Lohikeitto is a traditional Finnish salmon soup that is both hearty and comforting. The name "Lohikeitto" comes from "lohi," meaning salmon, and "keitto," meaning soup. Moreover, it doesn't require much effort; in half an hour, you have a steaming bowl of soup ready. Later in this article, we will also delve deeper into the history behind this meal soup.

How to make Lohikeitto - traditional Finnish salmon soup?

Lohikeitto, the delicious traditional Finnish salmon soup, is very easy to make and ready in just half an hour. A spark of sun during the dark winter days.

Preparations

As always, we start by preparing the vegetables. In this case, we will also prepare the fish, although you can also prepare it at a later stage.

First, we peel the carrots and halve them lengthwise. Then we cut them into half-moon slices.

Next, we handle the leek. Remove the roots and the dark green part of the stalk, leaving only the white and light green parts. Halve these lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under cold water to ensure no sand grains remain. Finally, cut the halved leek into rings.

Now it's time to peel the potatoes. Cut them into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Remove the ends of the onion. Halve the onion and remove the tough skin. Now cut the two halved onions into rings.

The green dill sprigs complete the vegetable section. Remove the tips from the thicker stems and finely chop them.

With all the vegetables prepared, we move on to the salmon. Remove the skin from the salmon and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. You can also do this later on, as the salmon is only added to the soup at the very end.

If you wish, you can keep the salmon skin and fry it separately in a pan with butter until crispy. This can be used to garnish the soup later.

Making the Traditional Finnish Salmon Soup

Now we can start making the soup. First, melt the butter in a large pot.

Once the butter is bubbling, add the onion and leeks. Lower the heat slightly and let them stew with the lid on for five minutes.

Then, it's time to add the carrots, potatoes, and fish stock. Bring this to a boil and let it simmer again for ten minutes with the lid on.

Next, add the salmon pieces, cream, and half of the dill to the soup. Let it simmer for another five minutes until the salmon is cooked. Meanwhile, you can season the soup to taste.

Finally, we can serve the Lohikeitto in deep bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining dill and optionally with the crispy fried salmon skin. You can eat the soup as is, or serve it with a hearty rye bread.

A short history of Lohikeitto

Finland is the land of 1000 lakes and rivers. Clean and clear waters that are also the spawning grounds for salmon. It's no wonder that this fish plays an important role in Finnish cuisine. The other ingredients almost seem to grow effortlessly, so all the elements are present for a simple fisherman's meal.

Therefore, it is not so much that you can say a specific person invented this meal soup. Instead, it has emerged over time in countless variations. Not only in Finland but also in the nearby Nordic neighboring countries, of course.

Read more about Lohikeitto - the traditional Finnish salmon soup and Finnish cuisine in the following articles:

More surprising.Scandinavian

The Scandinavian cuisine might not be that well-known, but it has a lot of delicious offerings. This cuisine is renowned for its simplicity, fresh ingredients, and seasonal dishes. Here are some characteristic and surprising recipes from Scandinavian cuisine:

Fiskasúpa - Icelandic fish soup.
caramelized potatoes.
Königsberger Klopse (present-day Kaliningrad, on the Baltic Sea).
Köttbullar with parsley potatoes.
Hasselback potatoes.

More surprising.soup

Soups are delicious, especially in the darker months of the year. They provide warmth and comfort. More inspiration for tasty and healthy meal soups can be found in the following articles:

If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.