Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium carrot, grated (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups fish stock (or seafood stock)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup dill pickles, diced (about 150 g)
- 1/2 cup pickle brine
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 lb cod (or haddock), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 8 oz salmon, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 oz smoked fish (smoked mackerel or smoked trout), flaked
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus lemon slices for serving)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 cup sour cream, for serving (optional)
Do This
- 1. Sauté onion and carrot in butter + olive oil for 8 minutes; add garlic for 30 seconds.
- 2. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute; add crushed tomatoes and cook 2 minutes.
- 3. Add stock, bay leaves, peppercorns, paprika, pickles, and pickle brine; simmer 15 minutes.
- 4. Add cod and salmon; keep broth at 185–195°F and poach 6–8 minutes.
- 5. Stir in olives, capers, and smoked fish; warm 2 minutes without boiling.
- 6. Finish with lemon juice and dill; salt to taste.
- 7. Serve hot with lemon slices and (optional) sour cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big, satisfying flavor: tangy pickles + tomato + lemon make the broth bright and bold.
- Hearty but not heavy: mixed fish gives richness without needing cream.
- Great use of pantry staples: olives, capers, and tomato paste do a lot of the work.
- Weeknight-friendly: it tastes special, but the technique is simple (mostly gentle simmering).
Grocery List
- Produce: yellow onion, carrot, garlic, lemon, fresh dill
- Dairy: unsalted butter, sour cream (optional)
- Pantry: olive oil, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, dill pickles, pickle brine, green olives, capers, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, smoked paprika, kosher salt
- Seafood: fish stock (or seafood stock), cod (or haddock), salmon, smoked mackerel or smoked trout
Full Ingredients
Fish & Broth
- Fish stock: 6 cups (1.4 L), preferably unsalted or low-sodium
- Cod (or haddock): 1 lb (450 g), skinless, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) pieces
- Salmon: 8 oz (225 g), skinless, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) pieces
- Smoked fish: 4 oz (115 g) smoked mackerel or smoked trout, flaked into bite-size pieces (remove skin and bones)
Aromatics
- Unsalted butter: 2 tbsp
- Olive oil: 2 tbsp
- Yellow onion: 1 large, thinly sliced (about 2 cups / 200 g)
- Carrot: 1 medium, grated (about 1/2 cup / 60 g)
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
Tomato-Spice Base
- Tomato paste: 2 tbsp
- Crushed tomatoes: 1 cup (240 mL)
- Bay leaves: 2
- Whole black peppercorns: 1 tsp
- Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
- Kosher salt: 1/2 tsp to start, then adjust to taste
Signature Tangy Mix-Ins
- Dill pickles: 1 cup diced (about 150 g)
- Pickle brine: 1/2 cup (120 mL)
- Green olives: 1/2 cup (75 g) pitted and sliced
- Capers: 2 tbsp, drained
To Finish & Serve
- Fresh lemon juice: 2 tbsp (30 mL)
- Lemon: 1, sliced into thin rounds or wedges (for serving)
- Fresh dill: 1/4 cup (10 g) chopped (plus extra for garnish if you like)
- Sour cream: 1/4 cup (60 g), for serving (optional but traditional and delicious)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the fish and flavor boosters
Pat the cod and salmon dry with paper towels, then cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Flake the smoked fish into bite-size pieces and set aside separately (it goes in at the end so it stays silky and doesn’t fall apart too much).
Dice the pickles, slice the olives, drain the capers, mince the garlic, and chop the dill. Measure the pickle brine and lemon juice so they’re ready when you need them.
Step 2: Sauté the aromatics until sweet and soft
Set a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil. When the butter is melted, add the sliced onion and grated carrot.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until the onion turns translucent and sweet. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds just until fragrant.
Step 3: Build the tomato base (this adds richness and color)
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste to the pot and stir constantly for 1 minute to lightly toast it. This quick step deepens the tomato flavor and keeps the soup from tasting flat.
Stir in 1 cup crushed tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any flavorful bits on the bottom of the pot.
Step 4: Simmer the broth with pickles and spices
Pour in the 6 cups fish stock. Add the 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp peppercorns, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer.
Add the diced pickles and 1/2 cup pickle brine. Simmer for 15 minutes so the broth becomes rich, tangy, and well-balanced.
Step 5: Poach the fresh fish gently (no boiling)
Reduce heat so the soup sits at a gentle poach, ideally 185–195°F (85–90°C). Add the cod and salmon pieces. Stir once very gently so the fish is submerged.
Poach for 6–8 minutes, keeping the soup below a boil. The fish is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily. (Boiling can make fish tough and can cloud the broth.)
Step 6: Add olives, capers, and smoked fish
Stir in the sliced olives and capers. Add the flaked smoked fish and let it warm through for 2 minutes at a gentle simmer (still avoiding a hard boil).
Taste the broth. Because pickles, brine, olives, capers, smoked fish, and stock all vary in saltiness, adjust carefully. Start by adding up to 1/2 tsp more kosher salt only if needed.
Step 7: Finish with lemon and dill, then serve
Turn off the heat. Stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 cup chopped dill. Remove the bay leaves (and if you’d like, fish out the peppercorns; they’re traditional, but not everyone loves biting into one).
Ladle into warm bowls. Serve with a lemon slice or wedge on each bowl, and add a small spoonful of sour cream if you like. The sour cream softens the tang and makes the broth taste even richer.
Pro Tips
- Keep it below a boil once fish goes in: aim for 185–195°F (85–90°C) so the fish stays tender and the broth stays clear.
- Toast the tomato paste: that 1 minute of cooking removes raw tomato flavor and adds depth fast.
- Balance the sweet-sour: if it’s too sharp, add 1–2 tsp extra crushed tomatoes; if it’s not tangy enough, add 1–2 tbsp more pickle brine.
- Choose sturdy fish: cod/haddock and salmon hold up well. Very delicate fish can break apart.
- Season at the end: brine, olives, capers, and smoked fish bring salt; it’s easier to add than to fix an overly salty pot.
Variations
- Shellfish twist: replace 8 oz (225 g) of the fish with 8 oz peeled shrimp. Add shrimp in the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Extra-smoky: use 8 oz (225 g) smoked fish total and reduce kosher salt until the very end.
- Spicier solyanka: add 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes with the garlic, or stir in 1 tsp hot mustard at the table.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Cool soup quickly, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat until the soup reaches 165°F (74°C); avoid boiling to keep the fish tender. If you want to make it ahead, the best method is to cook the broth (through Step 4) up to 2 days in advance, then reheat and poach the fish fresh right before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, based on 6 servings: 320 calories, 26 g protein, 18 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 980 mg sodium.
