Easy Norwegian fish soup (fiskesuppe med torsk) with wild cod fish, potatoes, carrots, celery and all the right spices. Comforting, soothing and perfect on a rainy day, this simple Norwegian soup (no cream or half and half) is extra simple to make at home and very delicious.
Today we’re making a lovely cod soup with just a handful of vegetables – and not a drop of milk in sight. Don’t ask me why, but fish and milk together just doesn’t do it for me, especially in a soup.
Most of the cod I buy comes from sustainable stocks up in the Norwegian Arctic or the Baltics. You’ll usually find it sold frozen (or thawed) as fillets, while the other bits tend to live in the freezer aisle too. The good news? This soup works a treat whether you’re using fillets or the trimmings.
Check out my recipe for Mediterranean Anchovy Pizza – it’s really something.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cod fish fillets – fresh or frozen (need to be thawed before cooking)
- Celery sticks – fresh, cut in cubes
- Potatoes – red or old potatoes, cut in cubes
- Carrots – peeled (if not organic) and chopped
- Onion – red, white or yellow onion works great. Spring onion too.
- Butter – for extra taste.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- Tomato paste – preferably organic
- Spices – coriander, parsley, black pepper; and salt to taste;
- Water – or fish broth ( or use stock cubes)
How to make Norwegian cod fish soup?
1st: Cook cod fish fillets and strain fish water, save broth for later. Clean from bones as needed.
2nd: Sauté vegetables, then simmer in broth. Add cut fish and spices at the end.
What spices go well with fish soup?
Depending on the type of fish you use (fatty or less fatty) spices can differ. However, most fish soups can only benefit from the following spices and herbs:
- Coriander (fresh/fried powdered)
- Fennel (fresh/dried)
- Dill (fresh/dried)
- Sweet paprika
- Chili flakes
- black cayenne pepper
- Parsley
Norwegian Fish Soup with Cod (fiskesuppe med torsk)
Equipment
- 2 soup pots with lid
- 1 cutting board & knife
Ingredients
- 300 g cod fish fillets, boiled & cleaned
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 red potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 red onion, minced
- 4-6 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 lemon, (juice needed only)
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 liter water/natural fish broth, more/less if needed
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp. hot pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- First, in a large cooking pot, add water and fish fillets and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10-15 min. or until fully cooked.
- Remove from pot and let cool. Then clean fish from bones (if any) and chop finely. Set aside. Use fish water for soup (better strain it).
- In a separate pot add butter (low heat), chopped carrots, celery, potatoes and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until brown-ish.
- Next, add fish water (or broth), tomato paste, salt & pepper, fresh lemon juice and coriander powder. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until vegetables are cooked.
- Add precooked cod fish and chopped parsley. Stir and leave to sit for 10 minutes (removed from stove top).
- Serve hot with some spicy pepper flakes (optional).
Notes
- use other parts of cod fish to make the same soup. Or substitute with salmon fish.
- use water from boiling fish in as fish broth.
- add fish stock cubes for stronger taste – optional.
Nutrition
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What type of bread
Depends what you like/have on hand. Personally I like to eat mine with brown bread (grovbrød).
Just perfect!
I was feeling a bit under the weather and it was cool and windy outside. I really wanted soup. I found this recipe and it was not only perfect for dinner, but easy to make! I will definitely add this recipe to my reportoire and make often!! Thank you. P.S. My ancestry is Norweigan, so it fits for me. 🙂
Dear Catherine, thank you for stopping by and sharing. I’m really glad you liked it 🙂
Hi Ana, I had to send you my thanks for this delicious cod soup. I made it yesterday and all I added was a tsp of better than bouillon organic vegetable base and a few drops of hot sauce. It is so so much enjoyed by my husband and I. I will be making this again and will tell my friends and family about it. I love to share good recipes and sites I find while browsing the internet. I am so glad I found your site. I will be checking out other recipes here for sure, Thanks so much, Lin
Dear Lin, thank you so much for stopping by and saying kind words. I’m really glad you and your husband liked the cod soup :).
Your cod soup recipe was amazing! I had all the ingredients and made the frozen cod in the instant pot them added to the soup at the end. It was perfectly delicious! We’ll be making this on rotation! Thank you so much 🩷
Dear Hilda, thank you so much for sharing! It’s good to know this recipe works well in the IP as well 🙂
This stew/soup is so simple and delicious. I would’ve never thought about coriander in soup. That extra lemony kick sends it over the top amazing!
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it 🙂 Really glad you liked the soup 🙂
Very tasty! I made this with a fish head and bones from black cod and was surprised at the ens result since the fish itself is so mild.
I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Hi Ana, thank you for the delicious and nutritious cod soup recipe! I made this last night with whole rock cods, and my family and I loved it! I’m so glad I found your website.
Dear Helen, thank you for the kind words. I’m pleased that your family enjoyed the recipe. Thank you 🙂