If you enjoy easy seafood recipes, this soup is one of our most popular seafood dinner ideas. It is a simple one-pot meal made with shrimp, crab, salmon, white fish, and vegetables. It requires just 15 minutes of hands-on time and is ready in about 40 minutes. It's perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner. Light, flavorful, and nourishing, it’s a seafood soup you can make any day of the week without fuss.
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Seafood soup is a light, water-based soup made by simmering a combination of fish and shellfish, typically white fish, salmon, shrimp, and crab, together with vegetables in a seasoned liquid. Unlike creamy chowders, it has a clear, flavourful broth that gets its depth from the natural juices of the seafood itself rather than from stock or cream. It's popular in many cuisines around the world, from Eastern European fish soups to Asian-style seafood broths, and is known for being both nourishing and surprisingly quick to make.
I always make a large pot of it, and we have it for dinner, for up to 4 days. It's so convenient during a workweek; I know I have soup in the fridge and all I have to do when I get home is make a fresh salad, such as this Spring Vegetable and Berry Salad or this Citrus Avocado Salad Recipe, and maybe some meat, like our Stir-Fried Chicken Thighs or this Mexican Style Meatloaf- depending on my energy levels that day :). Really, with the seafood and potatoes in the soup, it's so filling that a salad is usually all we can eat after having soup. Well, maybe some dessert too!
Looking for more seafood dinner ideas? Browse my collection of 20 Easy Seafood Recipes.
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Why you'll love this seafood soup recipe
- Only 15 minutes hands-on
- It's a one-pot meal
- Protein-packed with shrimp, salmon, and white fish
- Light but filling
- Great for weeknights or entertaining
Ingredients
- Water: I prefer using water (vs. broth/stock). See the water vs. stock soup base section below for more on this.
- Salmon Fillet: If salmon is not available, you can replace it with any other fish. Rainbow Trout would work great as well. It's best to remove the skin before cooking - it's great for baking like we do in this Baked Seafood-Stuffed Salmon, but I find that the soup gets greasy from the skin.
- Haddock Fish Fillet: I love Haddock in this soup. You can also use Cod fish or a combination of both.
- Scallops: These are optional, if you are able to find scallops in your local grocery store, it's a great addition. If you like scallops, you may also like to try my easy seafood medley recipe.
- Crab: I use imitation crab (like in my Lemongrass Seafood Medley Stuffed Pumpkin), but when available, natural crab meat is the best option. You can choose between crab chunks or sticks. Personally, I prefer sticks because they separate beautifully in the soup, creating thin, delicate strips instead of larger chunks.
- Shrimp: Raw, peeled and deveined shrimp can be thrown into the soup during the last few minutes of cooking. You will know they are cooked through when they turn opaque white and pink within a few minutes. If you like shrimp recipes, you should also try my Shrimp Salad in Orange Peel and Honey Garlic Eggplant and Shrimp. So good!
- Potatoes: make the soup more hearty! I use the all-purpose Yukon Gold potatoes. They are great for any dish, including soup. Any low or medium-starch potato will work great.
- Carrot: Many don't like cooked carrot pieces. I prefer to grate the carrot versus slicing it; it blends in the soup well.
see the full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post
Substitutions and variations
- Celery: adds a little crunch and more flavor - 1 or 2 medium celery sticks, finely chopped.
- Cilantro: a little (about 1 or 2 chopped handfuls) fresh cilantro tossed into the soup pot after cooking adds a great fresh flavor. Or, instead of adding it to the pot, you may want to use it as a garnish, like we do in this Cauliflower and Pumpkin Soup.
- Corn kernels: one cup of frozen corn kernels would be great in this soup too.
- Peas: one cup of frozen peas.
- Add other seafood: add any seafood of your choice - mussels, clams, etc. Just be mindful of cooking times, adding quicker-cooking seafood towards the end.
- Make it spicy: A touch of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes can add a nice kick to your seafood soup. Adjust the heat according to your preference.
Any one of these ingredients, or a combination, or even all of the above ingredients would work great in the soup!
Water vs. stock soup base
I really do prefer using water as a replacement for chicken or vegetable stock in most of my soups. I use it this Hearty Pickle Soup Recipe and my Simple Cabbage Soup Recipe. This Simple Seafood Soup Recipe is definitely no exception. The ingredients are so rich that stock is really unnecessary here. The flavor combinations of all the ingredients infuse the water naturally - the salmon fillet, onion, garlic, and carrot (celery, if you're using it) are all great for the job! There is no need to add extra sodium and fat that comes with using store-bought stock.
If you prefer using chicken or vegetable stock and would like to replace the water for the stock when making this soup, make sure to add less salt, to taste! You may want to use a combination of 50% stock and 50% water - in this case too, you may need to add less salt when seasoning.
Preparation
STEP 1: Prepare the Ingredients: peel and cube the potatoes, remove skin from fish, finely chop onion, peel and grate the carrot, mince the garlic, dice the imitation crab, peel and devein shrimp (or you may purchase peeled and deveined raw shrimp).
STEP 2: Sauté veggies
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium-high heat, and sauté the diced onion, grated carrot, and minced garlic until softened.
STEP 3: Add potatoes and fish
Stir in the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and Vegeta seasoning. Pour in the water and add the salmon fillet and haddock fillet.
STEP 4: Simmer
Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Skim off the foam that rises to the top when the soup is cooking. Cook with the lid off for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked.
STEP 5: Add shrimp, crab, and scallops
Add crab, shrimp, and scallops (if using). The shrimp will turn opaque white and pink within a few minutes. Taste the soup and add more salt to taste, if necessary.
