Finnish Salmon Soup, or Lohikeitto, is a simple Nordic salmon chowder and a comforting 30 minute meal made with a light cream broth, melt-in-your-mouth chunks of salmon, and tons of fresh dill!
traditional salmon soup is a spring favorite
I’m obsessed with this healthy Finnish soup (in Sweden the soup is called Laxsoppa, in Norway, Fiskesuppe.) It’s utterly simple and so satisfying ~ made with fresh salmon, chunky potatoes, carrots, and leeks. The flavors are unpretentious and clean, with a traditional dill infused broth touched with allspice. I make it in the spring, of course, when wild salmon is in season, but it’s become one of my favorite winter meals, too. It’s healthy comfort food whatever the calendar says.
ingredients for salmon soup
- skin-on salmon ~ wild is best both for flavor and nutritional value. For convenience you can buy it frozen, there’s no loss of nutrients.
- leek ~ this gives a nice mild onion flavor and adds color to the soup. Be sure to remove those tough outer layers before slicing.
- potatoes ~ any type you like: russet potatoes will soften and melt into the soup, while waxy potatoes will remain firmer.
- carrots ~ add color and lots of Vitamins A and C.
- fresh dill ~ you can’t beat this feathery herb ~ fresh dill is nice and mild so you can’t really over do it.
- cream ~ you can lighten up with half and half, either will work.
- butter
- allspice ~ unexpected to the American palate, but wonderful!
the key to a great fish soup? it’s the stock!
There’s only one hitch to making a great fish soup, and that’s the stock. Most of us don’t have fabulous fresh fish stock in the fridge, and canned stock isn’t the greatest quality, so we need to get creative.
my secret homemade fish stock hack
I’ve come up with a way to make a pretty good fish stock substitute and it starts with buying salmon with the skin on. I remove it and simmer it in water to make a quick broth. A quick strain and it’s ready to use. The flavor gets even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to develop.
“Finnish approved! I was born and raised in Finland and I was raised on this. I grew up cooking a recipe very similar to this salmon soup in school. This is great and authentic Finnish salmon soup.”
~ Joonas
no shortage of delicious salmon recipes on my blog
We love salmon and eat it more than any other type of fish. Did you know that salmon is one of the best sources of vitamin D?
I make my rainbow salmon skewers all the time because they literally take about 15 minutes to throw together. We eat them with couscous or salad.
Another favorite salmon meal is salmon and zucchini burgers, I serve the warm burgers over a fresh green salad ~ heaven!
When I’m feeling the need for some hearty comfort food, I turn to my salmon coconut curry or creamy lemon dill salmon, both are family favorites.
Finnish Salmon Soup – Lohikeitto
Ingredients
- 1 lb skin-on salmon filet
- 4 Tbsp unsaltd butter
- 1 large leek, trimmed, sliced, and well rinsed
- 5 cups water (you can also use fish stock)
- 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 cup fresh dill for garnish, finely chopped, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp allspice, use more to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the salmon and cut into largish chunks. Remove any small pin bones and discard. Reserve the skin, you're going to need it to make the broth.
- Melt the butter in a soup pot and sauté the leeks for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until nice and soft.
- While the leeks are cooking, put 5 cups of water and the reserved fish skin in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Note: if you are using fish stock you can skip this step.
- Strain the broth and add to the pan with the leeks, along with the potatoes, carrots, and half of the fresh dill. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender.
- Add the salmon chunks to the soup along with the cream and allspice, and gently simmer on low heat until cooked through, just a few minutes. Add the remaining dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- If you can get your hands on great fish stock, by all means use it! Clam broth can also be used. I’ve sometimes even used clam juice as a base for fish soup.
- I’ve occasionally made this soup with hot smoked salmon (the kind that comes in a chunk) and it gives great flavor.
- Serve this soup with some rustic artisan style bread ~ rye or pumpernickel would be amazing! I have a great recipe for Pumpernickel Biscuits on the blog which would be perfect with this Finnish salmon soup
- Consider doubling the recipe so you can have the leftovers the next day, it gets even better!
Nutrition
Delicious! I used gold potatoes and only a half cup of cream because it’s what I had. I didn’t add the allspice. Thanks for the recipe!
This was fantastic, will definitely be making again. Dinner sorted for 3 nights and, as you said, it became better and better!
I have made this recipe two years in a row now when I celebrate feast of the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve, it is incredible and so comforting on the holiday! And knowing it is from Finland is a fun conversation piece 🙂 Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
You’re so welcome Melissa ~ I’m testing a new salmon soup for January, so stay tuned.
Really great authentic recipe – – my wife and i have been living in Findland for 4 years – we had a dinner feast for Finnish Indipendance day – the locals loved it – – truelly authentic they said !! (i added some smokey fish skin to the stock broth and some smoked fish to the recipe 🙂 worked out fantastic
Thanks so much Donovan, I love the idea of adding the smoked fish, I have a smoked salmon chowder that is so good!
Fantastic! Really creamy and wholesome. This is the second time I’ve made it now, and although it’s probably not authentically Finnish, I added a large handful of capers, and it works really well in my opinion. Thanks!
Never thought to add capers, nice touch!
This was awesome. My son loved it too. I’m definitely going to be making it again.
I’ve read no less than 30 recipes for this soup and this is the 1st I’ve seen allspice as an ingredient and one of the only ones that lemon is not included. I’m curious where you came across this version.
I grew up in Finland eating this soup at home, in school and even at special occasions for large groups of people 🙂 There must be versions as many as there are cooks but this is always a pretty simple soup. My mom and other people from her generation and before never use black pepper but allspice instead. But when it comes to lemon, I have not heard it used with this soup. But I feel that everyone should be free to interpret recipes to their own taste and enjoy them!
Speaking as a salmon fisherman on the great island of Kodiak AK, this was a real treat. I served it with hibachi leipaa. I’m new to cooking and looking forward to trying more of your salmon recipes
I’ve now made this soup twice. It’s delightful. Thank you!
This second time I subbed in 1/2 cup of white wine for liquid to give it a little brightness. Very good.
Wine adds such a nice touch to creamy soups like this, sounds good!
This turnd out so delicious! Everything I’ve tried from your website is perfect!