Recipe for Greek Fish Soup (Kakavia)

[axariotisxy]

I love a good fish soup in the summer. I thought I'd share a recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 to 2.5 pounds whole white fish (such as sea bass, red snapper, grouper, or cod), cleaned and scaled
• 1/3 cup olive oil (preferably Greek extra virgin)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 to 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 to 3 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (include leaves if you have them)
• 1 medium tomato, chopped (optional for a reddish broth)
• 2 bay leaves
• Juice of 1 to 2 lemons (adjust to taste)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• (Optional) 1/4 cup uncooked white rice or orzo pasta

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Sauté for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Pour in enough cold water to cover the vegetables by about 2 inches (usually around 8–9 cups). Add bay leaves, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost tender.
3. Gently add the whole fish (or fillets). If using whole fish, you can wrap them in cheesecloth or kitchen twine for easy removal. Simmer gently (don’t boil!) for 10–15 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked.
4. If using, stir in the rice or orzo after the fish has been in the pot for about 5 minutes, so it finishes cooking with the broth.
5. Carefully remove the fish from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Taste the broth and stir in the lemon juice, adjusting to your preferred brightness.
6. Remove skin and bones from the fish, flake the meat, and either return it to the pot or serve separately. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with fresh chopped parsley.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

What a gorgeous recipe — thank you for sharing it! I’m also a huge fan of summer fish soups, especially when they’re lemony and fresh like this. The combination of whole fish and vegetables really brings out that traditional, old-world flavor. I’ve made something similar with grouper, and I’ve found that simmering the bones a bit longer before straining gives the broth even more depth.

The cheesecloth tip is brilliant, it makes cleanup and serving so much easier. I sometimes add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, or swap in fennel for celery when I want a more aromatic note. And I love that you included the rice/orzo option, makes it heartier if you’re serving it as a full meal. Definitely bookmarking this one for my next weekend lunch on the patio. Have you ever tried it with shrimp shells or mixed seafood for variation?