Top Tips
- Ensure that the seafood is cleaned and deveined before adding it to the soup.
- Add shrimp and crab meat towards the end of the cooking process to prevent overcooking. Shrimp cooks quickly, and overcooked shrimp can become tough. Simmer until the shrimp is just opaque and cooked through.
- Don't forget to taste the soup when it's done and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use frozen seafood, but make sure to thaw it properly before adding it to the soup. This helps ensure even cooking.
To devein shrimp, use a small knife or shrimp deveiner to make a shallow cut along the back and remove the dark vein. Rinse the shrimp under cold water.
Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Only reheat the amount of soup you plan to eat to avoid reheating multiple times, which can cause the shrimp and other seafood to turn rubbery. Reheating on the stovetop is best. Heat the soup over medium heat until just warmed through. If you're using the microwave, reheat in short intervals (30-45 seconds), stirring in between to avoid overcooking the seafood.
Allow the soup to cool first, and you can freeze it the same day it is cooked, or within a maximum of 3 days after you've made it (from fridge to freezer). You can freeze it in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When reheating frozen soup, place the soup into a pot (frozen or thawed) and cook over medium-low heat until the broth starts to heat (so it doesn't begin burning in the pot). Once the soup releases fluids and begins to thaw, you can increase the heat to medium-high until it's cooked.
A combination of firm white fish, a fatty fish like salmon, and shellfish makes the most flavourful seafood soup. White fish such as haddock or cod hold their shape well during cooking and add a mild, clean flavour. Salmon adds richness and body to the broth. Shrimp, crab, and scallops round it out with sweetness and texture. Avoid very delicate fish that will fall apart completely, like tilapia, unless you don't mind it breaking down into the broth.
Yes, and in many cases, water actually produces a cleaner, lighter broth than store-bought stock. When you simmer fresh fish, shrimp, and aromatics like onion, garlic, and carrot directly in water, they release enough natural flavour to create a rich, well-rounded broth on their own. Fish stock can overpower delicate seafood flavours, and vegetable or chicken stock adds unnecessary sodium. This recipe uses water for exactly that reason.
Seafood soup has a clear, light broth made from water or stock, whereas seafood chowder is cream-based and much thicker. Chowder also typically relies on fewer seafood varieties, and a seafood soup like this one uses a full mix of fish and shellfish. Soup is generally lighter and lower in calories, making it a better fit for a weeknight dinner.
The key is timing. Fish like salmon and haddock go in early since they need 15 minutes to cook through and naturally break apart into the broth. Shrimp, crab, and scallops go in during the last 3–5 minutes. They cook very quickly, and even a minute or two of overcooking makes them tough and rubbery. As soon as the shrimp turn opaque and pink, the soup is done.
Serving suggestions
Serve the soup with crusty bread, garlic bread, and/or a side salad such as this Sweet and Crunchy Beet Salad, or this Simple Corn and Marinated Mushroom Salad. You can also enjoy it with a hearty side dish, such as our Healthy Turmeric Oven Roasted Vegetables or these Easy 3-ingredient Baked Potato Wedges. You may also like to serve it with one or two of these appetizers:
- Seaweed Salad and Ahi Tuna Appetizer
- Caprese Salad With Microgreens
- Pizza Rolls Appetizer
- Cauliflower Steak with Prosciutto and Burrata
More Easy Seafood Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re looking for more easy seafood recipes, these simple seafood dinner ideas are perfect for busy weeknights or casual entertaining.
If you tried this Simple Seafood Soup Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Simple Seafood Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled and grated
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 3 large potatoes 1.5 lbs. or 700 gm. - peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Vegeta or Mrs. Dash seasoning
- 12 cups water
- 1 lb salmon fillet skin removed
- 1 lb haddock fish fillet or cod fish, skin removed
- 1 lb imitation crab diced
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 0.5 lb scallops optional
- green onion - to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: peel and cube the potatoes, remove the skin from fish, finely chop onion, peel and grate the carrot, mince the garlic, dice the imitation crab, peel and devein shrimp (or you may purchase peeled and deveined raw shrimp).
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium-high heat, and sauté the diced onion, grated carrot, and minced garlic until softened (about 2 minutes).2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 large carrot, 2-3 garlic cloves
- Stir in the diced potatoes, salt, pepper, and Vegeta seasoning. Pour in the water and gently add the salmon fillet and haddock fillet.3 large potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon Vegeta, 12 cups water, 1 lb salmon fillet, 1 lb haddock fish fillet
- Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Skim off the foam that rises to the top when the soup is cooking. Cook with the lid off for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Add crab, shrimp, and scallops (if using). Stir soup. The shrimp will turn opaque white and pink and cooked through within a few minutes.1 lb imitation crab, 1 lb raw shrimp, 0.5 lb scallops
- The finishing touches: Taste the soup and add more salt to taste, if necessary. Stir well and remove from heat. Garnish with a little chopped green onion after pouring soup onto a soup bowl when serving.green onion - to garnish
Notes
- There is no need to cut the fish fillets, you can place the entire piece of the Salmon and Haddock in the pot and they will break apart when cooked.
- Ensure that the seafood is cleaned and deveined before adding it to the soup.
- Add shrimp and crab meat towards the end of the cooking process to prevent overcooking. Shrimp cooks quickly, and overcooked shrimp can become tough. Simmer until the shrimp is just opaque and cooked through.
- Don't forget to taste the soup when it's done and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
Lina
I just have to say - I absolutely loooove this fish soup recipe! It has become a favorite in our home - so comforting, flavorful, and always turns out perfect. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
Irina
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoy it!