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Caldo de Pescado, or Mexican Fish Soup, is a dish I love more than words can explain.
There are plenty of Mexican fish recipes to choose from – Tostadas de Atun, Pesacdo al Ajillo, and Fish Ceviche.
This one, though… There’s something so comforting about this soup.
It even feels good when you eat it. You’ll LOVE how easy it comes together.
To Make Homemade Fish Broth:
- Place the head, tail, and any fish bones (NO MEAT) in a large stock pot.
- Add onion, bay leaf, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and pinch of pepper.
- Cover with water. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 15 minutes.
Make this ahead of time for faster cooking.
Homemade fish broth lasts up to 6 months in a sealable bag in the freezer or up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Discard fish parts, onion, bay leaf, and garlic.
Note: If you don’t have time, you can always use store-bought fish broth or use water plus seafood bouillon
You can either use fresh or frozen fish.
Don’t be afraid to use frozen fish. The freezer dry burn taste will be masked by the rich flavors from the broth.
How to Make the Tomato Chipotle Sauce
- Add 3 tomatoes to a blender along with garlic, onion, and 1 chipotle.
- Pour water to the blender.
You can skip this step and use a can of tomato sauce. Then blend the tomato sauce with the chipotle.
This Mexican Fish Soup recipe is not spicy. The chipotle is only there for flavor not for heat. It will add a smokey flavor.
If it sounds too spicy for you and your family, omit the chipotle.
- Blend until smooth then set aside.
- Strain the sauce for a smoother consistency.
If you can, make extra tomato sauce.
There are many Mexican recipes that call for tomato sauce such as Sopa de Conchas, Sopa de Fideo, Fideo Seco
Great Idea: Use up ripe tomatoes by making homemade tomato sauce and freezing it. Then take it out as needed.
How to Assemble the Soup:
- Heat oil and add tomato sauce.
- Add the fish broth and veggies into a stock pot.
- Let this simmer until the veggies are tender.
When to add the veggies depends on what TYPE of veggies you are using.
Carrots and potatoes need longer to cook.
However, if you are using calabacitas or cabbage, they only need a few minutes to cook in the broth. Add them along with the fish.
- Add fish and cook for 5 minutes.
For soup, use a firm white fish like haddock, cod, halibut, grouper, red snapper, or sea bass.
Be sure to add the fish at the very end so it can maintain its texture. Remember that the thicker the fish, the longer it will take to cook.
Tilapia is ok to use too, but it will cook faster because it’s usually very thin.
How Long Does Fish Last?
In the refrigerator, fresh fish will last up to 3 days. Fish will last 3-4 months in the freezer. Wrap him up in plastic wrap and in a freezer bag. Try to remove as much air as possible.
More Mexican Seafood Recipes:
Camarones a la Diaba
Coctel de Camarones
Camarones a la Veracruzana
Toppings ideas:
- A few slices of chile de árbol
- Lime wedges
- Cilantro
- Queso Panela
- Queso Fresco
A big bowl of this Caldo de Pescado (Mexican Fish Soup) is sure to bring a smile to your face. It’s what home cooking is all about.
Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Mexican Fish Soup, or Caldo de Pescado
Ingredients
To Make Homemade Fish Broth:
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 3 tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup Water
- 1/2 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1/2 tbsp salt
For the Fish Soup:
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 large russet potato cubed
- 2 carrots sliced
- 10 cups Fish Broth or 10 cups water + 2 seafood bouillons
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 fish sea bass, red snapper, or swordfish, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Sliced chile de árbol optional
- Lime wedges optional
Instructions
To Make Homemade Fish Broth:
- In a large pot, add fish head, tail, and bones, 1/2 onion, 1 garlic clove, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- Add 10 cups of water.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn heat off.
- Strain to discard bones, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
- Set broth aside until ready to use.
For the Tomato Sauce:
- In a blender, add tomatoes, 1 cup water, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 chipotle pepper, salt.
- Blend until smooth.
- Set aside.
For the Fish Soup:
- Heat oil in a large stock pot.
- Carefully add the tomato sauce.
- (Warning, it will splatter slightly when adding the tomato mixture).
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add all the homemade fish broth. (Or, water + bouillons, if using)
- Add the potatoes, carrots, and bay leaf.
- Taste for salt.
- Bring to boil.
- Add the fish and cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Serve in a deep bowl with lime wedges and top with chile de árbol and green onions.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Adjust this recipe by omitting the 3 tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1/2 onion, and garlic.
- Replace with 1 can tomato sauce and blend with the chipotle and salt instead.
Nutrition
This post was updated. You might remember the old picture.
I made this for my family last night and it was my first time seeing it and making it. I followed the directions closely and opted to not put the chile de arborl in it, lit was a HIT!!!! Thank you so much for posting the recipe and the step by step photos. The pics really help! I’ll be back to find other things to try.
Melissa Tenhet Cabral
Bakersfield, Ca
I made this and enjoyed it very much. I was able to short-cut a bit by using a high-quality store-bought fish broth (Ferrer) and I don’t feel it compromised the overall flavor like water + bouillon might have. I also added fresh corn kernels, chopped fresh cilantro, and calabacita squash (mexican grey squash) towards the end. The monkfish I used was tasty and stayed firm in the soup. The soup was delicious and I look forward to eating the leftovers.
Maggie thanks for the recipe on the fish soup (mex)
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it Ernest.
We’ve ordered this when we’ve gone to restaurants before but I’m so glad I can try my hand at making it at home now. Thanks for all the tips and tricks to getting this right.
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope you try it!
We make similar soup a lot, usually using fish heads and tails. It’s such a flavorful soup, isn’t it?
It is flavorful! Hope you give this recipe a try
I am always looking for new seafood and new soup recipes, but don’t often think of fish soup! It was good!
Hope you try it! This recipe is delicious.
I do a lot of cooking with salmon and tilapia but not other fish because I have not really ever known what fish to use and what to do with it. Your recipe has given me all the information I need to branch out. Thank you!
So glad this was helpful. Hope you try it!
Such a tasty soup. My whole family loved it.
So glad you enjoyed this!
How much fish broth or seafood bouillon would I need if not wanting to do the head and tails?
For the boxed fish broth, use the entire box, or about 8 cups. If using seafood bouillon, use 8 cups of water plus 1 tablet of bouillon. Check for salt after you’ve added the tomato sauce.
I’ve never had or made this dish before so I’m excited to try something new! And love that I can use frozen fish as well. I always have some on hand!
Hope you try this recipe! It’s amazing
Wow, this was so delicious! The fish broth added such a wonderful depth and really made it something special. This is well-worth making.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed this!
I’ve never had Mexican fish soup but I’m excited to give it a try! It’s still so cold here in Canada so a warming soup is perfect.
Hope you try it! I think you will love it
This looks awesome Maggie! I love all the flavour you’ve always got going on in your recipes, my husband is going to go crazy for this one.
I think so too! So glad you liked this!
I loved how light this soup was! I didn’t know this was a Mexican dish but I’m so glad I tried it!
Light and delicious! Glad you liked it
Love the flavors. Delicious. Soup are always special for Dinner and I just love your recipe. Sounds and looks perfect.
Thanks! Glad you liked it