Creamy Salmon Soup with Dill (Latvian Zivju Zupa)

Name: Creamy Salmon Soup with Dill (Latvian Zivju Zupa)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 lb salmon fillet (skin removed, cut into 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) cubes); 12 oz waxy potatoes (peeled and cubed (about 3 - 4 medium)); 10 oz carrots (sliced into rounds (about 2 - 3 large)); 1 onion (medium, finely chopped); 1 celery stalk (thinly sliced); 2 tbsp unsalted butter; ¼ tsp ground allspice; 2 bay leaves; 4 cups cold water; ⅔ cup heavy ((double) cream or half and half (optional)); 2/3 cup fresh dill (roughly chopped); Salt and white pepper (to taste); 1 stock cube (fish or vegetable - I never add any); 3 1/2 0z frozen peas, fresh baby spinach or thin asparagus tips; Sour cream (or crème fraîche to serve); Extra dill (flat-leaf parsley or chives, to garnish); Lemon juice (A squeeze to finish)

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This creamy salmon soup is my Latvian family’s zivju zupa: tender salmon, potatoes, carrots and lots of dill in a light, creamy broth. It’s like Finland’s lohikeitto but more flexible, with options to add peas, spinach or asparagus, or use milk or sour cream instead of cream.

It’s made in one pot in about 45 minutes, and with crusty sourdough or rye bread it’s an easy weeknight meal.

Creamy salmon soup served with dark rye bread and butter.

Creamy Salmon Soup At A Glance

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min | Total: 45 min | Serves: 4

Main ingredients: salmon, waxy potatoes, carrots, onion, cream and lots of dill. No stock cube needed.
One pot: everything cooks in the same pot, and with rye bread it’s a full meal.
Latvian cuisine: this is my family’s zivju zupa, in the family of the salmon and dill soups cooked all around the Baltic Sea, like Finland’s lohikeitto.
Summer or winter: a clear, light broth for summer, or a quick hand blitz for a thicker, pale gold winter soup.
Variations: add peas, baby spinach or asparagus, use milk instead of cream, or serve it with sour cream.

Spoonful of creamy salmon soup showing a piece of potato, salmon, carrot and dill.

Latvian Zivju Zupa and Finnish Lohikeitto

Many people have heard of lohikeitto, which is the Finnish version of this creamy salmon soup, sometimes called a salmon chowder. But most countries around the Baltic Sea have their own version, and they tend to be a bit more relaxed about what goes in.

In my Latvian family, it’s just called zivju zupa (fish soup). It’s almost always salmon, but sometimes my grandmother would use whatever fish we had.

My husband loves salmon soup, and when he spent two weeks in Helsinki in April 2026, he ate it almost every day. Here are a couple of the bowls he had.

Finnish lohikeitto served in a bowl with a glass of beer in Helsinki.

Finnish lohikeitto in Helsinki served in a bowl with a glass of beer showing chunks of potatoes and salmon.

He said they weren’t too thick, with fairly large chunks of salmon and potato, and only sometimes carrots. Dill was always there, and sometimes chives. He still says he likes my Latvian version better: more carrots, more veggies, like peas, baby spinach or asparagus, and not as potato-heavy 🙂

I grew up with Latvian cooking, and you can find more of it on my Latvian and Baltic recipes page.

The Ingredients I Use

Full list and amounts in the recipe card below.

Salmon, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, dill, salt, pepper, bay leaves, allspice, peas and cream on a wooden board.

Salmon. Skin off. Run your fingers along the fillet and pull out any small bones with tweezers or your fingers, then cut it into roughly 1 inch (2½ cm) chunks.
Potatoes. Use a waxy variety like Nicola, Dutch Cream or Yukon Gold. They hold their shape better. Floury potatoes break down more into the broth, but if that’s all you have, it’s fine.
Carrots and celery. Two or three carrots, depending on their size. It doesn’t make much difference. One celery stalk, sliced thinly, or you’ll get stringy bits in your soup.
Allspice. Just ¼ teaspoon ground. I add it to the butter with the vegetables, but you can add it later with the water. I don’t think it matters much. Any more than ¼ teaspoon and it starts tasting like Christmas.
Cream. Full fat cream or half and half. Or see substitutions below.
Dill. Fresh dill. A lot of it. Latvians love dill as much as Finns do. If you love it too, try my Baltic-style asparagus soup with dill.
No stock cube. I find stock cubes make everything taste the same. This soup has plenty of flavor without it. Homemade veggie or fish stock would work, but isn’t necessary.

Substitutions I’ve Tried

Leek instead of onion. One leek is lovely, slightly sweeter and very traditional in Finland. I usually use onion because I always have one, and a leek takes longer to clean, but leeks are perfectly fine to use.
Whole milk instead of cream. My Latvian family often makes it with milk for a lighter soup.
Sour cream or crème fraîche. Instead of cream in the pot, put a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche in the middle of each bowl, or just put the tub on the table and let everyone help themselves. Latvians put sour cream (and dill) on almost everything.
Other fish. We sometimes use other fish, or a mix.
Dried dill. Fresh is always better, but dill is one of those herbs that still works pretty well dried.
Greens. Peas, baby spinach or thin asparagus tips or a combination are all very nice in this soup.
Chives or parsley. While dill is the main herb in this soup, my grandmother would often scatter some extra chopped chives or parsley on the top, mostly for decoration I think.

