Lohikeitto is a creamy Finnish soup filled with veggies, buttery salmon and tons of fresh dill. It is delicious comfort food and a quick 30-minute meal perfect for any time of year.
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If you love fish, or even if you don’t, you need to make this soup, ASAP. I say “even if you don’t” because it feels like even those who don’t like fish sometimes still like this salmon soup! Who can deny a bite of perfectly tender, pink salmon?
Unlike Plokkfiskur from Iceland or Fish Soup from Cambodia, this soup is not made with cod or any white fish. This dish is all about that beautiful, tasty salmon.
Lohikeitto is Finnish comfort food. A warm, delicious soup filled with salmon and complemented with all the right vegetables and a swoon-worthy creamy broth.
This is also a one-pot meal that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Add some crusty bread, a nice green salad and a Finnish Mustikkapiirakka (Blueberry Custard Pie) and you’ve got a meal fit for any occasion!
Recipe Origins
Lohikeitto is a dish built from the Finnish tradition of fresh meals using ingredients that are found nearby. Like Kesäkeitt (Finnish Creamy Vegetable Soup), it’s a soup that is simple, features seasonal vegetables, and of course, cream.
While the exact origin of the dish is not known, it was likely first made by families living near Finland’s many lakes, where salmon are abundant.
Over time it has evolved and versions of this same soup can be found in Sweden, Norway and many other Nordic countries. While some families may add a dash of allspice or lemon, the basic recipe remains the same. Classic, delicious, local comfort food.
Why Make This Recipe
- One Pot Recipe: No one needs more dishes to do. This recipe keeps it simple. Everything is placed in the same large pot and simmers together with no fuss.
- Amazing Leftovers: This soup saves and reheats well and gets even better the next day when the herbs and vegetables have had more time to really blend together.
- Taste of Finland: Lohikeitto is a local favorite in the Nordic region. Cook up a big pot and imagine yourself transported to a region where the food is fresh, local and oh so delicious!
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Unsalted Butter
- Leeks: Leeks provide an amazing, mild onion flavor to the dish. Be sure and remove any tough outer layers and be sure and use most of the white part. Wash your leeks thoroughly, dirt likes to hide in between all of those layers.
- White onion: You could substitute a sweet onion or even leave the onion out if needed.
- Carrots
- Russet potatoes: Russet potatoes melt perfectly in a soup, but you can use any kind of potatoes you have on hand.
- Fish stock: I was able to find fish stock at my local grocery store, but if you cannot find any you could make your own (instructions below) or substitute vegetable stock.
- Salmon: Look for salmon that is a bright pink color. Make sure to remove the skin before cutting it into cubes. You can use frozen if necessary, but fresh is best!
- Heavy whipping cream: You could use milk or half and half, but for the absolute best flavor, stick with cream
- Dill: I highly recommend using fresh.
Where Can You Find Good Fish Stock?
You can usually find fish stock next to the chicken or vegetable stock in the grocery store. You may also be able to find fish stock in cubes.
If you can’t find any at the grocery store, it’s not difficult to make your own. You can use the skin from your salmon! Just remove the skin from the fish, place it in water (you could also throw in any vegetable bits you have lying around like onion or carrot skins) and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain out the remaining skin and it should be good to use!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Saute the Veggies. Add your chopped carrot, onion, and leek into a large pot with the butter and saute until softened.
Step Two: Add the Potatoes and Stock Add the potatoes and fish stock and allow this to simmer for about ten minutes.
Step Three: Add the Salmon and Herbs. Add the salmon into the pot along with the heavy whipping cream. Simmer until the salmon is cooked through, then add the dill.
Step Four: Simmer. Simmer until the dill softens, then serve!
Watch the Video
Expert Tips
- Leeks are a traditional part of this recipe but you could leave the leek out and use only white onion if you prefer.
- Some versions of this recipe call for carrots and some do not. Feel free to add or leave out.
- If you cannot find fish stock, you can use clam stock, chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- I’ve seen versions of this recipe that call for a dash of allspice or lemon juice. Feel free to play around with the spices to find what you like.
Recipe FAQs
This soup does not freeze well because of the cream in it. It’s best to enjoy it right away or the next day!
Save any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. It’s even better the next day–but I do not recommend freezing this soup as the cream may separate.
Yes, if you want to avoid dairy you can use soy or cashew cream in your salmon soup instead of cream. You could also cut some of the fat by using half and half.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Lohikeitto? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
If you tried this Lohikeitto Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Lohikeitto Recipe (Finnish Salmon Soup)
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 leek, finally sliced into rounds (white part only)
- ½ white onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled & diced
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 2 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 ¼ cups fish stock
- 1 lb salmon, skin removed and cut into ½” cubes
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 bunch dill, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add a large pot onto the stove over medium-high heat. Add the butter into the pot and allow it to melt.
- Add the leek, white onion, and carrot along with salt and pepper and saute for a few minutes until softened.
- Then add the potatoes into the pot along with the fish stock. Cover and allow the soup to simmer on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add the salmon into the pot along with the heavy whipping cream. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the salmon is cooked through.
- Add the chopped dill and any more salt or pepper to taste. Mix and simmer for another minute until the dill softens. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Leeks: Be sure and remove any tough outer layers and be sure and use most of the white part.
- White onion: You could substitute a sweet onion or even leave the onion out if needed.
- Russet potatoes:Russet potatoes melt perfectly in a soup, but you can use any kind of potatoes you have on hand.
- Fish stock:I was able to find fish stock at my local grocery store, but if you cannot find any you could make your own (instructions below) or substitute vegetable stock.
- Salmon:Look for salmon that is a bright pink color. Make sure to remove the skin before cutting it into cubes.
- Heavy whipping cream:You could use milk or half and half.
- Leeks are a traditional part of this recipe but you could leave the leek out and use only white onion if you prefer.
- Some versions of this recipe call for carrots and some do not. Feel free to add or leave out.
- If you cannot find fish stock, you can use clam stock, chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- I’ve seen versions of this recipe that call for a dash of allspice or lemon juice. Feel free to play around with the spices to find what you like.
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