Potato and Cod Soup

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March 23, 2018
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Potato and Cod Soup is such a comforting and delicious soup, full of vegetables that add so much flavor and texture. With onions, carrot, celery, garlic, peppers and tomatoes, they pair so well with the potatoes and the cod.

Cod soup with potatoes, aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs.

Potato and Cod Soup – this recipe has three of my favorite combinations: simplicity, really quick process and amazing flavor combinations. You know what’s really awesome about this recipe? It’s perfect for those nights that you don’t have anything planned because you can use FROZEN fish and adjust the recipe to use whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Sharing what you’re having for dinner is a way to connect. Why? Because we all eat dinner, whether we go out to eat, make something from scratch or order take out. It’s a basic human need combined with one of the pleasures of life – savoring and indulging in tasty food. The gift of taste is such a treasure. This is why so many social media posts are related to food.

This is also why when I was talking to my Mom a few weeks ago, it was so natural to throw in the question of “what are you cooking?”. She mentioned making a simple soup with fish and vegetables and immediately my mouth started salivating and I knew I had to recreate it for my own family sometime very soon.

Potatoes and fish are always a complementary combination, the addition of onion, carrot, celery, and garlic permeate the whole soup with their aromatic flavors. The jalapeno pepper adds a hint of heat and the tomato and tomato paste adds sweetness and a touch of acidity. A splash of cream gives some nice richness and creaminess to the soup but still keeps it light, since it’s a very brothy and fresh soup overall.

Ingredients:

Vegetables For Sauteing: onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, tomato.
butter or oil – to saute the vegetables.
salt, pepper – to taste
tomato paste
- The tomato paste doesn’t really make the soup taste too “tomatoey”, but instead helps to balance out the flavors of the broth in this soup. I think it’s the perfect touch of acidity, but you can choose to omit the tomato paste if you prefer.
bay leaves
water or vegetable broth
potatoes – any potatoes will work in this recipe.
cod – fresh or frozen
heavy cream, optional
fresh herbs (dill, green onions, parsley, etc)
- Fresh herbs make such a big impact on this soup, so I definitely don’t recommend skipping them.

How to Make Cod Soup

Prep all the vegetables.
Saute the vegetables.
- In a dutch oven or a large pot, heat the butter or oil until hot, adding the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sweet bell pepper, jalapeno pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, seasoning with salt and ground black pepper to taste, until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the fresh tomato, tomato paste, and dry bay leaves. Mix to combine and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes.
Add the water/broth and cook the potatoes.
- Pour in the water or broth, adding the potatoes also, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes have cooked through, about 15 minutes.
After all the vegetables are cooked through and soft, add the cod.
- Cut the cod into approximately 2 – inch pieces. You can use both fresh or frozen fish. If the fish is frozen, you can add it into the soup without thawing it; it will thaw and cook through in the soup. If using frozen fish, cook for about 5-7 minutes, and 3-5 minutes if using fresh/defrosted fish.
Lastly, pour in the cream and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve while hot.

Helpful Tips For the Best Cod Soup

Can you use frozen cod?

Yes, frozen cod works really great in this soup. You don’t even have to thaw it – cut it up with a sharp knife (be careful with this step) and add it right to the soup. You’ll just have to cook it for a few extra minutes. This is awesome when you’re in a pinch, didn’t plan ahead and can just grab the fish right out of the freezer.

What other fish can you use instead of cod?

This soup is really versatile and so good with a variety of fish and seafood. Try using other fish, such as trout, salmon, snapper, grouper, catfish, tilapia, etc. I have also added shrimp – it’s absolutely delicious.

How to make Cod Soup more or less spicy?

Adjust the heat level of the soup by using different peppers. If you want it to be more mild, use a poblano pepper instead of the jalapeno. If you want it to be even spicier than a jalapeno, use hotter peppers. Add the seeds to the soup – they have more heat in them than the actual pepper. You can also add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

How to Store and Reheat Cod Soup

Store the soup in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, covered. To reheat, you can use the microwave or do it in a small saucepan or pot on the stove. Pour in the amount you will be serving and reheat until it gets warm, no need to bring it to a rolling boil.
I would not recommend freezing this soup. The potatoes will become really mushy and blown out when frozen and fish has a tendency to get really dry when frozen, thawed and then reheated.

You can definitely leave the cream out of the soup. It will taste really delicious without it too.

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