Equipment I Use

It’s a one-pot soup, so you don’t need much:

A large pot or Dutch oven with a lid. All in one pot. Yay! 🙂
A hand blender. If you make the winter version.

How to Make Creamy Salmon Soup

Full instructions in the recipe card below.

Onion, celery and sliced carrots softening in butter in a large pot.

1. Soften the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook gently for 6 – 7 minutes until soft but not browned. I add the allspice here, but you can add it later with the water, or leave it out if you prefer.

Water and bay leaves added to the softened vegetables in the pot.

2. Add the water and bay leaves. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

Cubed potatoes being added to the simmering pot.

3. Add the potatoes. Simmer for 12 – 15 minutes, until a knife slides into the veggies easily.

Slightly blended soup, leaving plenty of potato chunks.

4. Briefly pulse 3 – 4 times with a hand blender. This creates a slightly thicker soup, but is completely optional.

Adding the cubes of salmon into the soup base.

5. Add the salmon (and thin asparagus tips if using). Put the lid on and turn the heat to its lowest setting. Four to five minutes is all it needs until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily. Don’t let it boil or the salmon starts falling into pieces.

Adding finely chopped fresh dill to the salmon soup.

6. Stir in chopped dill and salt and pepper.

Stirring cream into the salmon soup off the heat.

7. Add the cream. Gently heat if needed before serving, without letting it boil. (Optional: Stir in the frozen baby peas or spinach at the same time as the cream if you are using them).

8. Add a squeeze of lemon (optional). I sometimes add it at the very end to brighten it up.

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Summer or Winter Creamy Salmon Soup: The Optional Hand Blitz

I make this soup two ways, depending on the season. In summer I keep the broth clear and light, with the vegetables sitting distinct in it, like the salmon soup my husband ate in Helsinki.

On cold winter days I want something thicker, so once the potatoes and carrots are tender, I pulse the soup 3 or 4 times with a stick blender. It’s not a smooth soup. It’s just slightly thick, with plenty of chunky potato and carrot still in there.

Spoonful of creamy salmon soup with salmon, potato, carrot and peas showing. — Baby peas are optional, but they bring a lovely sweetness to the soup.

Tips for the Best Creamy Salmon Soup

Don’t boil the salmon. Boiled salmon goes rubbery and also breaks apart. Turn down the heat to low, and let the salmon cook for 4 – 5 minutes.
Slice the celery thinly. Thick pieces leave stringy bits in the soup.
Taste before salting. This soup doesn’t need a stock cube, but if you use one, remember they can add quite a bit of salt.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Fridge: keeps for up to 3 days. This is a great soup to make ahead of time. To serve, you just need to reheat gently and don’t let it boil.
Freezing: not recommended, because the cream can split when reheated.

What to Serve It With

This is a full meal soup and a great weeknight dinner.

Most of the time I serve it with slices of crusty sourdough or dark rye and cold butter. Or when I’m serving a crowd, I add a plate of Latvian open-faced sandwiches: rye with cottage cheese and thin slices of radish, or my avocado and cottage cheese open-faced sandwiches. They’re quick to make while the soup simmers, and the cool topping is lovely next to the hot soup. Sometimes I add a simple veggie salad too, like my red radish salad.

For garnish, I use dill, and lots of it. Chives or flat-leaf parsley are nice too.

Latvian salmon soup served with dark rye bread and butter on a wooden board.

FAQ

Can I make it without cream?

Yes. I sometimes make it with milk for a lighter soup, or skip the cream and serve sour cream at the table and then everyone can add as much as they like.

Can I use other fish?

Yes, I usually use salmon, but I do also sometimes use other fish.

Can I use frozen fish?

Yes, you just need to make sure it is cooked through properly. What I usually do is thaw it the night before in the fridge or about an hour before in a bowl of cold water in the sink. This creamy salmon soup is one of my go-to pantry staple dinners, because I nearly always have frozen fish, onion, carrots and celery.

Why is my salmon rubbery?

It probably boiled or cooked too long. Next time, put the lid on, turn the heat to its lowest setting and give it 4 – 5 minutes.

Why is my soup thin?

The summer version is meant to be light. If you want it thicker, try the winter version with a few pulses of the hand blender.

What to Make Next

I make a lot of soups. If you love dill as much as I do, try my zucchini dill soup. You’ll find the rest on my soups page.

And for another way to use salmon, my salmon spinach quiche is great for lunch the next day.

Traditional Latvian Kotletes Recipe (Pan-Fried Meat Patties)

Creamy Cucumber Salad with Dill (French and Baltic Style)

Easy Salmon and Asparagus Quiche Recipe

Easy Red Cabbage Salad Recipe with Dill (no Mayo)

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