Marmitako
Basque tuna and potato stew.
Ingredients
- 500 g Sashimi-grade tuna
- 4 Potatoes
- 1 Bell pepper
- 1 Green bell pepper
- 1 Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Pimenton dulce (sweet smoked paprika)
- 1000 ml Fish stock
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
Method
- Chop the peppers, onion, and garlic. Break the potatoes into rough chunks by cutting partway in and snapping them off.
- Soften the peppers, onion, and garlic in oil, then stir in the paprika.
- Add the potatoes and stock and simmer until tender, about 18 minutes.
- While the potatoes simmer: cube the tuna into bite-size pieces.
- Add the tuna off heat and let it gently cook in the residual heat.
- Serve hot.
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About Marmitako
Marmitako is a rustic tuna and potato stew from the Basque Country, born on the fishing boats of the Bay of Biscay where crews cooked the day's catch with whatever they had aboard. Its name comes from the marmita, the pot it was traditionally made in, and the dish remains humble and deeply savory: sweet peppers and onion softened into a base, potatoes simmered until they thicken the broth, and fresh tuna added at the very end. Sweet smoked paprika, pimenton dulce, lends a gentle smokiness and warm color that ties the whole stew together. The result is hearty but not heavy, the fish clean and tender against the earthy potatoes.
The technique that defines a good marmitako is restraint with the tuna. The potatoes are broken into chunks by cutting partway and snapping them so they release starch and naturally thicken the stock, and the cubed tuna goes in off the heat to cook gently in the residual warmth. Overcooked tuna turns dry and grainy, so this careful finish keeps it just set and silky. High in protein and satisfying without being rich, marmitako is a rewarding one-pot meal for a cool evening, served hot in deep bowls with good bread to mop the smoky broth.
Marmitako: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Marmitako?
A serving has about 497 calories — 39.5g protein, 35g carbs, 22.7g fat, 6.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 39.5g of protein, roughly 32% of its calories.
Is Marmitako gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Marmitako has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Marmitako take to make?
About 45 minutes start to finish, but only around 23 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Marmitako make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.