Quick and easy fish soup with warm Eastern Mediterranean spices, loads of fresh herbs, and a big splash of lemon juice. The perfect one-pot meal for any night of the week. Be sure to read through for important tips!
I have a thing for seafood in a warm, aromatic broth. Tasty, lean, and satisfying, it's the kind of warm-your-belly meal that won't leave you feeling heavy.
A few favorites here on the blog that fall under this category include: steamed clams, salmon soup with potatoes (so velvety and hearty), and Sicilian fish stew with garlic and capers. See, when you cook the Mediterranean way, you're bound to find many ways to fish soup--the seasoning possibilities are endless.
And today's easy fish soup recipe is another pot of goodness that is so worth a try. It's easy to make and loaded with warm Eastern Mediterranean spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric + a big finish of fresh herbs and lemon juice (do not skip the lemon juice, makes all the difference in adding a bit of zing to balance all the warm flavors). You'll want to serve it with some good bread to mop up the delicious, extra herby broth!
What kind of fish to use?
A moderately firm fish fillet such as halibut, cod, sea bass, or even red snapper will work in this fish stew. I like to use a combination of fish, this time it was sea bass and red snapper (both were filleted and the skins were removed).
Can you put frozen fish in fish soup?
If quality fresh fish is not available to you, you can use frozen wild fish. I prefer to thaw the fish in the fridge overnight and use it per the recipe, but you can add it to the soup while still frozen and allow the fish to thaw and fully cook in the soup (it will take a little bit longer, somewhere around 6 to 7 minutes or so)
You can also use shell fish like shrimp or bits of lobster tail in this recipe, added in with the fish toward the end of cooking time.
How do you make fish soup from scratch?
For those of us who are more visual, here is the step-by-step for how to make fish soup (the print-friendly recipe with the ingredient list is just below):
- Cut and season the fish
You're going to start by making a spice mixture of coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes (I used Aleppo pepper), turmeric, and paprika. Cut up the fish fillets into small chunks of equal size (about 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes), then give them a good toss with kosher salt, black pepper, and a couple teaspoons of your beautiful spice mixture. Set in the fridge for now.
- Make the broth
Grab a large pot or Dutch oven to make your tasty, aromatic broth. Start by cooking some chopped red onion, red bell pepper, celery and garlic in a bit of extra virgin olive oil until fragrant. Season with kosher salt and the rest of the spice mixture you used for the fish. Add canned whole tomatoes with their juices, white wine, and low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock if that's what you have). Let the broth simmer for a good 20 minutes or so. - Add the fish
When the broth is ready, slide the fish in and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with your fork (remember that fish cooks quickly, and it will continue to cook some in the hot broth even after you remove it from the heat). - Finish with the fresh herbs and citrus
Stir in chopped fresh parsley and cilantro (about 1 cup each) and chopped green onions, both white and green parts. Finish with a splash of lemon juice.
What to serve with fish soup?
Remember that fish soup is best served right away so the fish does not overcook in the hot broth. I love to serve it with extra lemon wedges on the side (more citrus is never a bad idea when it comes to fish) and a good loaf of rustic, crusty bread to sop up all the brothy goodness! Or, if you like, you can serve this soup over a bed of quick-cooked couscous or your favorite grain. Add a big salad like balela salad or this Mediterranean three bean salad to start.
How to store leftovers?
If you have any fish soup left, allow it to cool completely then store it in the fridge in a tight-lid glass container for 2 to 3 days (this will depend on how fresh the fish was to begin with). To warm leftovers through, I like to remove the fish to cook the broth over medium heat, then add the fish in very briefly to warm through (it's hard to avoid overcooking the fish at this point, but the less time it spends cooking, the better)
You may also like
Baked white fish, Mediterranean-style
Greek Shrimp with Tomato and Feta
Hungry for more? Browse more Mediterranean recipes or our top Mediterranean diet recipes.
Mediterranean-Style Fish Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ pounds moderately firm fish fillet, I used a combination of sea bass and red snapper, cut into chunks (1 ½ -inch pieces)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 28- ounce can whole tomatoes
- ½ cup white wine
- 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, preferably low-sodium
- 1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 green onions chopped (both white and green parts)
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the spices together.
