Easy Fish Soup (Simple Ukha Recipe) (2024)

This Easy Fish Head Soup is a simple Ukha recipe that is nourishing, satisfying, and delicious. Ukha is a Russian or Ukranian soup made with fish, potatoes, carrots, and fresh herbs. It's light and refreshing yet the broth and fish will keep you and your whole family full and satisfied. This fish soup is a comforting dish with a mild but pleasant flavor and is ready to be served in under 30 minutes.

Ukha is a traditional Russian fish soup that typically includes pieces of fish, vegetables like potatoes and carrots, and fresh herbs. It is known for its clear broth, flavored with dill, and often served with a slice of lemon. Ukha is a popular dish in Russian cuisine and variations can be found in other Eastern European countries.

And you'll love the simplicity of this fish soup: it's light, yet hearty. Simple to make, but nourishing!

Looking for more refreshing soup recipes? Check out Easy Porcupine Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, and Shurpa. 

Recipe Overview

• Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook
• Cooking Method: Stove-top
• Dietary Info: Nutrient-dense, Ancestral-based, WAPF, Whole30, Paleo, GAPS if you omit potatoes
• Tools Needed: Large stockpot
• Skill Level: Easy

Key Features & Benefits

Avoid food waste - Using the whole fish is a great way to avoid food waste that often comes from discarding heads and tails.

Traditional foods - This soup emphasizes the idea of using the entire fish, which aligns with sustainable practices in many traditional cuisines.

Cooking method - The primary cooking method is on the stovetop and it comes together quickly in one pot.

Suitable for dietary needs - This soup is naturally nutrient-dense but feel free to swap the potatoes with another vegetable like cauliflower or turnips.

Adjust flavor profile: If you want a more robust flavor, use oily fish like salmon heads and tails. However, if you prefer a milder soup, go with fillets of a white fish.

Ingredients for Fish Soup Recipe

Learn how to make fish head soup with 5 simple ingredients. This easy recipe takes only 30 minutes to make.

• Fish: You have lots of flexibility in the type of fish and the cut of fish. For a quick fish soup recipe, I often use a pound or two of skin-on salmon fillets. If you want a robust flavor, use fish heads and tails. I include instructions for both options but if you want more detailed tips and tricks, read up on how to make fish fumet.
• Onion: Yellow or white onion both work.
• Aromatics: A few bay leaves, black peppercorns, and sea salt to add flavor to the fish soup.
• Vegetables: You'll need about 1-½ pounds of Yukon gold potatoes (5-6 potatoes) and a few fresh carrots.
• Fresh dill: Any fresh herbs will work but fresh dill pairs wonderfully with fish soup.

See the recipe card for exact quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

• Experiment with fish varieties. This fish soup recipe will work with other kinds of fish like cod, halibut, trout, or sea bass. I'm more accustomed to using salmon fish head, but this healthy soup is very versatile.
• Use any part of the fish. If you don't have a head of the fish, use fish bones. You can also just use a fish fillet if you want to avoid any strong flavor.
• Add noodles. Feel free to add rice noodles or ramen to the fish soup recipe to give it more substance.
• Increase veggies. Add more fresh veggies like bok choy, spinach, bell peppers, or spring onions.

💭Make it Nutrient-Dense: Use wild-caught fish for maximum nutrition from omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Wild-caught seafood has a higher nutritional profile than farm raised. Sadly, I have a hard time sourcing wild-caught fresh salmon heads. 

How to Make Easy Fish Soup

The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.

Step 1. Fill

In a large stockpot, place well-washed fish heads, tails, or fillets and add aromatics such as bay leaves, onions, and black peppercorns. Season with salt and fill with enough water to cover all contents.

Step 2. Simmer

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower heat so that it barely simmers with an occasional bubble. Gently simmer until fish has cooked through. Fillets will cook quicker than heads and tails.

Step 3. Strain

Remove the fish, onions, and bay leaves from the pot. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the fish fillets and flake with a fork. If making fish soup with fish heads, strain the broth into a medium-size stockpot and separate the fleshy pieces of the fish. Discard the carcass, skin, onions, and bay leaves.

Step 4. Cook

To the pot with the fish stock, add diced potatoes and sliced carrots and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Step 5. Add

Transfer the cooked salmon flakes from the fish head, tails, or fish fillets to the pot and simmer for 2 more minutes to warm it up.

See Also

Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes Recipe30 Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipes (Main Courses!)Creamy Fish Chowder RecipeThe Perfect Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Step 6. Garnish

Take the salmon head soup off the heat. Squeeze in some lemon juice, garnish with fresh dill, and a slice of fresh lemon.

Helpful Tips for Ukha

Using fish heads - If you want an authentic fish head soup, use 3-4 pounds of fish head and tails for a more robust flavor. You can also follow this detailed recipe for fish stock for all my tips and tricks.

Use fish fillets to save time - If you're short on time, use 2-3 fish fillets, weighing 6 ounces each. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the fillets, peel off the skin, and flake the fish. From there, simply add potatoes and carrots directly to the fish stock and return the flaked fish.

Start with clean fish - Whether you use fish heads, tails, or fillets, make sure to wash them thoroughly first under cold running water to remove any impurities and debris, ensuring a clean broth.

Straining the broth - Though not necessary if you use fish fillets, straining the broth is recommended if you use fish heads. Elements in fish heads and tails make the broth unsavory.

Know your fish - I prefer to make this fish soup with salmon, but I've also used white-fleshed fish like carp, red snapper, and sturgeon. Salmon is an oily fish and, therefore, will produce a richly-flavored broth, even with the fillets, but if you want a light soup, go with a white fish.

💭Meal Prep Suggestion: If making fish head soup with fish heads and tails, be sure to pick out the fleshy part and add that back to the stock to add meaty heartiness. 

Serving Suggestions

The best way to serve ukha is with a slice of lemon and chopped fresh dill and green onions. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. If you have an abundance of this fresh herb, make sure you know how to store fresh dill so it lasts a long time. I've also used dried fresh parsley in a pinch, though the flavor is much milder with dried herbs. You can also pair this fish head soup with crusty bread for a complete and satisfying meal. 

Looking for more healthy seafood recipes, try these ideas:

Storage and Reheating Instructions

How long does fish head soup last in the refrigerator?

To store: Transfer leftover fish head soup to an airtight container or keep it in the pot with a lid. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Storage containers: These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers but I prefer to use wide-mouth mason jars for soup leftover.

To freeze: I don't recommend freezing this soup because the potatoes will lose their texture and become grainy when thawed. But this soup is so quick and easy to make, that it can be whipped up on a busy weekday.

To reheat: Reheat the fish soup on the stovetop over medium heat. Stir occasionally to ensure even heating and avoid boiling vigorously.

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more traditional recipes? Here are some ideas:

Did you make this fish soup? Please leave a ⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚

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