Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 150 g leek, cleaned, sliced into half-moons (white and light green parts only)
- 500 g waxy potatoes, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes
- 150 g carrots, peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 20 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Dairy and Seafood
- 40 g unsalted butter, cold
- 200 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 400 g salmon fillet, skinless, pin bones removed, cut into 3cm cubes
Pantry and Liquids
- 800 ml fish stock, warm
- 5 whole allspice berries
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 2 g ground black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 653 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 54 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 2858 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 80 mg
- Potassium
- 1089 mg
- Calcium
- 404 mg
- Iron
- 17.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 366 mg
- Phosphorus
- 522 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 913 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 26 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 26 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 4.3 mg
- Folate
- 67 mcg
- Water
- 396 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Do not allow the leeks to brown.
Pour the warm fish stock into the pot. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, whole allspice berries, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, approximately 15 minutes.
Stir the room temperature heavy cream into the pot. Allow the soup to return to a very gentle simmer. Keep the heat low to ensure the cream does not boil vigorously and separate.
Carefully fold the cubed salmon into the simmering broth. Poach gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through. The internal temperature of the thickest pieces should reach 63C/145F to ensure food safety.
Remove the pot from the heat immediately to prevent overcooking the salmon. Discard the bay leaf and try to remove the allspice berries if visible. Gently stir in the chopped fresh dill, sea salt, and black pepper. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls, ensuring an even distribution of salmon and vegetables. Garnish with a reserved sprig of fresh dill. Serve immediately, ideally with dark rye bread on the side.
Chef's Notes
- Using a homemade fish stock prepared from the salmon frame and head will dramatically elevate the depth of flavor compared to any store-bought alternative.
- Waxy potatoes are non-negotiable for this recipe. Starchy potatoes will disintegrate into the broth, muddying the texture and making the soup overly thick.
- Always add the fresh dill completely off the heat. Exposing dill to prolonged cooking destroys its delicate, aromatic essential oils and vibrant green color.
- While Lohikeitto is fantastic immediately, allowing the soup to chill overnight allows the allspice and dill to permeate the cream. Reheat it very gently the next day for an even deeper flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat very gently to prevent the cream from splitting.
Reheating: Warm over low heat on the stovetop, stirring gently until just steaming. Do not allow it to boil.
Troubleshooting
Broth looks grainy, split, or separated
Cause: The soup was allowed to boil vigorously after the heavy cream was added, or a low-fat dairy alternative was used.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but whisking a spoonful of the broth vigorously in a separate bowl and tempering it back in can sometimes marginally improve emulsion.
Prevention: Use heavy cream with at least 36 percent fat content and keep the soup at a gentle, barely-bubbling simmer after dairy is introduced.
Salmon is dry, tough, and rubbery
Cause: The salmon was boiled or cooked for too long in the hot broth.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Add the salmon at the very end of cooking, poach gently for no more than 4 minutes, and remove the pot from the heat immediately.
Broth is cloudy and overly thick
Cause: Starchy baking potatoes were used instead of waxy potatoes, causing them to break down and release excess starch into the soup.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the soup remains perfectly safe and delicious to eat.
Prevention: Always choose waxy or all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Gold, Charlotte, or red potatoes for soups.
Cultural Context
Lohikeitto is a beloved culinary staple across Finland and neighboring Nordic countries, enjoyed both as a warming everyday meal during harsh winters and as a celebratory dish during midsummer festivals. The harmony of rich fatty salmon, hearty root vegetables, and fragrant dill perfectly embodies the Scandinavian culinary philosophy of simplicity, locality, and comfort.
