Marmitako (Basque Tuna and Potato Stew)
A hearty Basque fisherman's stew of potatoes and fresh tuna in a smoky pepper broth, ready in under an hour.
Made with Spanish sofrito. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.21 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the diced green pepper and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
5 min - 2
Stir in your ready made sofrito (see the base recipe), the paprika and the bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes.
- 3
Add the potatoes and water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender. To make them release their starch, snap the chunks off against the edge of a knife rather than cutting.
20 min - 4
Season the tuna cubes with salt. Switch off the heat and stir the tuna into the hot stew. Cover and leave for 5 minutes, until the tuna is just cooked through and opaque.
5 min - 5
Remove the bay leaf, scatter over the parsley and serve in warm bowls with crusty bread.
Tips
- Break the potato chunks off with the tip of the knife (cascar) so their starch thickens the broth. Cut slices are fine but give a thinner stew.
- Add the tuna off the heat. It cooks gently in the residual heat and stays moist, rather than turning dry and chalky.
- Use a firm sustainable tuna such as skipjack or yellowfin, or swap for meaty swordfish or salmon.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten the day it is made. Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 day, cooled within 1 to 2 hours. Reheat gently until steaming hot all the way through. Do not freeze, as cooked tuna goes dry.
Questions
Can I use tinned tuna?
Yes. Stir in two 160 g tins of drained tuna in olive oil at the end, just to warm through. It will not be quite as authentic, but it makes a good quick version.
Is marmitako gluten free?
Yes, as written it has no wheat. It is also dairy free, egg free and nut free. Serve with gluten free bread if needed.
Why add the tuna off the heat?
Tuna overcooks fast and turns dry. The hot stew gently finishes it in about 5 minutes without further simmering, leaving it tender and just pink in the middle.
More made with spanish sofrito
Calamares en Salsa (Squid in Spanish Tomato Sauce)
GFDFEFCola de Buey Estofada (Spanish Braised Oxtail in Red Wine)
NFHPHuevos a la Flamenca (Baked Eggs with Chorizo, Peas and Peppers)
DFNFHPJudiones con Chorizo y Costilla (Spanish Butter Beans with Chorizo and Pork Ribs)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.