Mexican Fish Soup, or Caldo de Pescado

Caldo de Pescado served in a white bowl and topped with cilantro and chile slices.

5 from 56 votes

Mexican Fish Soup, or Caldo de Pescado

Caldo de Pescado (or Mexican Fish Soup) is an EASY and absolutely delicious dish. It’s hard not to love a big bowl of this hearty and comforting soup that's loaded with FLAVOR!! Made with homemade fish broth and a spicy tomato sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

To Make Homemade Fish Broth:

Fish head tail, and bones of 1 fish
½ onion
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
½ tspn pepper
10 cups Water

For the Tomato Sauce:

3 tomatoes quartered
1 cup Water
½ onion
1 garlic clove
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
½ tablespoon 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, ½ 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

Instead of making homemade fish broth: Use store bough fish broth, vegetable broth, chicken broth, OR water plus seafood bouillon.

Add more cooking time for a thicker cut of fish.

For the Tomato Sauce: You can use canned tomato sauce instead.

Adjust this recipe by omitting the 3 tomatoes, 1 cup water, ½ onion, and garlic.
Replace with 1 can tomato sauce and blend with the chipotle and salt instead.

Nutrition