- Season the fish with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and 2 to 3 teaspoons of the spice mixture; toss to coat.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook, tossing regularly, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Add the remainder of the spice mixture.
- Add the tomatoes, white wine, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot part-way and let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the parsley, cilantro, green onions. Finish with lemon juice. Serve immediate
Notes
- Which kind of fish fillet to use? A moderately firm fish fillet is good to use here. As mentioned in the recipe, I used a combination of sea bass and red snapper. Halibut and cod are also great options.
- Leftovers. Fish soup can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, depending on the freshness of the fish when you cooked it. To warm through, I like to remove the fish to first warm the broth well, then add in the fish very briefly so it doesn't spend too much time cooking.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices used in this recipe.
On my tenth time making this recipe. Today (02/11/2024) making four gallons using monkfish, scallops and shrimp.
the last ingredient is "lemon juice of". can I assume it is "lemon juice of one lemon"?
Thanks.
Hi Bob, Devin here from the Mediterranean Dish team. Apologies for the confusion and thank you for taking the time to write in! Yes, it is the juice of one lemon (or more to taste if you'd like!). Happy cooking 🙂
I'm going to make my FIRST fish stew with your delicious recipe for my family from fresh sea bass filets. Do I need to worry about bones? The fish market says he removes bones when he filets the whole fish...
Hi, John. You shouldn't need to worry. If the bones were removed at the market, you should be okay. That being said, when it comes to fish and poultry soups... I always keep a bit of an eye out, just in case!
A perfect recipe and it turned out absolutely delicious. I was looking for an interesting way to serve a smoked fish and it worked with this! I substituted black olives for the red pepper and basil for the cilantro (it’s just what I had on hand) and I added some garbanzo beans. My husband loved it!
Absolutely delicious on day one and even better on day two!! I used muscles, cod, shrimp and salmon which are my favorites and the whole family loved it!! I added spinach at the bottom of each bowl bc there is always room for greens and wow! The lemon took it to a whole new level!
What a feast! Thanks for sharing, Tara!
Hi there, because I made triple the amount , I had no choice but to freeze the soup. In honesty, freezing hasn't diminished the quality or flavour of the soup. It's absolutely beautiful. Thank you for the recipe.
That is good to know, Stephen. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Stephen, did you freeze with the fish in the soup? I am also making triple and I don’t want to waste it.
Hi. I'm making 3 x this recipe. Can I freeze the stew once made please?
Hi, Stephen. We typically don't recommend freezing this soup as it can change the texture of the fish. You could make and freeze the broth, though, and then add the fish when you'd like to serve it.
Thank you.
Make this soup, you won't be sorry. I made an addition of one bottle of clam juice for more flavor. Delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Ooo! Great idea, Gwen! Thanks for sharing!
Made this recipe first time It Was Delicious!!!
Another stellar recipe. I used monk fish ( the poor mans lobster) and it was off the charts. Thanks so much and please keep them coming.
Hi, Paul! I'm Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. So glad you loved the Fish Soup recipe. Sounds like you're into seafood. You might really enjoy our Cioppino recipe. It's loaded with seafood, and a favorite of mine!
Absolutely delicious, especially for the simplicity and ease. Made it on a weeknight. Teenage kiddos loved it. Getting everything measured and prepped always takes longer than they say but no worries.
So glad your family enjoyed the recipe, Josh! You'll get faster the more you make it :).
Making this stew for like the 7th time in the past 3 years. Following a X3 recipe with swordfish, shrimp and Bay Scallops. Always a real treat to make this great recipe!!
thanks a lot of information keren
Absolutely delicious Suzy! Easy and fun to put together. I made mine with flounder. Worked well. Thank you:)
Awesome! Thanks, Derek!
Absolutely love this soup.
I have been making this with different fish and seafood it’s delicious and healthy , some times I add in chunks of potatoes . Can be served with pita bread also but better with crusty bread and a side salad.
Muchos gracias Sarah
Hasta pronto