Cilantro Tomato Salmon Soup is a wonderfully aromatic soup filled with chunks of salmon and potato swimming in a flavourful tomato broth. Finished with a squeeze of lime juice and fresh herbs and spices, this salmon soup recipe will give you life!
Soup for dinner are some of my favourite kinds of recipes. They’re easy, filling, budget-friendly, and healthy comfort food! If you’re in the mood for another tomato soup try my creamy tomato soup.
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This cilantro tomato salmon soup can be made with literally any fish. Salmon is unbelievably tasty but this perfectly seasoned tomato broth makes any fish taste amazing. I used fresh tomatoes but 2 large cans of diced tomatoes would work too.
Potatoes are optional but like my Ukrainian mom once said “What soup is a soup without potatoes?!” I tend to agree! Well, except when it comes to my turkey taco soup or turkey chili. These ones are perfect just the way they are. But for this one, it does add such a lovely tender chunky bite. Plus it becomes a much heartier soup.
This salmon soup recipe was inspired by a restaurant we ate at on our trip to Puerto Vallarta 13 years ago! I tried this to-die-for seafood soup with marlin and 13 years later I’m still talking about it! Obviously, I didn’t look for marlin in Vancouver or bother to spend tons of extra money. Save the money and hassle and do what I did, check your deep freezer and use whatever you have.
You’re not going to believe how good this soup is. Like, unbelievably tasty. Throw in a bunch of cilantro and fresh lime and you’ve got a truly exquisite meal. Your family will thank you, your wallet will thank you and your body will thank you. Then you can come back and thank me. 😉
Ingredients for Cilantro Tomato Salmon Soup
- For the tomato base: Tomatoes (either freshly chopped or diced in a can). Tomato paste. Low sodium tomato sauce (skip if using fresh tomatoes).
- Vegetable broth: Low sodium. Can also use chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth or water, if that’s all you have.
- Aromatics: Chopped onion. Finely chopped green onion sprigs. Minced garlic. Red pepper flakes.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper.
- Herbs: Bay leaves. Cilantro, finely chopped.
- Salmon fillet: Any fish cut up and cubed will work well.
- Potatoes: An optional add-in to this soup. If you use them, grab medium potatoes and dice them.
- Lime juice: Can use lemon juice as well. A squeeze of this citrus juice balances the acid of the tomato nicely and adds a layer of freshness. Just like with cilantro lime chicken and cilantro lime cauliflower rice.
- Oil for frying
How to Make Tomato Salmon Soup with Cilantro
- Heat pot and cook aromatics: Preheat a large stainless steel pot or dutch oven and swirl oil to coat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then toss in the red pepper flakes and bay leaves and cook for an extra 30 seconds, stirring once.
- Make the broth: Add the tomato paste to the pot and mix well to combine. Then, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and cook on medium.
- Add salmon and potatoes: Add the salmon and if you are adding potatoes, do that as well. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. You’ll notice that much of the time spent on this soup is actually spent waiting!
- Season to taste: Add salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro, and let stand before serving. Adjust any spices to taste if you wish.
Serve hot garnished with fresh cilantro and extra lime. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Any fish: This awesome soup is only made more awesome by the fact that it is so flexible. Use any fish you’d like like cod, trout, halibut, rockfish, mahi mahi.
- Raw or cooked salmon? You will be adding the salmon to this soup raw. It cooks fast! If you are using leftover salmon that has already been cooked, decrease cook time.
- Salt levels: If using canned tomatoes and other items that are not low sodium, use less salt.
- Season to taste: Start with a little at the end and work your way to adding more as you’d like.
- Canned salmon: If you can’t get your hands on fresh salmon, go ahead and use canned. Use less salt and don’t cook as long.
- Instant Pot: You can make this soup in a pressure cooker as well. Using the “Soup” button on your Instant Pot should do the trick!
- Add more veggies: Add in chopped carrots and celery if you want to make it a chunky vegetable soup.
- Low carb swap: Substitute cauliflower for the potatoes. It works as both a substitute for the thick starchy potato and it’s just another bonus veggie.
Storing and Reheating
Store: This is a pretty big pot of soup, so you will probably have leftovers. It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: For up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Heat through on the stovetop or use the microwave for a single bowl.
More Salmon Recipes
- One pan salmon
- Canned salmon patties
- Honey garlic glazed salmon
- Peanut butter salmon
- Lime ginger salmon
- Air fryer salmon
Cilantro Salmon Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped or 2 x 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 large onion chopped
- 5 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp oil for frying
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 tbsp (3 oz) tomato paste
- 14 oz can low sodium tomato sauce skip if using fresh tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 2 1/2 lbs salmon fillet cubed
- 4 medium potatoes medium diced (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lime or lemon juice of
- 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
- 3 green onion sprigs finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add red pepper flakes and bay leaf; cook for 30 seconds, stirring once.
- Add tomato paste and mix well to combine. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth; stir. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on medium for 20 minutes.
- Add salmon and potatoes (optional but makes a more filling soup), cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, lime juice and 3/4 of cilantro. Let stand for 5 minutes. Adjust any spices to taste if you wish.
- Serve hot garnished with fresh cilantro and extra lime.
Notes
- Store: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Heat through on the stovetop or use the microwave for a single bowl.
- Freeze: For up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Any fish: Use any fish you’d like, and the result will be just as delicious.
- Raw or cooked salmon? If you are using leftover salmon that has already been cooked, decrease cook time.
- Salt levels: If using canned tomatoes and other items that are not low sodium, use less salt.
- Season to taste: Start with a little at the end and work your way to adding more as you’d like.
- Canned salmon: If you can’t get your hands on fresh salmon, go ahead and use canned. Use less salt and don’t cook as long.
- Instant Pot: You can make this soup in a pressure cooker as well. Using the “Soup” button on your Instant Pot should do the trick!
Honestly the best recipe I use to impress people.
So glad to hear that!
I kinda did make this; i made a tomato bisque a couple days ago and wanted to enhance a good recipe, which had everything in yours, less a few more, so I added potatoes, cilantro,
salmon, a bit more garlic and some sherry. it was liked by all. I know how some think altering a recipe makes comments irrelevant, but it was just what I wanted to enhance an already good recipe. Thanks for all the good work you do. I am watching and hoping for victory against Russia in your home country.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and made the soup your own, of course nothing wrong with that! Thank you for the wonderful review!
It WORKED!! And it was a HIT.
Perfect timing, too! Thank you so much for the recipe and explaining everything!
So Grateful—in fact everyone here is!! (You made me look good!)
Teri
Friday Harbor, WA
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Teri! Did you just catch or buy a fresh salmon?:) We just caught one this week and I should make this soup too!