Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
Lohikeitto is a one-pot Finnish salmon soup that is easy and takes 30 minutes to make. With winter being Finland’s longest season, it’s no wonder that this steaming hot soup is one of its most famous dishes.
What is lohikeitto?
Lohikeitto is a creamy soup made with salmon, yellow potatoes, leeks, carrots, and seasoned with lots of dill. Lohikeitto is a common dish served in Finland and other Nordic countries like Sweden. In Finnish, “lohi” means “salmon” and “keitto” means soup.
This fish soup is typically eaten as an entree for lunch or dinner, but can also be served as an appetizer with rye bread and lemon wedges.
Finland has access to many bodies of water — it has the Gulf of Bothnia on its west coast and the Baltic Sea to its south. It also has over 187,000 lakes and streams which makes for great fishing. Fish is a staple in Finland because of the abundance of salmon, herring, trout, and many other species of fish available to catch and eat.
How to make Finnish salmon soup
Begin by chopping the potatoes, carrots, and leek. Leeks have a mild, onion-like taste. They may seem like a scary vegetable to prepare, but it’s actually easier to cut than an onion.
How to cut a leek
Wash and clean the leek by separating the layers of the leaves to remove any dirt. Then cut off the stem where the green leaves begin to separate, as well as the bottom root end of the vegetable. You should be left with a 4 to 6 inch section. Cut the leek lengthwise from top to bottom, lay the flat side on a cutting board and slice the vegetables so you are left with half moon shaped pieces.
Carefully remove the skin off on the salmon with a sharp knife. Season the salmon with a few cracks of salt and pepper. Cut into cubes and set aside.
Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the leek and let it simmer for 5 minutes until translucent.
Add the carrots, potatoes, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add in the cream and give it a quick stir until it’s incorporated. This step is done slightly before adding the salmon so that the salmon pieces stay intact and don’t get broken up. When the cream is mixed in, add salmon and cook until the water starts to boil again, then turn off the heat so that fish don’t over cook.
Add in dill, reserving a pinch or two for garnish. Spoon the soup into bowls, garnish with the remaining dill, and serve with lemon wedges and bread!
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Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon
- ⅓ stick of butter
- 1 leek sliced into half moons (white and light green parts only)
- 1 lb yellow potatoes cubed (about 5 potatoes)
- 2 carrots sliced into half moons
- 6 cups of water
- 2 Knorr veggie or chicken bouillon cubes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
- 1 cup fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Carefully remove the skin off on the salmon with a sharp knife. Season the salmon with a few cracks of salt and pepper. Cut into cubes and set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the leek and let it simmer for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in the cream and give it a quick stir until it’s incorporated. Then add salmon and cook until the water starts to boil again, then turn off the heat.
- Add in dill, reserving a pinch or two for garnish. Spoon the soup into bowls, garnish with the remaining dill, and serve with lemon wedges and bread!
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