup and Stew Recipes
- New England Fish Chowder
- Quick Easy Chicken Salsa White Bean Soup
- Simple Garden Vegetable Soup
- Easy Slow Cooker Mexican Meatball Soup
- Warming Fish Stew (Weight Watchers)
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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