Fiskasúpan — Faroese Fish Soup

About This Recipe

Fiskasúpan is the everyday fish soup of the Faroe Islands, made wherever fresh Atlantic cod or haddock is available. A simple roux-thickened base of leek, carrot, and potato is enriched with cream and finished with generous chunks of white fish. It is mild, deeply comforting, and eaten with crusty bread.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gfresh cod or haddock fillets, cut into chunks
• 2 mediumpotatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 largeleek, sliced
• 2 mediumcarrots, diced
• 200 mlheavy cream
• 800 mlfish stock or water

Instructions

1. 1

   Sweat the vegetables

   In a large pot, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add leek and carrots; cook 5 minutes until softened.

2. 2

   Add stock and potatoes

   Pour in fish stock, add diced potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cook 12–15 minutes until potatoes are just tender.

3. 3

   Add fish

   Nestle fish chunks into the simmering broth. Cook 6–8 minutes — do not stir vigorously to keep fish in large flakes.

4. 4

   Finish with cream

   Stir in heavy cream. Season generously with salt and white pepper. Warm through without boiling.

5. 5

   Serve

   Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chives or parsley. Serve with thick slices of white bread.

Variations

• •

  Add smoked haddock for a deeper flavour

• •

  Replace cream with crème fraîche for a tangier result

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking the fish.

Frequently Asked Questions