Cataplana: Portuguese Fish and Seafood Stew, One-Pot (59) 2026

The cataplana is a Portuguese classic named after the copper clamshell pot it is traditionally cooked in. This version brings together monkfish, clams and large prawns, gently steamed over a sofrito of garlic, onion, sweet paprika and tomato. The sealed pot traps every bit of aroma, so the seafood cooks in its own juices and the broth turns deeply savory.

You do not need special equipment to make it at home. A wide skillet or any heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid works beautifully, as long as you resist lifting the lid while it cooks. The result is a spectacular one-pot main course that feels like a celebration but comes together in under an hour.

Ingredients for Cataplana Recipe

This makes 4 generous servings.

• 200 g clams
• Salt
• 8 large prawns
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ onion
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 100 g crushed tomato
• 1 bay leaf
• 100 ml white wine
• ½ red bell pepper
• 1 monkfish tail, about 250 g
• 1 bunch parsley

How to Make Cataplana Recipe Step by Step

1. Soak the clams

Rinse 200 g of clams under cold running water. Place them in a bowl with cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt, and let them rest for 1 hour so they release any dirt or sand they may contain.

2. Clean the prawns

Clean 8 large prawns, starting by washing them to remove any residue. Then remove the heads and pull out the digestive tract.

3. Brown the prawn heads

Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in the cataplana or, if you do not have one, in a deep skillet or a pot with a lid. Cook the prawn heads until well browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside to use later.

4. Sauté the garlic and onion

Add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the same pot and heat over medium-low. Sauté 2 garlic cloves and half an onion chopped into small pieces along with a little salt.

5. Add the paprika and tomato

Add 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika and 100 g of crushed tomato, and season with a little salt. Cook over medium heat until the tomato has reduced.

6. Add the bay leaf and wine

Add 1 bay leaf and pour in 100 ml of white wine. Cook until the wine has evaporated.

7. Stir in the red pepper

Add half a red bell pepper, cut into pieces, to the sofrito and stir all the ingredients together. Let the sofrito cook until the pepper has softened.

8. Cut the monkfish

While the sofrito cooks, cut 1 monkfish tail of about 250 g into slices roughly 1 cm thick. Season lightly with salt.

9. Add the fish and seafood

Once the sofrito is ready, add the sliced monkfish to the pot. Drain the clams and add them along with the prawns and a little fresh parsley, previously washed and chopped. Cook over medium heat with the pot covered for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Let the cataplana rest, without lifting the lid, for another 5 minutes off the heat.

10. Use the prawn heads

Uncover the pot and now you can do one of two things: squeeze the reserved prawn heads so their juice runs into the stew, or add them in so the diners can enjoy them.

11. Serve

Serve the Portuguese fish and seafood cataplana freshly made, scattered with chopped parsley.

Tips for the Best Cataplana Recipe

Choose your seafood

Cataplana is usually made with a mix of different fish and seafood that can vary by availability or preference. The most common are monkfish, grouper, hake and cod, along with shellfish such as clams, mussels and prawns. For this version we chose monkfish, clams and large prawns. Other cataplanas also include meat and cured sausage, such as pork or chorizo, either on their own or combined with seafood in a mix known as “surf and turf.”

Build the flavor first

This cataplana starts by searing the prawn heads to make the most of their flavor. Then you prepare a vegetable sofrito, add wine and reduce it to concentrate the taste. Next come the fish and seafood, cooked with the lid on so the steam does the work.

No cataplana? No problem

Since it is not common to have a cataplana outside Portugal, this version uses a wide skillet with a lid. You can use any pot with a lid you have at home and get similar results, though the dish made this way is not a traditional cataplana. Just remember not to lift the lid during cooking so the steam stays trapped. The best way to enjoy it is with boiled rice or fried potatoes and good company.

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