Psarosoupa (Fish Soup With Red Snapper and Vegetables) Recipe

By
Nancy Gaifyllia
Nancy Gaifyllia
A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties.
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Updated on 06/12/21
Greek fish soup
Souders Studios / Getty Images
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

In Greek: ψαρόσουπα, pronounced psah-ROH-soo-pah

This red snapper soup is a great fish to choose for soup because it doesn't fall apart and has a wonderful taste to impart to the vegetables. This red snapper recipe uses a traditional Greek oil-and-lemon sauce (latholemono) for the vegetables and fish, and rice is added to the soup. It's a delicious and substantial meal.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds red snapper

  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

  • 4 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 1 pound carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 5 to 6 stalks celery (with leaves), coarsely chopped

  • 1 pound small zucchini, cut part-way through, lenthwise

  • 2 pounds medium peeled potatoes, each cut into 6 wedges

  • 2/3 cup olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Salt, to taste

  • 4 1/2 cups water

  • 2/3 cup rice

For the Latholemono (Oil-Lemon) Sauce:

  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Steps to Make It

Note: This recipe requires 2 soup pots or one soup pot and a large bowl.

  1. Scrape the fish to remove scales.

  2. Cut off and discard fins.

  3. Gut and remove and discard the head.

  4. Wash fish well to remove any debris.

  5. If the fish are larger than one-person servings, score the fish on one side into serving size pieces using a sharp knife (don't cut into the bones).

  6. Salt the zucchini.

  7. In a soup pot, bring oil and 4 1/2 cups of water to a boil over medium heat.

  8. Add onions, carrots, tomatoes, and celery, and boil covered for 15 minutes.

  9. Add potatoes and zucchini and continue to boil covered for 20 minutes.

  10. Add fish, cover, and continue to boil for 25 minutes.

  11. Remove from heat, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Make the Sauce in the Blender​

  1. Combine the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and blend on high until thickened (about 5 seconds).

  2. Carefully, remove fish and 3/4 of the vegetables from the pot using a slotted spatula, and place in a serving dish.

  3. Pour the sauce over the fish and vegetables, cover and set aside.

  4. Ladle soup stock and vegetables into the blender (don't fill more than half way), and mix on high for 7 seconds until puréed.

Finishing the Soup

  1. Pour into a second soup pot or a large bowl. Continue until all the soup stock and vegetables have been puréed. (If using a large bowl, rinse out the pot and pour in the soup.) 

  2. Add 8 3/4 cups of water to the soup and bring to a boil.

  3. Add rice and cover.

  4. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes.

  5. Remove from heat and stir in the juice of one lemon.

  6. Serve fish and vegetables on a platter, and soup in a tureen or individual soup bowls.

  7. Serve with pepper and lemon wedges on the side to be added to taste.

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
755 Calories
40g Fat
41g Carbs
58g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 755
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 52%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 269mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 58g
Vitamin C 37mg 187%
Calcium 155mg 12%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 2241mg 48%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)