Norwegian-Style Fish Soup with Trout, Potato and Corn

There’s a reason fish soup is such a beloved staple across Norway’s coastal towns – it’s warming, wonderfully creamy, and makes the most of simple, humble ingredients. This version uses trout in place of the traditional white fish, along with tender potato and sweet corn, all simmered together in a rich, lightly creamy broth finished with fresh dill. It’s the kind of soup that feels like a proper meal in a bowl, perfect for a cold evening, and easy enough to have on the table in well under an hour.

Norwegian-Style Fish Soup with Trout, Potato and Corn
Serves 4 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 leek, white part only, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
4 cups fish or vegetable stock
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
500g trout fillets, skin removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, plus extra to serve
Crusty bread, to serve

Method

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
Add the carrots and potatoes, then pour in the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12–15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
Stir through the corn, cream and Dijon mustard, and return to a gentle simmer.
Add the trout pieces and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily — take care not to overcook it, as trout can become tough quickly.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir through the chopped dill.
Ladle into bowls, scatter with a little extra fresh dill, and serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up the broth.

Tips

Trout can be swapped for salmon or a firm white fish like cod if you prefer, though trout’s delicate flavour works beautifully here.

Adding the fish right at the end and keeping the heat gentle is the key to keeping it tender rather than rubbery.

This soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days, though it’s best to reheat it gently rather than at a rolling boil, to protect the texture of the fish.

For an extra layer of flavour, a splash of white wine added with the stock brings a lovely, gentle acidity to balance the cream.