Bouillabaisse

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallyFishAt least four kinds of fish, cooked in a broth made from fish.
• UsuallyGlutenGarlic-rubbed croutons; some rouille is thickened with bread.
• OftenEggsMany rouilles are made like mayonnaise, with raw egg yolk.
• OftenCrustaceansMany restaurants add crab, langoustines, prawns or spiny lobster.
• SometimesMolluscsMussels go into some versions, though purists leave them out.
• SometimesSulphitesWhite wine in some broths.
• SometimesCelerySome fish stocks are made with celery.
• SometimesMilkGrated cheese is sometimes served alongside, as with fish soup.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Pescatarian; not vegetarian.
• No meat in the classic recipe; some cooks add pastis or white wine.
• Not gluten-free as served: skip the croutons and ask how the rouille is made.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is bouillabaisse?

Bouillabaisse is a fish stew from Marseille, made by boiling several kinds of Mediterranean rockfish in a broth of olive oil, tomato, onion, garlic, fennel and saffron. It started as a fishermen's way of cooking the unsold bony fish from the day's catch. Today it's a celebration dish and one of the most expensive things on a Marseille menu.

What's in it

In 1980 a group of Marseille restaurants drew up a charter (the Charte de la bouillabaisse) to defend the classic version. It isn't law, but it sets the benchmark:

• Fish: at least four species, such as rascasse (scorpionfish), monkfish, weever, conger eel, gurnard and John Dory.
• Broth: onion, tomato, garlic, fennel, parsley, saffron, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Potatoes: cooked in the broth.
• Rouille: a thick, rust-coloured sauce of garlic, chilli, saffron and olive oil.
• Croutons: toasted bread rubbed with garlic.

Many restaurants also add crab, langoustines, prawns (shrimp), spiny lobster or mussels, and some splash in white wine or pastis.

Allergens and diets

Assume fish and gluten. Fish is the whole dish, including the broth, which is often made from extra small fish strained out. Gluten comes from the croutons, and from the rouille when it's thickened with bread instead of potato.

Rouille is the main hidden risk. Recipes vary: some bind it with egg yolk like a mayonnaise, some with bread, some with potato. Aïoli, if served too, is usually made with egg yolk in restaurants. Ask how theirs is made before you spread it on anything.

Shellfish is a real "often". Crustaceans like crab, langoustine and lobster are common additions, and even when they're not in your bowl they may have gone into the broth. Mussels are less common. Some broths include white wine or celery. Grated cheese is sometimes offered on the side, a habit borrowed from Provençal fish soup.

On the menu

Look for bouillabaisse or bouillabaisse marseillaise on a Marseille menu. Some restaurants ask you to order it a day ahead, and many serve it for a minimum of two. Don't confuse it with soupe de poissons, a cheaper blended fish soup served with the same rouille, croutons and grated cheese.

How to eat it

It usually comes in two stages. First the broth, with croutons you spread with rouille and float in the bowl. Then the fish and potatoes, often filleted at the table, with more broth poured over.

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.