Lohikeitto: Finnish salmon soup
Hearty and warming: Lohikeitto is traditionally Finnish and the perfect soul food for anyone who loves salmon. When the Finns come home after a long and cold day, the delicious salmon soup is just the right refreshment. But the creamy mixture of fish and vegetables is a delight at other times of the year as well and can be easily prepared at home with just a few ingredients. You can find the recipe for traditional Lohikeitto here.
Finnish salmon soup Recipe
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tbsp. Butter
- 0,5 Stalk Leek
- 4 Potatoes
- 3 Carrots
- 500 ml Fish stock
- 2 Bay leaves
- 3 Allspice grains
- Pepper
- 400 g Salmon filet
- 100 ml Milk
- 100 ml Cream
- 1 Lemon
- Dill
- Salt
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large pot
- Ingredients
- 1 Onion
- •1 Tbsp. Butter
- •0,5 Stalk Leek
- •4 Potatoes
- •3 Carrots
- Utils
- Cutting board
- •Knife
- •Large pot
Dice the onion and sauté in butter in a large pan until translucent. Cut the leek into thin rings and add to the onions. Sauté briefly too. Wash and peel the potatoes and carrots. Then cut into cubes and add to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes.
- Ingredients
- 500 ml Fish stock
- •2 Bay leaves
- •3 Allspice grains
- • Pepper
- •400 g Salmon filet
Add the fish stock to the vegetables. If you prefer a less intense flavour, use the same amount of vegetable stock instead, or dilute the fish stock with a little water.
Boil briefly and then continue to cook over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf. Season with pepper and allspice. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked. In the meantime, cut the salmon into bite-sized pieces.
- Ingredients
- 100 ml Milk
- •100 ml Cream
- •1 Lemon
- • Dill
- • Salt
Add the milk and cream to the pan and a dash of lemon juice. Boil again briefly and then reduce the heat. Finely chop the dill and add. Finally, leave the salmon in the soup at a low temperature for a very short time (approx. 1-2 minutes) until it is light pink in colour. Flavour the soup with salt.
| Energy | 570 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 39 g |
Finns like to eat fresh rye bread with butter with their soup.
The traditional Finnish dish
Lohikeitto translates as “salmon soup”: Lohi is the Finnish word for “salmon”, keitto means “soup”.
Fish is one of the most traditional foods in Finland and is therefore naturally prepared in many different ways. The exact recipe for Lohikeitto varies slightly from family to family in Finland. Nevertheless, it is a classic dish that is not only cooked at home, but is also served in Finnish restaurants and cafés.
Finns can’t get enough of salmon soup. It is so popular that you can even buy it as a ready-made soup in a bag to heat up. The bag is labelled with a Moomin character from the Finnish children’s series, which is why it is also known as “Muumi-Lohikeitto”. Instant Lohikeitto is even advertised as “Moomin soup” in Japanese supermarkets – making it a real export hit.
If you don’t have fresh salmon, you can use frozen salmon as an alternative. It should be defrosted slowly before preparation.
