Easy Fish Soup Recipe

My first fish soup recipe was so bad that Max still brings it up when he wants to tease me about my cooking failures. The Fish Soup Recipe disintegrated into gray flakes, the potatoes were still hard after an hour of cooking, and the whole thing smelled like low tide. I threw the entire pot away and ordered pizza, swearing I'd never attempt fish soup again.

Why This Fish Soup Recipe Works

This soup has gotten me out of more "what's for dinner" panics than I can count. When someone's sick, when it's cold outside, when I need something that uses up the random vegetables in my fridge this is what I make. It takes about 30 minutes, doesn't require any special skills, and people actually eat it without making faces.The thing I love most is that it's pretty hard to screw up once you get the hang of it. My early Fish Soup Recipe attempts were disasters because I was trying too hard.

This version is straightforward - you can't really overcook the vegetables, and if you add the Fish Soup Recipe a minute early or late, it still turns out fine.Max eats it without complaining, which is basically a miracle since he usually picks apart anything with more than three ingredients. I eat it because it tastes good and makes me feel like I'm doing something healthy for my family. Plus, the leftovers are even better the next day, and it makes the whole house smell like someone competent lives here.

Jump to:

• Why This Fish Soup Recipe Works
• What You Need for Fish Soup Recipe
• How To Make Fish Soup Recipe Step By Step
• Smart Swaps for Fish Soup Recipe
• Ways to Change Up Your Fish Soup Recipe
• Equipment For Fish Soup Recipe
• Storing Your Fish Soup Recipe
• Why This Fish Soup Recipe Works
• Top Tip
• The Recipe My Grandma Wouldn't Let Me Forget
• FAQ
• Simple Fish Soup Success!
• Related
• Pairing
• fish soup recipe

What You Need for Fish Soup Recipe

The Fish:

• White fish fillets

The Base:

• Potatoes
• Yellow onion
• Carrots
• Celery if you have it
• Garlic cloves

For Flavor:

• Fish stock or chicken broth
• Heavy cream or milk
• Fresh dill
• Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Butter

Basic Tools:

• Large pot
• Sharp knife
• Ladle
• Cutting board

See recipe card for quantities.

How To Make Fish Soup Recipe Step By Step

Get your vegetables going:

• Dice the onion, carrots, and celery
• Peel and chunk the potatoes into bite-sized pieces
• Mince the garlic
• Heat some butter in your pot and cook the onion until soft

Build the broth:

• Add carrots and celery, cook for a few minutes
• Pour in your stock and bring to a simmer
• Add the potatoes and bay leaves
• Let it cook until potatoes are almost tender

Add the fish (this is the important part):

• Cut fish into chunks, removing any bones you see
• Add fish to the pot gently
• Simmer for just 5-8 minutes until fish flakes easily
• Don't stir too much or the fish will break apart

Finish it up:

• Stir in the cream or milk
• Add chopped dill and garlic
• Season with salt and pepper
• Remove bay leaves before serving

Smart Swaps for Fish Soup Recipe

For the fish:

• Cod → Haddock or pollock
• Fresh fish → Frozen (thaw it first)
• White fish → Salmon (but it changes the flavor completely)
• Fish fillets → Fish steaks (just remove bones)

For the vegetables:

• Regular potatoes → Sweet potatoes (different but good)
• Fresh dill → Dried dill (use half the amount)
• Heavy cream → Milk or half-and-half
• Fish stock → Chicken broth or vegetable broth

For dietary needs:

• Cream → Coconut milk for dairy-free
• Regular flour → Gluten-free flour if you want to thicken it
• Butter → Olive oil
• Salt → Low-sodium seasoning

Ways to Change Up Your Fish Soup Recipe

Chunky vegetable style:

• Add corn kernels
• Throw in some green beans
• Use diced tomatoes instead of plain broth
• More like a fish stew than soup

Creamy comfort version:

• Extra cream or milk
• Mashed potato to thicken it
• More butter
• Perfect for cold days

Light and simple:

• Skip the cream entirely
• Use more herbs like parsley
• Add lemon juice at the end
• Good when you want something lighter

Whatever's-in-the-fridge style:

• Leftover vegetables from dinner
• Different herbs (thyme works)
• Extra garlic if you like it
• Crusty bread on the side

Equipment For Fish Soup Recipe

• Large pot (big enough for about 6 cups of liquid)
• Sharp knife for chopping
• Cutting board
• Ladle for serving

Storing Your Fish Soup Recipe

In the fridge (2-3 days):

• Let it cool completely before putting it away
• Store in containers with tight lids
• The fish gets a little softer each day but still tastes fine
• Reheat gently on the stove, don't microwave it

Freezing (not recommended):

• I tried freezing it once and the fish turned weird and mushy
• The potatoes got grainy too
• Just make smaller batches instead

Reheating tips:

• Use low heat and stir gently
• Add a splash of broth or milk if it got too thick
• Don't let it boil hard or the fish will fall apart completely
• Taste it and add more salt if needed

Why This Fish Soup Recipe Works

This soup works because it fixes the main problems that make most fish soup attempts fail. First, it adds the fish at the end instead of the beginning, so you don't end up with mushy gray flakes floating around. Second, it uses simple ingredients that you can actually find at a regular grocery store instead of requiring a trip to some fancy fish market.

The timing is what makes the difference. When I was ruining batches left and right, I was throwing everything in the pot at once and hoping for the best. This version builds the base first - gets the vegetables tender and the broth flavorful - then adds the fish for just long enough to cook through. No more, no less.

It's also forgiving, which matters when you're still figuring things out. If your potatoes take an extra five minutes to get tender, that's fine. If you add the fish a minute early or late, it still works. The recipe doesn't fall apart if you're not perfect, which is important when you're cooking with a seven-year-old assistant who likes to "help" by adding ingredients when you're not looking.

The Recipe My Grandma Wouldn't Let Me Forget

My grandmother made fish soup every Friday for forty years, and she was convinced that nobody else could do it right. She'd stand over my shoulder when I was twelve, correcting every move I made. "The onions aren't soft enough," she'd say, or "You're stirring too hard, you'll break the fish." I thought she was being picky just to be difficult.When she got too old to cook for herself, she made me promise I'd keep making her fish soup recipe. But every time I tried, something was wrong. Too salty, not creamy enough, fish falling apart. I'd call her up frustrated, and she'd walk me through it again over the phone.

"Did you let the potatoes get tender first? Did you add the fish at the very end like I showed you?" .It took me two years after she passed to finally get it right. Turns out she wasn't being picky she was trying to teach me that good fish soup is all about timing and patience. Now when I make it, I can hear her voice reminding me to taste the broth before adding salt, to be gentle with the fish, to let each step finish before moving to the next one. Max never met her, but he's eating her recipe every time I make this soup.

FAQ

Simple Fish Soup Success!

Now you know how to make Fish Soup Recipe that actually tastes good instead of like a kitchen experiment gone wrong. This recipe works because it's straightforward no weird ingredients, no complicated steps, just Fish Soup Recipe and vegetables cooked in the right order.

Want more soup recipes that won't let you down? Try our The Best Spinach Pie Recipe that's perfect when someone's feeling sick. Need something heartier? Our Healthy Japanese Eggplant Recipe takes a little longer but feeds the whole family. When you want something different, our Delicious Paris Hot chocolate Recipe uses ingredients you probably already have.

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Pairing

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