Spicy Fish Soup

Indulge in the warmth and comfort of spicy fish soup, a dish that combines white fish with vegetables and a kick of spice.

This delightful spicy soup is perfect for those who enjoy a bit of heat. Succulent pieces of fish, infused with a vibrant blend of herbs and spices, each spoonful of this soup promises a flavourful journey. You could even call this a fish stew.

The result was this perfectly fragrant spicy fish soup. Great as a starter, lunch or even a main meal! It is under 300 calories a serving and very low in saturated fats.

How to make Spicy Fish Soup

Press the button below to jump straight to the recipe for our spicy fish soup. The full ingredients and instructions are on the recipe card below.

Or continue reading for more information and substitutions for this recipe.

Equipment

This spicy fish soup doesn't require any fancy appliances or tools. All you need is your typical kitchen essentials.

Ingredients

Our spicy fish stew / fish soup is packed full of rich and wholesome ingredients that perfectly marry to create a beautifully balanced dish. Here is a list of what you need.

Vegetables

Our spicy fish soup base is a mix of vegetables that function as the aromatic base, elevating the overall flavour profile. Red onions and red and yellow peppers (bell peppers), contribute a pop of earthiness and add a marvellous splash of colour to the dish.

Garlic offers a pungent hit that carries the other flavours beautifully and complements the spices whilst enhancing the succulence of the fish.

We have also used tinned tomatoes, but fresh tomatoes can be used instead.

If you want to make this more like a fish stew, simply add extra vegetables to make it thicker.

Spices

Let's talk about the spices needed to add flavour to this fish soup.

Pickling Spice Mix

At the heart of this blend lies the pickling spice mix, a veritable tapestry of flavours that includes Bay Leaves, which offer a subtle depth with floral hints, Allspice with its piquant notes reminiscent of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, together forming a warm and complex profile. Bird's Eye Chillies flakes introduce an intense fiery element, balanced by the sharp, robust scent of Black Peppercorns. The fragrant Cloves, intense Ginger Root, and citrus-like Coriander Seeds play harmoniously, while the Yellow Mustard Seeds bring a mild but tangy heat, and Crushed Cassia Cinnamon rounds the spice bouquet with its fragrant, sweet undertones.

If you can not source this all-in-one spice mix, you can make your own blend of the above.

Using our pestle and mortar we ground 1 tablespoon of the whole spices down into a powder.

If you haven't got a pestle & mortar, you can place them in a sealable bag and use a rolling pin/hammer to bash and ground them.

Tumeric and Cumin

We also added turmeric and cumin to give the fish stew extra spice and colour.

Stock

Fish stock forms the heart of our spicy fish stew, vegetable stock can be used for a lighter flavour.

Fish

Central to this hearty meal is the fresh white fish, cut into chunks.

The best fish to use in this soup is a firm white fish, which will keep its form when cooked. We used Haddock, other alternatives are cod, sea bass, basa, catfish, tilapia or snapper.

Frozen fish can be used instead, but it is best to defrost before use.

Fresh Herbs

To give the spicy fish soup a final burst of freshness and an extra flavour, a generous sprinkling of chopped Coriander Leaves.

Freshly chopped Parsley also makes an excellent alternative.

Instructions

Let's get making this spicy fish soup.

Fry off onions, peppers and garlic together until softened before adding chopped tomatoes.

Next add crushed pickling mix, cumin and turmeric.

Add in stock, allow to simmer and thicken for 30 minutes before adding fish cut into big chunks. Cook the soup for a further 8 minutes.

Stir very gently, so as not to break the fish chunks.

Serving Suggestions

Pour into a soup bowl, add a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves and black pepper. Before serving up with a fresh homemade wholemeal loaf or white cob loaf.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

This spicy fish soup recipe was updated on 26/01/2024 with more detailed ingredients and suitable substitutions, equipment, serving suggestions and storage advice.

Storage

To make the most of your spicy fish soup, it's crucial to store it correctly. Once cooled and within two hours of cooking, place in the fridge. It will keep for 3 days. For longer storage, freezing is a great option.

Reheat

When reheating spicy fish soup, gently warm the soup in a pot over low heat to keep the delicate fish intact. If frozen, ensure it's completely thawed in the fridge before reheating.

Hope you enjoyed the soup as much as we do, we will be making another batch of this up again this week.

We enjoyed it a lot and was easy for a midweek meal. Take a look at our Homemade White Cob Loaf recipe. If you are a fish lover give our Fish Chowder Bread Boat a go!

More Soup Recipes

If you enjoyed this hearty, spicy fish soup dish, be sure to check back for more soup recipes.

We love our broccoli and stilton or carrot and coriander soup recipe.

There is another lovely Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup by savings 4 savvy mums or check out more homemade soup ideas here.

As mentioned above we used The Food Bible to help us make our choices of good spices to use. Here is a breakdown of the health benefits that this Spicy Fish Soup will bring to you.

The Food Bible was gifted to us by Pen and Sword Books, it is a fantastic food reference book that gives you all the information you will need to know about Food and how it affects your health.

Health benefits of spices

Cumin- Good Source of Iron and several other minerals and Vitamin B1. It is a digestive aid and may also help protect from stomach and liver cancers as well as regulate blood sugars

Turmeric- Good source of Iron and Vitamin B6. Reduces levels of inflammation. Also believed to prevent insulin resistants, in promoting heart health and in cancer treatment. More research is being tested on humans for the benefits of turmeric.

Allspice- Anti-inflammatory, helps relieve wind and indigestion, boosting the immune system. May reduce blood pressure and has a mild analgesic effect.

Dried Chilli- A good source of carotenes, fibre and vitamin E. It's linked to several health benefits including pain relief from arthritis and psoriasis and the prevention of prostate cancer. May also help prevent inflammatory diseases reduce blood cholesterol, is anti-bacterial and can clear lung and nose congestion. Also known to boost the metabolic rate so may be useful for weight control and may even help reverse diabetes and colitis.

Black Peppercorns- A digestive aid particular useful when eating protein foods. Also, help reduce discomfort in the gut and helps prevent wind.

Cloves- Anti-inflammatory properties, is rich in antioxidant flavonoids. With a good content of fibre, calcium and iron.

Corriander seeds & leaves- helps protect against heart disease as well as having antibacterial properties. Said to be soothing for the digestion system and to stimulate insulin secretion and lower blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon- Antibacterial anti-clotting effect on the blood. May relieve the pain of arthritis. Boosts the immune system and is a digestive aid. There is some evidence it can lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Possibly antifungal, offering help in yeast infections, including candida.

Garlic - Can help lower blood LDL cholesterol and reduce the stickiness of the blood. Also protects against stomach and bowel cancers.

May help regulate blood pressure and a good source of vitamin B & C.

So there you have it, I wasn't joking when I said the Spicy Fish Soup is full of healthy spices!