Wholesome, healthy, and full of comfort, this seafood soup recipe is an effortless and instant cure for those winter blues. This one-pot wonder comes together in just 35 minutes and fills your belly with a whole lot of warmth—a perfect main course or light meal that promises to brighten your days with just a few steamy spoonfuls.
Is Seafood Soup Healthy?
Yes, our seafood soup recipe is healthy.
Adhering to our nutrition guidelines, we strictly monitor the amount of added salt and cream to keep this dish both healthy and flavorful. As a result, there are only 597.8 milligrams of salt and 9.8 grams of saturated fat in a 492-calorie serving.
In addition, by incorporating seafood such as mussels and shrimp, our soup dish contains 44.8 grams of protein per serving, offering up to 90% of the necessary daily protein requirement.
Seafood is also a primary dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, which come with various potential health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease, inflammation, and various auto-immune diseases as well as improving mental disorders.
Ingredients for This Recipe
Here’s everything we use to make this seafood soup. The list does stretch on a bit, but that’s how this soup comes to be so flavorful:
- Seafood
We used a combination of salmon, shrimp, and mussels, but feel free to go with any seafood you like. The shellfish will hold up quite well when cooked, but the fish might fall apart, so you should either give it a quick sear beforehand or put it in last.
- Vegetables
We use tomato, celery, and fennel, but go ahead and throw in anything else you like. Veggies with a bit of sturdiness might hold up better when simmered for a while, such as carrots, zucchini, potatoes, etc.
- Herbs
Dill, cilantro, and bay leaf add some depth to the dish with an exquisite aromatic touch, not to mention creating a hearty scent that will envelop your kitchen.
- Tomato Paste
This gives the soup a tangy, vibrant flavor base that goes so well with the sweet and slightly briny seafood.
- Seasonings & Spices
In addition to the classic staple salt and pepper, we also added some paprika for a pinch of heat.
What Fish Is Best for Seafood Soup?
Any fish that you enjoy eating can be used in this soup. Our recipe uses salmon but white fish like cod, haddock, halibut, red snapper, or sea bass are also some popular choices.
If the fish is not flaky, dice it into small pieces. Fish such as cod will break down into flakes as the soup cooks, so there is no need to worry about making it too small. Otherwise, consider bite-sized portions.
Can I Use Frozen Seafood for This Soup?
Yes, you can. Just make sure to defrost the seafood overnight in the fridge or increase the cooking time.
Popular Types of Seafood Soup
This dish isn’t the only way to enjoy seafood soup. Here are a few other ways that we think you’d also love:
- Bisque
This is a cream-based French soup that’s well-loved for its thick, luscious texture and rich, deeply sweet seafood taste. Served with a side of toasted garlic bread, it’s a downright irresistible treat that makes any meal feel like a fine dining experience. Make your own dish with our Shrimp Bisque Recipe.
- Chowder
Chowder is a thick, creamy soup that typically incorporates potatoes and clams. In the Northeast, seafood chowders are common, with New England clam chowder being the most well-known. That being said, clam isn’t the only seafood that can be used for chowder. You can also try shrimp chowder and salmon chowder for a slightly different taste.
- Stew
Stew is similar to soup in many aspects, although the primary distinction between these two foods is the quantity of liquid utilized, with stews often containing less liquid than soups, usually only enough to coat the seafood and vegetables. This means it’s often thicker and chunkier in texture and more intense in taste. Check out our Shrimp Stew Recipe if you want to whip up a pot.
- Gumbo
This New Orleans staple is a hearty, rich stew that’s often made with a dark roux, seafood, veggies, sausage, then served over white rice. You can give it a try with our Seafood Gumbo Recipe that comes together in just 40 minutes.
What to Serve with
This seafood soup could be dunked with garlic bread, croutons, or breadsticks.
If you want to opt for something lighter, green salads made with seasonal ingredients are also excellent choices. A hearty plate of roasted veggies would also be perfect for a nutritious, satisfying light meal.
Storing and Reheating the Leftovers
- Storing
Allow your leftover soup to cool for one hour before transferring it to an airtight container. It should remain edible for up to three days.
You can freeze and store soup cooked in large quantities for up to one month. Remember to leave about an inch of space between the soup and the lid so the soup has room to expand. When defrosting, place the container overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating
Reheat the soup in the microwave for two minutes. It may be required to move it to a container that is microwave-safe. You can also bring it to a boil over the stove top for three minutes, then lower the heat to a simmer and give it a quick stir until the consistency is as desired.
How to make Seafood Soup
This seafood soup recipe is a marvelous choice for all those cold, winter nights when you just need something hearty and wholesome to treat your taste buds. It’s a hug in a bowl that will warm you up with every spoonful.
- cook TIME 25 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Main dish
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 492 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 14 oz shrimp (peeled and deveined from 28 oz raw shrimp)
- 10 oz skinless boneless salmon (sliced into large cubes)
- 8 oz mussel
- 8 oz tomatoes (sliced into wedges)
- 4 oz fennel (sliced)
- 4 oz celery (diagonally sliced)
- 4 oz onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp dill
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 fl oz white wine
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 oz French baguette
INSTRUCTIONS
Sweat the aromatics: On a medium pot over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp minced garlic, and 4 oz onions. Stir constantly for 2 minutes or until the onions are slightly translucent.
Cook the tomatoes: Add 8 oz tomatoes and stir for 1 minute.
Continue to add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tbsp tomato paste to the pot. Stir to combine.
Add a thickening agent: Add 1 tbsp all-purpose flour along with 4 oz celery, 4 oz fennel, and 1 bay leaf. Mix well to distribute the flour evenly.
Cook the shellfish: Add 14 oz shrimp, 8 oz mussels, and 1.5 fl oz white wine. Stir briefly for 1 minute or until the alcohol evaporates.
Simmer the soup: Add 2 cups water to the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
While you wait, preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Spread the remaining 3 tbsp unsalted butter on 2 oz French baguette.
Put the bread in the air fryer and toast for 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Cook the salmon: Add 10 oz salmon to the soup and continue to simmer for 3 minutes. Then, add 2 tbsp heavy cream.
After that, turn off the heat and sprinkle 2 tbsp dill and 2 tbsp cilantro over the soup.
Garnish and serve: Transfer the soup to a serving bowl and serve immediately with the toasted bread.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author