Finnish Salmon Soup with Dill (Print Version)

Creamy Nordic soup with tender salmon, soft potatoes, carrots, leeks, and fresh dill in a velvety broth.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Seafood

01 - 14 oz skinless salmon fillet, boneless, cut into bite-sized cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 1.3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
03 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
04 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped

→ Broth & Dairy

07 - 4 cups fish stock or water
08 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
09 - 1 bay leaf

→ Seasonings

10 - 2 teaspoons salt, to taste
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 - 1 tablespoon butter

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and carrot, sautéing for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened.
02 - Add potatoes, bay leaf, and fish stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.
03 - Gently add salmon cubes to the pot and simmer for 5-6 minutes until salmon is just cooked through.
04 - Stir in heavy cream and chopped dill. Season with salt and white pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes without boiling.
05 - Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with reserved fresh dill.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in under 45 minutes with minimal fuss, perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels restaurant-worthy.
  • The cream and salmon create this luxurious richness that somehow feels light and nourishing at the same time.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and pescatarian, making it easy to serve to guests with different dietary needs without making a separate meal.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after adding the cream—this is the lesson I learned the hard way when I got distracted and came back to a separated, broken mess that looked curdled and sad.
  • Cut your salmon cubes slightly larger than you think they need to be, because they shrink more than you'd expect and can become too small and lost in the broth.
03 -
  • If your fish stock tastes fishy rather than sweet and briny, use water instead—a bad stock ruins everything, while water lets the salmon do the talking.
  • Keep the salmon cubes as uniform as possible so they cook at exactly the same rate and no piece ends up overdone while another stays raw.
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