Cataplana de Marisco
This Portuguese seafood builds mussels, clams and raw prawns into a fuss-free meal you can have ready in about 70 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for pan and steamer. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Scrub the mussels and clams under cold running water, pull away any beards, and discard any that stay open when tapped; soak the clams in salted water for 20 minutes to purge grit, then drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a cataplana or wide lidded pan, soften the sliced onion, peppers and bay leaf over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the garlic and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes until pulpy, then pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes to drive off the raw alcohol.
- Lay the chunks of white fish over the sauce, scatter the clams and mussels on top, cover tightly and steam over medium heat for 5 minutes until the shells begin to open.
- Tuck in the prawns, re-cover and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the prawns turn pink and opaque and the fish flakes easily, discarding any shellfish that remain closed.
- Season to taste, shower generously with chopped coriander, and bring the closed pan to the table to open dramatically, serving with crusty bread to mop up the broth.
You'll use: Pan · Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- White Wine
- chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tsp vinegar
What to serve with Cataplana de Marisco
Tips & common questions
How long does Cataplana de Marisco take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of white wine?
Try chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tsp vinegar. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Cataplana de Marisco is an original Portuguese recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Seafood Cataplana at World Heritage Cuisine Summit & Food Festival 2018 (Day 2) - 20.jpg by Satdeep Gill, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.