This Mexican Fish Soup (Caldo de Pescado) is a nod to a few childhood soups and stews that I remember my mother making. It’s also not a coincidence I’m sharing this recipe for Mexican Fish Soup (Caldo de Pescado) on the First Friday of Lent. Growing up in a Mexican-American Catholic household, Fridays during Lent were always known as Fish Fridays. Abstaining from meat on these days, my mom would rotate through fish sticks, soups, grilled cheese, and grilled fish dishes.
As a result, I have an appreciation for this season and now incorporate these same traditions with my own familia. This Mexican Fish Soup, also known as Caldo de Pescado, is ready in 30 minutes making this a fantastic dinner option any night of the week.
Ingredients for our Homemade Mexican Fish Soup (Caldo de Pescado) Recipe
This Mexican soup recipe is so comforting and the flavors are both bright and warming with just a hint of spice. It’s a Mexican stew that is great any of year when the weather is crisp and a chill in the air leaves us craving a comforting soup. Here is what you’ll need to make this flavorful soup:
- Dried Chiles: We’re using a mix of dried guajillo and dried ancho chiles here. This gives a smoky warmth and subtle spice to our slightly spicy tomato sauce. I love these dried chiles from Olé Rico.
- Assorted Vegetables: Carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes add a little heft and a great staples for the soup. You can also add in some sliced squash or zucchini depending on the time of year.
- Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes: I always have cans of tomatoes in the pantry and to craft sauces from scratch easily. This is going to help us create a tomato base for the sauce when we purée them with the dried chiles. Alternatively, you can use canned diced tomatoes. Since the tomato base will be puréed it is not important if the tomatoes are whole peeled or diced.
- Fish and Shrimp: It wouldn’t be a Mexican Fish Soup without fish. Let’s go with wild caught cod here and we’re also adding some delicious wild caught pink shrimp to create variety in our Mexican fish and shrimp soup. You can also opt for tilapia, sea bass, or halibut here but the key is to use a firm white fish so it doesn’t fall apart in the soup.
- Fish Stock or Fish Broth: If you can purchase some fresh stock from your local fish monger, this would be fantastic. If not, in the words of Ina Garten: “store bought is fine.” Here is a brand I like. The fish stock really elevates the flavor of the fish soup so while you can also use vegetable stock, really try to see if you can find some fish stock. I’m also working on a recipe for fresh fish stock to share here soon. In the meantime, scroll down for a few easy tips in creating a simple fish broth for this soup.
- Spices and Seasonings: Dried Mexican Oregano, black peppercorns, garlic, and kosher salt are helpful seasoning ingredients to this soup.
A Case for Homemade Fish Broth
If this marks your first time making the soup and making fish broth in general, I’m here to tell you it’s really easy to put together a homemade broth to use for this comforting meal. The best thing you can do is visit your local fish market or fishmonger to purchase a couple pounds of fish heads. You can use red snapper or cod, but the fish heads are what will add so much flavor to the broth.
Next, place the fish heads in a large pot and add 8 to 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add in a few aromatics and seasonings. I like to add in some sliced onion, fennel, a teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, and a few bay leaves. You can also add in a couple of carrots and celery to the mix. Allow the broth to simmer for about an hour. Cool and use a slotted spoon to strain out the fish heads, vegetables, and seasonings then discard. Pour out the stock into a large bowl fitted with a mesh strainer to strain out any remaining bits from the broth. And there it is! Fresh fish broth to use for your soup.
Preparing the Mexican Fish Soup in Just 30 Minutes
The best part of this dish is that it’s ready in 30 minutes. To prepare our soup, first bring a cup of water to boil in a small saucepan then allow to. Cool slightly. Place dried chiles in a small prep bowl and pour the boiled water over them. Allow chiles to soak and soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from water and remove the stem and seeds (you can leave in a few seeds for added spice or heat as desired).
Next, in the bowl of a food processor, add tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic cloves, and the soaked chiles. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black peppercorns. Pulse the mixture to create a tomato sauce. Purée until smooth. Using a medium bowl fitted with a mesh strainer, strain the tomato sauce until smooth. Discard the remaining purée. Set to the side until ready for use.
In a large dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the peeled and diced carrots and celery. Season with a large pinch of kosher salt, ground cumin, and ground black pepper. Cook until softened and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in potatoes, the puréed tomato sauce, fish stock, the dried bay leaf, and 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano. Stir everything to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer to allow the potatoes, carrots, and celery to cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender.
Once vegetables are cooked through, remove the bay leaf and discard. Slice the fish fillets into 1 inch chunks. Add in the diced fish chunks and shrimp. Continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more until fish is tender and shrimp has just turned pink. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges for squeezing lime juice, and, if desired, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. The only thing left is to serve with warm tortillas like fresh corn tortillas or even saltine crackers.
More Mexican Recipes to Try
There are lots more recipes to try when it comes to Cooking with Our CSA and finding seasonal recipes in the Mexican cuisine space is a joy to share with you here. Here are few other recipes to check out:
- Vegan Mexican Sopes are versatile for easy weeknights
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos are another great vegetarian option for Taco Tuesday
I hope you enjoy this wonderful fish soup for those cold winter nights. If you make it, please let me know how it goes! You can share in the comments below or on social media! Tag me on Instagram or on my Facebook page.
Cheers to the next nourishing meal. 🧡
Mexican Fish Soup (Caldo de Pescado)
Ingredients
- 4 fillets of cod about 1.25 pounds cut into chunks
- 12 ounces uncooked shrimp option for peeled and deveined or keep whole shell on
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch chunks
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch chunks
- 3 celery stalks, diced into 1/2 inch chunks
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 dried ancho chile
- 2 dried guajillo chiles
- 1 28- ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 4 cups fish stock
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Bring a cup of water to boil in a small saucepan. Cool slightly. Place dried chiles in a small prep bowl and pour the boiled water over them. Allow chiles to soak and soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from water and remove the stem and seeds (you can leave in a few seeds for added spice or heat as desired).
- In the bowl of a food processor, add tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic cloves, and the soaked chiles. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and black peppercorns. Pulse the mixture to create a tomato sauce. Purée until smooth.
- Using a medium bowl fitted with a mesh strainer, strain the tomato sauce until smooth. Discard the remaining purée. Set to the side until ready for use.
- In a large dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots and celery and season with a large pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook until softened and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add in potatoes, the puréed tomato sauce, fish stock, the dried bay leaf, and 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano. Stir everything to combine then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer to allow the potatoes, carrots, and celery to cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Once vegetables are cooked through, remove the bay leaf and discard. Add in the diced fish chunks and shrimp. Continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more until fish is tender and shrimp has just turned pink. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro leaves, a wedge of lime, and, if desired, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. Serve with a warm pile of fresh tortillas.
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