Fish soup isn’t something I make on a regular basis. But because my really excellent fishing adventure just after Labor Day gifted me with about 5 lbs. of gorgeous striped bass (vacuum sealed and in the freezer), and because Significant Eater (for some reason?) decided that she wanted fish soup, out came the 4 quart saucepan the other night.
Oh yeah, I’ve made different variations of fish soup in the past. Once, I made an outstanding Cioppino, even making a fish/crab stock for the base; the house smelled like fish for about a week after that. I’ve made clam chowder – both cream and tomato based. I’ve even made Bouillabaisse, and boy is that ever a lot of work…just spelling it is a pain in the ass. 
Anyway, this fish soup was gonna be easy – I only wanted to use stuff I had in the pantry and or fridge.
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Fish Soup
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
A quick and easy fish soup.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. (450 g) striped bass (you can sub any other firm, white-fleshed fish), in chunks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 whole red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery (and leaves, if you have them), chopped
- 1 lb. (450 g) potatoes, cut into 2" chunks
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. pimenton - bittersweet or hot, your call
- 1/8 tsp. saffron, toasted lightly
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
- 1 28 oz. (795 g) can tomatoes (seeded), otherwise use all
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock or canned broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- parsley, minced (use stems, thyme, bay leaf to make bouquet garni)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Sweat the first 5 ingredients.
- Bring stock to simmer and add saffron to infuse. Oh yeah, if you don’t have saffron, don’t worry – do you have any Old Bay?
- When vegetables are translucent, add pimenton and stir. Add wine and cook it off. Add tomatoes, broth, water, bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer; let simmer for 30 minutes. Season it to taste.
- Add fish – cook till done – maybe 5 minutes, maybe 8 or 10. Remember, fish is going to keep cooking after you turn off the heat, so better to undercook slightly. Remove bouquet garni, add parsley, stir, TASTE and serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a fish other than striped bass?
Yes — the recipe notes this explicitly: substitute any other firm, white-fleshed fish for the 1 lb (450 g) of striped bass. The firm texture is what matters so the fish holds together during the 5–10 minutes it cooks in the simmering broth.
What can I use if I don’t have saffron?
The recipe addresses this directly in the instructions: Old Bay seasoning is suggested as a pantry substitute if you don’t have saffron on hand. The ? tsp of toasted saffron is added to the simmering stock to infuse it before the vegetables go in.
How do I avoid overcooking the fish?
The recipe warns specifically about this: add the fish after the broth has simmered 30 minutes, cook for 5–10 minutes, and remember the fish will keep cooking after the heat is turned off. The instruction is to err on the side of undercooking — the residual heat finishes it.
