Easy Homemade Italian Fish Soup
Easy Homemade Italian Fish Soup, full of big pieces of all your favorite fish, such as haddock, shrimp, mussels and clams all combined in a perfectly spiced tomato broth. A delicious comfort dish, a little bit stew, a little bit soup!
Do you ever make something and while you are eating it think “Oh Wow this is so good, I have no idea why the heck I don’t make it more often”? Well this is exactly what I said while I was eating this Italian Fish Soup.
I don’t remember my mother-in-law making Fish Soup, so I happened to get this recipe from a sister-in-law. This is her mother’s recipe. It is easy, quick and so full of flavor, your house will smell amazing while this soup is simmering.
Where did Fish Soup originate?
Apparently it originated from the time when the fishermen would sell their fish and whatever was left over was made into a soup or stew. Every town overlooking the sea, will have its own recipe.
What are the ingredients?
- Assorted Fish
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Hot Pepper Flakes – optional
- White Wine
- Tomato Passata – also known as puree or conserva. It is just pureed tomatoes with nothing added.
- Water
- Salt – Careful with the salt, fish can be very salty so it is best to add it towards the end of the cooking time.
- Spices – oregano, basil
- Fresh Italian parsley – chopped
- Bread – thick slices of Italian bread – optional
Italians like to eat this Easy Italian Fish Soup with a piece of grilled Italian bread placed at the bottom of a bowl and the soup poured on top. The bread can also be eaten with the soup rather than in it. It’s totally up to you.
How to make fish soup
In a large pot add olive oil, garlic and hot pepper flakes, heat on medium for one minute and then flatten with a fork.
Add the cut up assorted fish, cook one minute. Add the white wine and cook on medium-high for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree, water, oregano, basil, salt to taste and fresh parsley, stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer until thickened. Serve over grilled crusty Italian bread or with crusty Italian bread.
I recommend adding the salt towards the end of cooking time, as fish can be quite savory in cooking. You can vary the dose of water according to the consistency you want, if you want a thicker soup add less water, and more, if you prefer a thinner and more liquid soup.
If you don’t have time to grill the bread or like me you forget, a nice thick slice of Italian crust bread is delicious also but if you do have some extra time this delicious Easy Focaccia Bread would be perfect.
Or my favourite, just serve the bread on the side for easy dunking and soaking up all that amazing tasty leftover sauce in the bowl. Buon Appetito!
More Delicious Italian Soups
Easy Homemade Italian Fish Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound cut up assorted fish (eg. shrimp,prawns, cod, haddock, calamari, mussels, clams etc)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1-2 dashes hot pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup tomato puree (passata)
- 1¼ -1½ cups water (depending on how thick you want it, more soup or stew)
- salt to taste* I added a pinch
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 4 slices thick Italian crust bread grilled or plain
*Depending how salty your fish is it's best to add the salt at the end of the cooking time.
Instructions
- In a large pot add olive oil, garlic and hot pepper flakes, heat on medium for one minute and then flatten with a fork.
- Add cut up assorted fish, cook one minute. Add white wine and cook on medium-high for approximately 3 minutes. Add tomato puree and water, oregano, basil and fresh parsley, stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer for approximately 30 minutes until thickened (after about 20 minutes taste for salt and add if needed). Serve over grilled crusty Italian bread or with crusty Italian bread on the side. Enjoy!
I had si much frozen fish to use up and decided to try this. Amazing! I made a fish broth in my instant pot with the shrimp shells first, then user that instead of water, and used tomato sauce instead of pureed. I also had fresh basil on hand, and used about 4 tbsp instead of dried. Followed the recipe perfectly otherwise and it was amazing! Topped with fresh parmesan. Recipe was super easy to follow and complete. Oh my goodness….this was awesome.
Hi Joline, thanks, so glad you enjoyed it. And thank you for sharing. Have a great week.
This soup was delicious! I made this soup two days ago, and I just finished the rest of it today. I took my finicky mom a small bowl, and she loved it! Her only complaint was that she didn’t have enough.
The only changes I made was to omit the white wine (I don’t drink), used tomato sauce in place of the tomato puree, and added a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (that really kicked up the flavor). And, I only used tilapia, but I might add some salmon later.
The soup tasted even better after being in the fridge for two days. I plan to make a big batch, and freeze some of it for later.
Thank you for this recipe! Mom & I loved it!!
Hi Sharon, thanks so much, so glad you and your Mom loved it. And with added salmon I think it will be even better I think. 🙂
Very easy recipe and tasted just great ??
Thanks so much Simi, so glad you liked it. Rosemary
December 26, 2017
I made this for Christmas Eve a few days ago and it is so fantastic I am making it again right now!
Hi Susan, thanks. I just may have to redo it also. Happy New Year.
This stew is a 10! I made it for The Feast of the 7 Fishes on Christmas Eve and am making again right now!!! Easy, delicious, flexible dish!!! Love Love Love!!!!
Stumbled upon this recipe earlier and am cooking it as I type. It smells fantastic , very authentic and reminds me of eating on the beach in Sorrento. I tried Tex’s fish stock and a couple of other little tweaks. The house smells amazing. The cat is going wild !
Hi Liam, so glad to hear how delicious it smells I hope you found it delicious in taste too! Haha I hope you share with your cat. Have a wonderful Christmas.
We live on the coast and lots of fresh seafood is available but must limit fat intake. This soup is perfect. I will mak ea few tweaks to the recipe like fish stock instead of water, more wine and puree fresh tomatoes. Also will adjust cooking times for different kinds of fish: squid “forvere”, mussels 3 minutes etc. etc. Everything else is perfect. Thanks ever so much.
Hi Tex, thanks glad you enjoyed it.
I made this for supper tonight. It’s fantastic! I didn’t have any white wine but I had red and it tasted great. Thanks for posting this.
Hi Samantha so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great weekend.
I can’t wait to try this…. the name easy hooked me, and it looks just delicious and perfect for a sunday meal!
Hi Michele, thank you hope you enjoy it. Happy Easter.
I love fish soup and this is so easy, just like you said. And I can get whatever fish is fresh and on sale that the store. Pinning & Stumbling!
Thanks Cathy, hope you enjoy it. Happy Easter.
This looks delicious!
Thanks Lucy, Happy Easter!
I can’t wait to try this it’s looks and sounds amazing! (Thursday Favorite Things)
Thanks Leigh, enjoy and Happy Easter!
I love just about anything & everything Italian, but especially Italian Soups! This sounds fabulous & seems quick & easy to make. I am looking forward to trying it, Yummed & Pinned 🙂 Also, would love for you to share this as the Sunday Fitness & Food Link-Up at: www.marathonsandmotivation.com
Thanks Angela and I shared it. Happy Easter.
Thank you for sharing!
Gorgeous pictures of this soup!
Thanks Megan, Happy Easter.
Looks so good, Rosemary – love reading the history of this dish, I can see why people love it so much.
Hi April, thanks it was really tasty, sometimes Italian food history is very interesting, everyone has their version ;).