This Finnish Salmon Soup, known as Lohikeitto in the homeland, is to die for. Creamy and hearty, it is guaranteed to warm your soul on cold fall and winter days. Plus, it's really easy and quick to make - ready in a half an hour!
As an avid traveler, I have a list of my dream destinations. It's sort of a bucket list. One of these places is Lapland, Finland’s northernmost region. Yeah yeah, the place where Santa Claus and his elves live! However our Christmas symbol is not the reason why I want to get there. Or at least it wasn't the reason till my son was born three months ago. Now, it goes without saying that we would visit Santa's village together! I can't even imagine how happy my son would be there and it warms my heart to even think about it.
Let's get back to the main reason why Lapland is in my dream list. The Northern Lights. It's the unforgettable light show, created by Mother Nature, which you can observe in the sky. In Lapland the Northern Lights are visible on about 200 nights a year! How awesome is that? I even have a fantastic place in mind where I would love to be while gazing at the night sky - these AMAZING glass igloos. I've just shed a manly tear while looking at this picture.
There is one more thing you should know about Lapland. Winters are freezing cold and long there - the region lies north of the Arctic Circle. Temperatures can reach as low as -40°C or -40°
Why salmon? Well, Finland has an abundance of it. The Tana river, which flows through Lapland, is said to be the best salmon river in the whole world. Even the world's record for the biggest Atlantic salmon is held by a fish caught in this river - it was 36 kilograms (79 lb). It's something, isn't it?
I am actually a huge salmon fan. Life without salmon is barely worth living to me. I love it seared, baked, smoked, grilled, poached, cured in salt, you name it. I enjoy it in salads, spreads, patties, chowders and of course soups! Needless to say, Lohikeitto was right up my alley. This Finnish salmon soup uses cream as a base and is made of salmon chunks, potatoes, leeks and generously garnished with dill. It doesn't sound too fancy, but believe me, it has everything you need.
I used heavy cream but you can substitute it with lighter one. There are some versions of this salmon soup floating around the internet with cornstarch as a thickening agent, but the authentic recipe doesn't use any thickeners at all. The traditional recipe uses fish stock, so did I. I've made it from the salmon heads and bones by myself but you can easily use liquid store-bought one. It won't be a huge issue if you'll use water instead of the fish stock too.
To sum up - this salmon soup is definitely a winner. I can understand why it is so popular in Finland. It warms you up instantly and can keep you going all day long. Lohikeitto is full of flavor and has a wonderful texture. I've already eaten two plates of this goodness today. Thinking about grabbing the third one, but I probably won't have enough space in my stomach. Bummer! It's really filling! I don't know about you - but this is my new soup favorite. Cold winter days are approaching but with Lohikeitto I am not afraid of them. At all.
Finnish Salmon Soup - Lohikeitto
Ingredients
- ½ stick (¼ cup or about 50 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 leek, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 5 cups (1,25l) fish stock (can be substituted with water)
- 1 lb (450g) potatoes, cubed
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 1 lb (450g) salmon fillet, de-boned, de-skinned and cut into small chunks
- 1 cup (250ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (10g) fresh dill for garnish, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a pot. Add the sliced leek and saute until translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Add the stock, carrot and potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat. At this point the potatoes should be almost ready.
- Add the salmon chunks and the cream, and cook for about 5-7 minutes more, until it starts to boil.
- Turn off the heat and add the dill, salt and pepper. Close the lid and wait for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Scott
I was in Jacobstad all last week and had Salmon soup several times. I am going to try your recipe now that I am home. I may try to find a less hearty way of making it until the cold winter months.
Igor
Let me know how you like it after trying, Scott 🙂 Oh, and thanks for stopping by to leave a comment!
Susan
I will definitely be making this soup. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Igor
Thanks for the comment, Susan! I hope you will love it 🙂
Viki
I had the opportunity to have Lohikeitto everyday last week in Market square - Helsinki, it was the first time for me to taste it. ... can`t dare to describe it with words, ... it`s more than YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMY, , i ll try your recipe when i get home.
Igor
I envy you so much, Viki! I would love to try this soup in its homeland 🙂
Pete
This recipe is sublime. Astonishingly easy to prepare and utterly delicious. My wife is a Finn and she enjoyed it enthusiastically, so I suspect you might have it nailed. Flawless victory. 🙂
Igor
To get a compliment from someone from the country you are cooking is huge. I am so happy! Thanks for the comment, Pete!
Evgeniy
My wife is a Finn as well, and I just have cooked today the soup according to your recipe for her and her parents and it's been fantastic. As somebody mentioned above, incredibly easy directions to follow and still tastes fantastic. In fact, everybody said it tasted amazing and wanted more, even though it's been my first time that I even attempted to make it. I guess the trick would be to taste how much salt and pepper you need for the flavour if proportions aren't may be exact as in the recipe but close anyhow. So thank you for sharing this! All the time I was thinking I have to rate this article and thank the person because this really was so easy but so good still.
Igor
I am so glad to hear it, Evgeniy! It's awesome that you made it for the first time in your life and everybody love it 🙂 Thanks for getting back to comment, such compliments warm my heart 🙂
Aaron
Hi Igor! I live in the Pacific Northwest portion of the United States, and we take our salmon seriously. Generally I don't like to fuss with salmon too much, but this was one of the most spectacular recipes I've ever tried. A new favorite. Thank you SO much for sharing!
Igor
Wow, I am so glad to hear that you liked it, Aaron. Thanks for reporting back!
lynn gardner
Can this soup be prepared one day ahead?
Grace
I recently came home from being an exchange student in Finland. When I came home I wanted to make this soup for my family because we ate it ALL the time in Finland. Your recopie is exactly like what I remember! Thank you so much for sharing! Kiitos!
Igor
Grace, wow, I am so glad to hear that it's similar to the one you had in Finland! It's the best compliment for me. Thanks for taking your time to leave a comment! 🙂