Best White Fish Soup Recipe from Spain

If you’re a seafood lover, then you likely already know that Andalusia is renowned for being home to some of the finest fish in the world, and consequently, some of the best Spanish soup recipes.

White fish soup is the perfect dish for those who crave a decadent, creamy soup without the extensive preparation time typically associated with white fish soup recipes.

Keep reading this article and learn how to make fish soup, along with storage tips, serving, and customizing the recipe to suit your preferences.

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish soup recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Mackerel soup recipe

• Spanish Fish Soup

• Caldo gallego soup

Background of the Dish

Multiple fish soups are rooted in the rich culinary traditions of Andalusia, thanks to the abundant marine resources that have sustained communities in the region for centuries.

The white fish soup was developed in the humble kitchens of fishing villages, where resourceful cooks would utilize the day’s catch to create nourishing and flavorful dishes for their families. 

Different Spanish soup recipes were created that way, but the white fish soup still stands out thanks to its simplicity, creaminess, and tastiness.

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Things You’ll Need for White Fish Soup

To make the recipe for fish soup you will need hake (or another white fish), fish broth, potatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and olive oil as the main ingredients.

The only equipment that you need to prepare the white fish soup is a large pot and some knives for chopping the veggies and fish.

Ingredients

• 500 gr hake filet (without bones or skin) 
• 4 cups (1L) fish broth 
• 3/4 cup (200ml) heavy cream 
• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 slice of bread (optional, to thicken the soup)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to Make White Fish Soup – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this fish soup recipe, you have to prepare the veggies. So, peel and chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Also, peel and mince the garlic cloves, and chop the onion into small squares. Set them aside.

2. After that, grab a large pot and heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes while stirring until golden. Make sure that they don’t burn as they could give a bitter taste to your soup with fish.

3. Then, pour in the broth, potatoes, and bay leaf, and cook until the broth boils and the potatoes get cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste (be careful as the fish broth tends to be a bit salty).

4. As they cook, cut the hake filets into bite-sized squares. Be sure to remove any skin, scale, or bone that it may have (or ask your fishmonger to clean them completely).

5. Now, add the fish to the pot with the rest of the soup. Cook for 10 minutes and lower the heat, then cook for 5 more minutes. If your soup is too liquid and you want it thicker, you can add one slice of bread at this point and let it disintegrate.

6. To continue with this white fish soup recipe, take the soup out of the stove. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Also, remove and discard the bay leaf.

7. The white fish soup is now ready. Serve it warm in 4 soup bowls and enjoy. 

Substitution of Ingredients

For this Spanish soup recipe, you must have 3 main ingredients: some sort of white fish, vegetables, and some type of broth, which means that you can play a little bit between those categories.

For example, you can make this white fish soup with carrots, green beans, peas, bell peppers, and celery stalks to add more veggies and color.

Instead of hake, you can use cod, haddock, or halibut as the main protein, or try the fish head soup or the halibut soup instead.

For a fully homemade recipe, you can prepare this soup with caldo de pescado made from scratch, as we also have the perfect easy recipe for it.

Lastly, if you want to enjoy some seafood but white fish doesn’t hit the right notes for you, then we have more Spanish soup recipes for you to try, such as the Spanish shrimp soup and the Spanish seafood soup.

Tips on Serving White Fish Soup

This white fish soup is commonly served as a main dish in Southern Spain, for both lunch and dinner, but you could use it as an appetizer if you place it in smaller servings.

As well as other recipes for fish soup, a great idea is to top them with fresh chopped herbs (like parsley or cilantro), or grated parmesan or manchego cheese.

For added texture to this white fish soup, you can toast chopped almonds and nuts and use them as a topping for this delightful dish.

Lastly, the best fish soup is even better with some croutons on top and your favorite bread to soak all of the soup.

How to Store White Fish Soup

The white fish soup is one of our favorite Spanish soups because it is super simple to make and you can store it both in the fridge or freezer.

Once you finish preparing the recipe for Spanish soup, let it cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container and cover it first with plastic wrap (in contact with the top so that it doesn’t form a crust), and with a lid.

After that, take the soup to the fridge where it can last up to 4 days, or to the freezer and store it for up to 50 days (be sure to add a label so you don’t go over that time).

If you love meal-prepping, then we have more fish soup recipes for you, like the best fish soup recipe in the world or the mackerel soup recipe.

Recipe Card: White Fish Soup

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