Known locally as ‘Lohikeitto,’ Finnish Salmon Soup is deliciously creamy and easy to prepare. Great as an appetizer or light meal, this hearty fish soup recipe will surely warm you up!
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You have two of the most-loved ingredients in Northern Europe for this dish — dill and salmon. Add some cream and vegetables in there, and you’ll have a delightful bowl of warmth and comfort.
Lohikeitto is arguably a winter soup.
However, since we only have around three weeks of warm days in Stockholm (in a year), you can say that I make this soup the whole year-round.
Ingredients
- Stock – fish stock is the best one to use for lohikeitto. It gives you a solid base of fish flavor, and adding salmon elevates that flavor even more.
- Cream – you can use light cream (half & half) or heavy cream (double cream); it depends on how creamy you want the soup.
If you only have light cream around and you want it creamier, add a bit more butter. That always works.
Instructions
Using a medium-sized pan, add and wait for butter to melt over medium heat.
Add leeks and cook until it has softened.
Add carrot and potatoes and mix to combine (photo 1).
Add fish stock and cover the pot with a lid. Adjust heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Adjust heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are almost cooked.
Add salmon fillet (photo 2).
Add heavy cream and mix to combine (photo 3).
Turn heat into medium, cover with a lid, and cook for four to five minutes.
Season by adding salt and pepper; add dill and mix. Turn heat off.
Cover with a lid and keep covered for two minutes (photo 4).
Serve, garnish with more dill, if preferred.
Helpful tips
- You can use any part of a salmon, as long as you have taken the bones out.
- Try to chop the vegetables in identical sizes but chop the salmon slightly bigger than the vegetables. Imagine that you can fit two vegetables and one piece of salmon in every spoonful.
- If you cannot find leeks, replace them with shallots instead. But not onions. From my experience, they’re a bit too strong for this salmon soup.
- Towards the end of cooking, if you feel that you want it to be creamier, add a tablespoon of chilled butter and mix.
Cannot wait to try lohikeitto? Do it this weekend and let me know in the comment section below! 🙂
Lohikeitto Recipe (Finnish Salmon Soup)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 pc leek, thinly sliced (only white/lighter part)
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 3 medium potatoes, diced
- 5 cups fish stock
- 1/2 kg salmon fillet (about 1 lb), cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (double cream)
- 3/4 to 1 cup dill, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
MAKING THE SOUP:
- Place a medium-sized (or large pan) over medium heat. Add butter.
- Once the butter has completely melted, add thinly sliced leek. Cook until slightly soft.
- Add carrot and potatoes. Mix.
- Add fish stock. Cover pot with a lid, adjust heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
- Adjust heat back to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are almost cooked.
- Add salmon fillet and heavy cream. Mix to combine.
- Turn the heat back to medium. Cover with a lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Season by adding salt and pepper. Mix.
- Add dill to finish your lohikeitto. Turn heat off.
- Cover with a lid and keep covered for 2 minutes.
SERVING LOHIKEITTO:
- Transfer to individual bowls.
- Garnish lohikeitto with more freshly chopped dills, if desired.
- Serve.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Fish stock is an excellent flavor base for making this easy salmon soup.
- Cook’s Tip #2: Feel free to replace heavy cream with light cream, if that’s what you prefer.
- Cook’s Tip #3: You can use any salmon cut, as long as it’s a fillet.
- Cook’s Tip #4: Chop the vegetables in almost identical sizes, while keeping the salmon slightly bigger than the size of the vegetables. Imagine that you will fit a couple of vegetables and a piece of salmon in every spoonful.
- Cook’s Tip #5: You can substitute shallots for leeks, but not onions.
- Cook’s Tip #6: If you want a creamier lohikeitto, add a tablespoon of chilled butter when you turn the heat off. Mix and then cover with a lid, setting it aside for a couple more minutes.
Ri says
Thank you very much for such delicious recipe! Great tasting comfort food that can be prepared under 30 minutes
Greatfon.com says
Had Lohikeitto when we visited Helsinki, and now that we live here I insisted that this be one of the first Finnish food we made! I have been craving it since I first tried it. And this recipe definitely hit the spot! Definitely will be making it more often! Loved the recipe! Easy to make. Used fish spice instead of allspice. Thank you for the easy and authentic recipe!
Neriz says
Thank you! Glad you like the recipe! 🙂