If you love bold, fresh flavor, this Southeast Asian-style salmon and rice soup is for you. It’s a quick, comforting meal that tastes far more elaborate than the time it takes to make, and it’s easy to customize to your family’s preferences.
I shared a photo of this for lunch and everyone asked for the recipe, so here it is. I think of this soup as a blend of Hmong, Lao, and Thai influences because of the ingredients and aromatics used. The method is forgiving and intended to be adjusted to taste: start modestly with seasonings, then add more as you taste.
The broth
A rich, fragrant broth is the heart of this salmon and rice soup. Using salmon bones and, if possible, a salmon head yields excellent flavor and is an economical way to build a deep fish stock. If you can buy the bones or head from your fishmonger, they are often very affordable.
For extra depth I use a light chicken broth as the liquid base. You can use water, but a light broth gives more body and umami with minimal effort. Simmer gently rather than boiling: a low simmer extracts flavor without clouding or breaking down the stock too harshly.
Aromatics
Classic Southeast Asian aromatics bring brightness and complexity to the soup. If you can find galangal and kaffir lime leaves, use them, but the soup still shines without them.
- dried bay leaves
- fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- lemongrass stalks (outer layers removed, bruised)
- galangal (optional)
- kaffir lime leaf (optional)
Adjusting the soup to your taste
This recipe is intentionally flexible so you can tailor the balance of sour, salty, spicy, and herbal to your liking. The main seasonings to adjust at the end are salt, fish sauce, fresh lime, and chili oil or sliced Thai chiles.
A good strategy is to keep the pot mildly seasoned and let each person finish their bowl to taste. Lime juice turns bitter if left too long in the pot, so add lime to individual bowls when possible. Taste frequently and add a little at a time: fish sauce for umami and saltiness, lime for brightness, and chili oil or fresh chiles to control heat.
Serve this soup with plain white rice on the side or spoon rice directly into bowls for a heartier, more traditional presentation. Fresh cilantro and thinly sliced scallions add immediate freshness at the end.
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Salmon and Rice Soup
- Author: Jasmine and Tea
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Description
This salmon and rice soup is fragrant, savory, and quick to make. The stock is flavored with lemongrass and ginger, and finished at the table with lime, fish sauce, herbs, and chili for a bright, layered bowl of comfort. It’s perfect for a fast weeknight dinner or a simple lunch that feels nourishing and special.
Ingredients
Broth
- 3 lb chopped salmon (include head & bones if available)
- 4 to 5 cups light chicken broth (or water as needed)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layers removed and bruised
- 5 dried bay leaves
- 30g chopped ginger
- galangal (optional)
- kaffir lime leaf (optional)
Other seasonings and garnishes
- white rice, cooked
- Thai bird’s-eye chiles or sliced fresh chiles
- salt and fish sauce to taste
- hot chili oil (optional)
- fresh cilantro and scallions, chopped
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Rinse the salmon pieces under cool water to remove blood and impurities, then drain well. Place the bones and any head pieces into a large stock pot and add chicken broth or enough water to cover the fish.
- Bring the liquid up to a gentle heat. Prepare the aromatics: remove the tough outer layers from the lemongrass, bruise or lightly pound the stalks to release oil, and slice into large chunks. Add the lemongrass, bay leaves, chopped ginger, and optional galangal and lime leaf to the pot.
- Reduce to a low simmer — do not boil. Skim any scum that rises to the surface and continue to simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes to extract flavor from the bones.
- When the broth has developed flavor, season lightly with salt, remembering that fish sauce will add more saltiness later. Remove the larger fish pieces and let them cool slightly.
- Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot or bowl, discarding solids and any coarse sediment. Remove the meat from the bones, flake it into bite-sized pieces, and return the meat to the strained broth.
- To serve, place a scoop of cooked white rice in each bowl and ladle hot broth and salmon over the rice. Offer lime wedges, fish sauce, chopped cilantro, scallions, fresh chiles, and chili oil so each person can season their bowl to taste.
Notes
Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a couple of days. Store broth separately from lime if you expect to keep it longer to avoid bitterness. You can substitute mild white fish if salmon bones aren’t available, but the salmon flavor is what makes this version distinctive.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes